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Courage

Always do your best in school, never give up, when it is hard

Ambition

Set goals to improve your learning and do your best to reach them

Pride

Celebrate others’ achievements. Be kind to others and help those around you

Respect

Always be polite and show good manners. Listen carefully and respect people’s differences

Responsibility

Remember it is okay to make mistakes, they are part of learning

Physical Education

Intent

At Sunnyside Primary Academy, we are committed to delivering a high-quality, inclusive and knowledge-rich Physical Education (PE) curriculum that inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and physically demanding activities. Our intent is firmly rooted in the values of our curriculum – Aspiring for Excellence, Enriching Language and Communication, Building Community, Broadening Horizons, and Building a Knowledge-Rich Foundation – as well as the values that underpin our chosen PE scheme, Primary PE Planning: Inspire → Develop → Challenge.

We aim to develop confident, resilient and physically competent pupils who take pride in their performance and participate in a wide range of physical activities. PE is not just about physical development but also plays a significant role in nurturing mental health, teamwork, leadership, and a love of lifelong physical activity.

Through our strand Aspiring for Excellence, we teach pupils to set personal goals, pursue improvement and respond positively to challenges. They develop discipline, perseverance and a strong sense of fair play, helping them strive for their personal best in a supportive and respectful environment.

Our commitment to Enriching Language and Communication is embedded through explicit vocabulary instruction. Pupils learn to use the language of movement, sport and health to articulate performance, explain tactics, and provide constructive feedback. This develops their confidence in oracy, writing and critical thinking.

We place high value on Building Community. PE provides rich opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively, resolve conflict, and develop respect for others through team games, paired tasks, and leadership roles. Through inclusive practice and structured competition, pupils learn to value every individual’s contribution and celebrate success together.

By Broadening Horizons, our PE curriculum introduces children to a range of physical activities from different cultures and traditions, widening their cultural awareness and appreciation of global sporting contexts. Through festivals, competitions and varied unit content, pupils gain experiences that may be otherwise inaccessible.

Finally, through Building a Knowledge-Rich Foundation, pupils secure a progressive understanding of physical health, movement mechanics, rules and strategies. This enables them to make informed choices about active lifestyles and equips them with the fundamental skills for life beyond primary school.

Implementation

Our PE curriculum is taught by class teachers and is allocated two hours each week: one hour of indoor PE and one hour of outdoor PE. On occasion, these may be blocked to provide immersive unit experiences. We follow the Primary PE Planning scheme of work, which is fully aligned with the National Curriculum and structured around the values Inspire, Develop and Challenge. Each unit ensures clear progression in knowledge and skills and is sequenced to build motor competence, tactical awareness and health understanding.

Teachers plan and deliver PE lessons using detailed, step-by-step PPP resources, supported by knowledge organisers and skills progression documents. Lessons are inclusive by design, with adaptations made to meet the needs of all pupils including those with SEND. The PPP assessment tracker is used to monitor attainment and progress, inform planning and target support for pupils at risk of falling behind.

Physical activity is further promoted through a wide range of enrichment opportunities. We offer clubs before, during and after school, and regularly participate in both intra- and inter-school competitions through the School Games programme. This ensures that all pupils, including the most able, are appropriately challenged and can excel beyond the taught curriculum.

Leadership development is a key aspect of our provision. Pupils are trained as Play Leaders and Mini Coaches to support active playtimes and assist during lessons and extracurricular activities. Pupil voice plays an active role in shaping our PE offer, ensuring that it remains responsive and engaging.

We also ensure our curriculum maps directly to the National Curriculum attainment targets, with full coverage of the required elements, and a progression model that ensures secure knowledge and skills by the end of each key stage.

Impact

The impact of our PE curriculum is that pupils make strong progress in developing physical competence, confidence and character. They are actively involved in evaluating their own performance and identifying areas for improvement. Children enjoy PE, speak positively about lessons, and demonstrate high levels of engagement and motivation.

Pupils are confident in using subject-specific vocabulary to describe their learning, and show pride in their physical achievements. They are not afraid to take risks, persevere when challenged and celebrate their successes and those of others. All pupils, regardless of ability, participate fully in PE lessons, reflecting our strong commitment to inclusion.

Children develop healthy habits and understand how to look after their physical and mental well-being. Many take their interest in physical activity beyond the school gates by joining community clubs or continuing sport in secondary school.

The profile of PE is high across the school. Participation in extracurricular activities has increased, and every pupil is provided with the opportunity to engage in competitive sport and leadership. Our most able pupils are appropriately extended through sport-specific competition, team selection, and leadership responsibilities. The Play Leader and Mini Coach programmes have enabled more pupils to take on responsibility and contribute positively to school life.

Through robust assessment and careful tracking, we ensure that all pupils, including those in target groups, are supported to meet end-of-key stage expectations. The majority of children leave Sunnyside meeting or exceeding the National Curriculum expectations for PE.

In summary, our PE curriculum inspires pupils to be physically confident, socially responsible, and emotionally resilient – attributes that will serve them well beyond their primary years.

Children should come to school in PE kit on PE days only.