Physical Education
Physical Education Teaching Staff
- Mr S Heath – Curriculum Lead
- Miss H Freeman – Assistant Curriculum Lead
- Mrs L Horton
- Miss M Claridge
- Mr P Jarvis
- Mr M Salmon
- Miss S Barker
- Mr A.Bruce
- Mrs T.Howlett
- Miss O’Shea
- Mr J.Godbold
Why Physical Education is Important
The Physical Education department strives to inspire students to have the desire and motivation to take regular part in physical activity and to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities. It provides opportunities for students to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness and gives them knowledge and understanding to lead healthy lifestyles. We also strive to provide opportunities to compete in sport and other activities that build character and help to embed personal and shared values such as fairness, teamwork and determination.
The four aims for students within PE at the Wey Valley Academy are:
1. Develop understanding, application and improvement of techniques, skills, rules, tactics and safety in a broad range of physical activities
2. Display an enjoyment and engagement for P.E and Sport and respect for others
3. Engage in different extra-curricular sports and physical activities in school
4. Lead healthy and active lives both at school, outside school and in the future
Teaching and Learning in Physical Education
Key Stage 3
In Year 7 all groups (tutor) work through a ‘Multi-skills’ unit of work in TERM 1 and are then assessed by their teacher to then feed into the most appropriate P.E groups (Set 1 Boys, Set 1 Girls, Set 2 Boys and Set 2 Girls) to work in until the end of Year 9. Students in their new Year 7 sets in terms 2-6 then work through 6 week units of work:
- Health and Fitness
- Outdoor Education/Sports Leaders
- Games
- Racquet activities
- Athletics
- Striking/ Fielding
Key Stage 4
In Year 10 and 11 core PE students are offered the opportunity to choose a pathway for two years of their choice and interest:
1. Outdoor Adventure (Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award in Year 10 and Prince’s Trust Award in Year 11)
2. Wey Valley Academy ‘Junior Sports Leaders Award’
3. Games (development of skills/tactics, player coach/leadership and competitive league) – Boys and Girls groups
KS4 Vocational PE course
In Year 10 students can chose to take a two-year Cambridge National Sport Sports Studies (OCR) as an option subject. The award consists of three units (2 internal assessments - coursework and 1 external assessment – exam). The decision to study this course was based upon different grading boundaries which enables are students to be able to access the course and the content of each unit of work.
Sports Studies: Coursework Units – Performance and Leadership in Sport - Media in Sport
Exam Unit - Contemporary Issues in Sport
We have chosen the coursework units of work to study as we feel they are the best suited to the academic and physical abilities and interests of our students and also mirror activities, knowledge and skills gained and developed within the Key Stage 3 core PE curriculum. The aim is for ALL members of the PE department to be skilled and qualified in teaching the Cambridge National courses so to spread the assessment requirements and planning and also share good practise and internal verification of student work.
Core PE lessons
In Year 7 and 8 core PE lessons students have the opportunity to develop their practical skills in Invasion Games, Multi Skills, Outdoor Adventure Activities, Health and Fitness, Net/Wall and Athletic activities. These are all essential in helping students to understand the importance of exercise and leading an active and healthy lifestyle. This is part of a carousal system consisting of a module of lessons which allows the students time in each of the different activities to develop their skills, techniques, experience and understanding of that topic.
In Year 9 the students build on the skills, knowledge, experience and understanding developed in Year’s 7 and 8 to further develop in more individual and independent activities such as Sports Leadership, OAA leading into Duke of Edinburgh, Invasion Games as well as Net/Wall, Athletic and Striking and Fielding activities.
In Year 10 and 11 students are then given the opportunity to select a focused PE activity pathway to follow and gain a qualification for two years. Those pathways include Sports Leadership (WVA ‘Junior Sports Leadership Award), Outdoor Adventure (Duke of Edinburgh Sliver Award and Princes Trust Award) and Games (playing, coaching, leading) as well as all groups doing Athletics and Striking and Fielding in the summer term. These pathways are designed to give students the opportunity to follow activities of particular interest and to develop all the students independence, leadership, communication, organisational and social skills and qualities.
Cambridge National Sports Studies lessons
These sport qualifications offer learners the chance to develop different types of skills through largely practical means; communication, problem solving, team working, evaluation and analysis, performing under pressure, and formulating written findings from practical investigation are all transferable skills which can be learned and assessed through these qualifications and utilised in many other educational and employment settings.
The Cambridge National Sports Science and Sports Studies option qualifications have been designed with practical and engaging ways of teaching in mind and enable learners to:
Develop a range of skills through involvement in sport and physical activity in different contexts and roles.
Develop their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations.
Gain a better understanding of the complexity of different areas of sport and the sports industry.
Increase their awareness of different ways to stay involved in sport and physical activity and of different careers and roles within sport.
The Cambridge National courses are a mixture of coursework-based assignment tasks and one theory exam in May Year 11. The grade weighting of both the Sports Science and Sports Studies courses are :
Main coursework unit – 40% of final grade
Exam unit – 40% of final grade
Smaller coursework unit – 20% of final grade
(Final grades range received from Level 1 Pass to Level 2 Distinction*)