At Beckfoot Allerton School, students are empowered to participate in physical activity and understand how this influences their own well-being and that of others. By demonstrating the benefits of an active lifestyle to our children, members of our school staff encourage others to participate in sport, dance and exercise.
Physical education engages and energises students. It provides authentic contexts in which to learn. Our students challenge themselves to develop their physical and interpersonal skills. They experience movement and understand the role that it plays in their lives. When a child begins to understand the importance of movement and physical health, this begins to impact on the child’s mental health. Not only are the children enjoying taking part in both recreational and competitive learning situations with their peers, but they understand the health benefits of doing so.
The skills taught in physical education improve students’ performance, sharpen their knowledge of strategy and tactics, and help them to transfer knowledge from one context to another. In our lessons, we try to create a concept of challenge by choice (giving children the freedom to take risks). This enables appropriate learning at a level that builds confidence. It enables the development of leadership and teamwork skills and encourages students to transfer knowledge to other learning areas. It does this for example, by supporting students to work cooperatively in other subjects, or when working with groups in a leadership role in the school setting and in their lives outside of school in sports clubs or community groups. Physical education provides a range of opportunities for students to challenge and extend themselves in an environment of managed risk. Students step outside their comfort zone to take on new social, physical, and emotional challenges. Taking on challenges and assessing risk requires the exploration and development of decision-making skills, all of which are beneficial to a child’s future.
It is our aim, as a school, to ensure that all children get a broad and varied experience in PE. Children will leave our school being competent in the above skills. In order to achieve this goal, our teachers will be supported with our whole school progression maps and children will receive as much time possible to explore their own motor skills, games and leadership.