Physical Education

Ethos & Values

• To educate students through a variety of areas across the national curriculum.
• To improve communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills through working with others.
• Encourage students to reach their potential by offering challenging targets and guidance in every lesson.
• Enhance self-esteem by encouraging students to take additional responsibility in lessons for coaching and officiating their peers.
• Use a variety of resources to stimulate student development by offering a range of activities.

Statement of Intent

At Somercotes Academy we recognise the importance of PE and the role it has to play in promoting long term, healthy lifestyles and making a positive impact on physical, mental and social health, through instilling a love for lifelong participation of physical activity.

Through our teaching of PE, we instil our core values and transferable life skills to help develop well-rounded individuals who can display confidence in order to demonstrate leadership, teamwork, resilience and communication to achieve their full potential beyond their years at secondary school.

Our curriculum and our extra-curricular programme has a focus of promoting an Inclusive and safe environment, which is accessible to all students on a competitive and social basis.

Knowledge & Skills

All pupils are taught Physical Education in all 5 years at Somercotes Academy and will develop the following skills:

• Pupils will develop skills in a variety of different sports across the curriculum
• Be encouraged to link together skills and ideas
• Perform skills with accuracy and consistency
• Understand how to prepare the body for exercise
• Work with others to achieve a common goal
• Develop knowledge of tactics and strategies in a variety of sports
• Improve performance of others

Those who choose BTEC Sport will also acquire knowledge in the following areas:

• Health, fitness and well-being
• The Human Body
• Effects of exercise on the body
• Barriers to Participation
• Sports Leadership
• Analysing practical performance

Resources & Facilities

Somercotes Academy strives to meet the curriculum area demands of Physical Education. Currently we have a multi-purpose gymnasium which holds 3 badminton courts and houses a handball court. It also allows activities such as fitness, table tennis, dodgeball, gymnastics and dance to be taught on the curriculum.

Our outdoor facilities are also of a high standard and allow pupils to experience all areas of the curriculum. Our field area is vast and allows for a number of groups to use it at one time. Other outdoor facilities available are:

• 1 11 a side football pitch
• 1 9 a side football pitch
• 10 x 10 Multipurpose grid squares
• 3 tennis courts
• 2 netball courts
• 1 Cricket Square

A main feature to our facilities within the department is a state-of-the-art fitness which enables pupils to understand the benefits of exercise in order to achieve a healthy lifestyle. The fitness suite caters for all pupils to carry out their own personal fitness programme whatever their gender, sporting background or fitness goals are. The fitness suite has an array of modern equipment including many different weight machines and aerobic endurance machines.

Courses & Qualifications

Key Stage 3

During Key Stage 3, our pupils receive two double-periods of Physical Education each week. Pupils are provided with opportunities to experience a wide range of sports covering all aspects of the national curriculum. Activities which include football; rugby; tennis; gymnastics; dance; health related exercise; hockey; netball; rounders; badminton; athletics; handball; softball, OAA; Cricket. As well as this, we have incorporated Alternative sports into the curriculum which includes activities such as archery, golf, new age kurling and boccia to try and offer a different path into sport and physical activity for our pupils as well as increasing engagement. Our PE curriculum is designed and sequenced in a way to enable pupils to develop their physical capabilities in an array of sports as well as developing skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.

Key Stage 4 (CORE)

Pupils continue to follow the curriculum and cover the activities from Key Stage 3 over 1 double period per week at a more advanced level with the added importance of keeping and leading an active and healthy lifestyle.

Key Stage 4 (BTEC Sport)

Those who choose Physical Education at Key Stage 4 will study a BTEC Sport course and will be timetabled 3 additional lessons per week. Our BTEC Sport course has been extremely successful within the Academy since its introduction in 2016 gaining consistently fantastic attainment results and progress.

Learning Outside The Classroom

At Somercotes Academy, participation in sport is constantly on the rise. We allow all of our students to experience competitive sport in a fun environment. We have teams in a variety of sports which compete in an array of local competitions. As well as offering the traditional school sports such as football, rugby and netball we are diversifying the after-school clubs we offer in order to cater for all. All pupils are encouraged to attend our very well attended after-school clubs regardless of their ability or experience and it is an excellent opportunity to meet new friends.

In addition to the range of school teams and practices there are also numerous inter-house sport competitions in which students can enter. These competitions allow students to experience competitive sport by representing their house group in an organised competition. For those who enjoy team sports there are inter-house competitions in football, netball, cross country, Indoor rowing, and rounders. One of the highlights of the school sporting calendar is the school sports day. This is again run as an inter-house event where students represent their house with all competitors contributing to their overall house total.

Where Does This Take Me In The Future?

We pride ourselves in not only developing the physical skills of our students but developing personal qualities that will aid them when they leave Somercotes Academy. They experience working with others to achieve a common goal while learning about the body and the importance of exercise. The skills and knowledge we hope to develop are:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem Solving
• Resilience
• Personal Responsibility
• Knowledge of Health and Fitness
• Literacy and Numeracy

By offering nationally recognised qualifications in Physical Education and Sport to students we also give them the first step to a variety of higher education courses and possible careers. Having completed a BTEC in Sport, students can go on to:

• Study Physical Education at A/S and A Level at College or another establishment such as Waltham Toll Bar Academy (providing entry requirements are met)
• Study Physical Education or Sports Studies in Higher Education
• Numerous university degrees and Masters courses including Sport Science, Teaching (P.E.) and Physiotherapy
• A career in teaching, physiotherapy, sport science, sports coaching, personal training, biomechanics, sport psychology and nutrition