PE

At Damers, we intend to deliver PE lessons several times a week, alongside our outdoor learning, to develop young people who are active and have a positive outlook on their physical and mental health. We aspire for all children to enjoy PE and develop a love of sport and physical activity, which hopefully becomes part of their future life beyond school.

PE is taught by our teachers and sports coach Trevor Senior. All staff are committed to implementing an inclusive curriculum which builds on skills each year and inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sports and other physical activities. A love of being physically active outside of our PE lessons is implemented through encouraging children to make active journeys to school, participate in the daily mile and be offered a wide range of after school clubs. At Damers, our harmony principles underpin everything we do, giving children a life long mindset of actively enjoying the world around them and looking after their mental health.

The impact of our teaching and learning allows children to gain fundamental knowledge, understanding, skills and techniques and apply these to a wide variety of sports and activities. In a safe and supportive environment, they reflect upon their physical performance, strive to improve and become team players. Being physically active throughout the day has a positive impact on learning inside the classroom where children are more able to concentrate and self regulate. Children understand how to lead a healthy lifestyle and understand the importance of regular exercise and activity for their physical and mental wellbeing.

Games

All children from Foundation to year 4, participate in a weekly games lesson with coach Mr Senior. In Foundation and Key Stage One, the focus is heavily upon developing fundamental movement skills, through the extension of agility, balance and coordination as individuals, pairs or as part of a team. Pupils incorporate these skills through playing many fun games, and as the pupils gain confidence they begin to learn simplified versions of traditional games, such as football, tag-rugby, basketball and cricket.

In Key Stage Two, pupils begin to apply the broad range of skills taught to a wider range of games and learn and apply tactics to include attacking and defending. They are encouraged to understand how to improve their performance and level of skill in different physical activities and how to evaluate and recognise their own and others’ success. Pupils are given the opportunities to play a range of traditional, competitive games including tag rugby, football, tennis, basketball, cricket and rounders.

In the summer term all children participate in their own sports days to celebrate and apply their knowledge of games including running, ball and athletics skills.

Please click to view our PE – Ball and Team Games Progression of Knowledge and Skills

Dance

Dance in the new curriculum states:

Children in KS1 should perform dances using simple movement patterns.

Children in KS2 should perform dances using a range of movement patterns.

In order to fulfil this requirement to a standard of excellence the skills of choreography, performance and appreciation are taught across both key stages. There are a variety of stimuli and starting points including pictures, stories, the natural environment, music and objects.

Foundation/Key Stage 1

Within this stage children are taught the basic forms of movement: hop, skip, jump, gallop, turn and roll.

Choreographic techniques: levels, shapes, expressive qualities, stillness, small group work and awareness of the rest of the class in the space.

Performance skills: basic body control and strength, balance, energy, the ability to remember and repeat and to dance confidently.

Appreciation skills: watch, describe and to share preferences on performances, including live shows and examples of dance in the media and in film.

Key Stage 2

Within this stage the children continue to refine, practise and extend the skills of Key Stage 1 and add to them.

Basic forms of movement: fall, twist, suspend.

Choreographic techniques: levels, shapes, expressive qualities, stillness, turns, dynamics, space, small group work, class work, use of cannon and unison.

Performance skills: body control and awareness of muscle strength and usage, balance, energy, the ability to remember a variety of phrases/sequences, practice, rehearse and perform confidently.

Appreciation skills: watch, describe and respond, discuss, share preferences on performances, including their own work, live shows and examples of dance in the media and in film.

Please click to view our Dance Progression of Knowledge and Skills.

Gymnastics

All classes have an indoor Physical Education slot in the hall taken by the class teacher to teach either gymnastic skills, dance or to develop some of the games skills mentioned above. In gymnastics, pupils in Foundation and Key Stage One, learn simple movement patterns and balances. They explore creating levels and safely use the large apparatus to climb, balance, jump and develop upper body strength on the ropes. In Key Stage Two, these skills are further developed to create sequences of movement which include strength, flexibility, technique, control and balance.

Please click to view our Gymnastics Progression of Knowledge and Skills.

Making Healthy Choices

Being healthy and staying healthy is an ever growing issue, and is embedded in all of the work that we do in PE and as part of our curriculum work as a whole. Damers is committed to providing pupils with the knowledge and understanding of the importance of making healthy choices in their lives both now and in the future. In addition to our overall curriculum provision, we also dedicate a week of special activities to promote health issues and to give pupils and staff the chance to ‘try something new’. This might be a new food or it might be trying out a new sport. Every year an exciting programme of events is put together, to offer pupils different experiences as they move up through the school. Pupils are given many different taster sessions delivered by external providers and specialists such as Martial Arts, Ballroom dancing and Parcour to name but a few. Children are also given information about these clubs should they wish to develop their interest further.

Extra-Curricular Activities

At Damers we strive to encourage pupils to take part in physical activities and as a result offer different after school activities run by our widely experienced staff. We listen carefully to the views of our pupils and take these into account when deciding which clubs and activities will be on offer. To see the range of clubs and activities which we currently have on offer click here.