PE at Ryedene
“We are athletes”
Subject Leader: Miss Haste
My name is Miss Haste and I am the subject lead for Physical Education. At Ryedene, we believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their physical skills, experience success and discover activities that they enjoy. PE provides children with opportunities to become more confident, resilient and determined while developing their ability to work with and compete against others. We want our children to see themselves as athletes and to develop the skills, knowledge and positive attitudes that will enable them to enjoy physical activity throughout their lives.
Vision: The vision for PE at Ryedene is to provide a high-quality, inclusive and ambitious physical education curriculum where every child is supported to reach their highest potential. Our PE curriculum is designed to inspire all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities. We want children to develop physical competence alongside the confidence, resilience, teamwork and determination needed to succeed both in PE and beyond. We recognise that children have different strengths and starting points. Our curriculum therefore provides a wide range of opportunities so that all children, including those who show an aptitude for PE, can develop and reach their highest potential. We believe that children should experience a wide range of sports and physical activities. Our curriculum therefore includes activities such as dance, gymnastics, athletics, games, fitness, outdoor and adventurous activities and swimming, alongside a broad range of team and individual sports. The National Curriculum aims for pupils to develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities, be physically active for sustained periods of time, engage in competitive sports and activities, and lead healthy, active lives. These aims underpin our PE curriculum and are brought to life through progressive learning, competition, extra-curricular opportunities and inclusive participation.
What we are teaching in PE: Our PE curriculum follows the National Curriculum for Physical Education and is carefully sequenced so that children build on previous learning as they move through the school. Children develop fundamental movement skills and then progressively apply these skills across a broad range of activities. Our curriculum map includes Fundamentals, Dance, Ball Skills, Team Building, Net and Wall Games, Target Games, Gymnastics, Striking and Fielding Games, Fitness, Invasion Games, Athletics, Outdoor and Adventurous Activities and Swimming, alongside sports including rugby, tennis, hockey, netball, cricket, rounders, basketball, football and handball. This breadth ensures that children have repeated opportunities to develop transferable physical skills. The Subject Leader Review identified that children experience a range of sports where skills such as throwing and catching cross over between activities, allowing their ability to improve as they progress through the school.
How we teach PE: At Ryedene, PE is taught through a progressive sequence of learning which enables children to know more, remember more and apply their skills in increasingly challenging situations. Lessons provide opportunities for children to practise, refine and apply physical skills. Teachers use our knowledge progression and curriculum planning to ensure that important knowledge and skills are revisited and developed over time. For example, in athletics, children progressively develop their understanding of running, jumping, throwing and rules. By Year 3, pupils understand how body position can influence speed, how landing quickly can improve jumping distance and how movement speed creates power when throwing. By Year 6, this has developed into understanding preparation, the muscles used, building speed and power, and applying rules in higher-risk events. We also place importance on children understanding why they are performing a skill, not simply being able to perform it. Knowledge organisers support this by giving children key vocabulary, knowledge and skill ladders. For example, our Year 3 Athletics Knowledge Organiser introduces vocabulary including accuracy, control, personal best, power, speed, strength and technique, alongside clear explanations of running, jumping, throwing and rules. PE is inclusive and adapted so that all children can participate and experience success.
Impact – what the children have learnt: Children at Ryedene develop a broad and progressively deeper understanding of physical activity. They acquire a range of transferable physical skills and learn how to apply these skills across different sports and activities. By the end of their time at Ryedene, children should be increasingly confident and competent movers who can apply their knowledge and skills, make decisions, work collaboratively and compete fairly. They develop an understanding of how to improve their own performance and are encouraged to challenge themselves and work towards their personal best. Our knowledge progression makes this development explicit, with children moving from basic movement and safety knowledge towards increasingly independent application of technique, tactics, rules and performance. We monitor children's progress through assessment and ongoing observations. The introduction of monitoring through GetSet4PE enables staff to track children's ability within units and develop an overall understanding of their progress across PE. Ultimately, we want every child to leave Ryedene having experienced a wide range of physical activities, developed confidence in their own abilities, understood the importance of being active and healthy, and built the character and resilience to continue participating in sport and physical activity beyond primary school.
