Head of Department: Paul Harris
The de Stafford PE Department is committed to providing a balanced and effective PE curriculum, coupled with a full range of extra-curricular clubs. Students are encouraged and expected to participate in a wide range of sports activities, taught and coached by our expert staff, supported by a dedicated group of student leaders.
PE Department Vision Statement:
‘A PE Department at the heart of the school who delivers an extensive curriculum and extra-curricular timetable providing the opportunity for all to lead a healthy active lifestyle through participation, leadership and excellence; in a fun and supportive team environment’.
Key Stage 3 Physical Education:
Students have two 65 minute lessons of PE during Key Stage3, either in the Hall, the Gym, fields, weights room or swimming pool. During Key Stage 3, pupils become more expert in their skills and techniques, and learn how to apply them in different activities. They start to understand what makes an effective performance and how to apply these principles to their own and others' work. They learn to take the initiative and make decisions for themselves about what to do to improve performance. They start to identify the types of activity they prefer, and take a variety of roles, such as leader and official.
The programme of study identifies six areas of activity:
- Games activities
- Athletic activities* including track and field events
- Outdoor and adventurous activities.
All of the sports indicated with an asterisk* are also available as extra-curricular activities and we enter district and county tournaments in most sports.
On entering Year 7 at de Stafford School the pupils undertake a base level assessment targeting fitness tests which assess the student’s cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance and power. The pupils are also assessed in basic ball skills, creating space, tactical awareness and swimming. From this data pupils are then given an entry assessment level which enables plan lessons and set targets from. For the first half-term the pupils remain in single sex groups.
The boys spend the first half-term progressing through a rugby scheme of work introducing them to the basic skills, rules and regulations, progressing to more complex areas such as the tackle, ruck, maul, scrum and breakdown. Pupils progress in line with their ability which a curriculum differentiated to the needs of all students. The girls follow a similar progression through the basics, to more the complex netball skills and tactics. They are also introduced to Rugby.
The second half-term sees the pupils split into three teaching groups. There is a boys and girls group, along with a mixed ability more able group based on the base line data and progress made by the pupils in the first half-term. All students will then study gymnastics (or parkour for the boys), swimming (covering all four strokes), personal survival, Handball, basketball, health-related fitness, Dance, OAA, athletics (all events), cricket, rounders, tennis and softball.
At the start of each term the Year 8’s will undertake fitness tests to monitor their progress in fitness from Year 7 (and on through the school). Like the Year 7’s they begin the year in single sex groups with the boys developing their knowledge, skills and tactics in rugby, and the girls doing the same in netball. The pupils are then split into two single sex classes and one more able mixed group based on attainment in Year 7 and progress shown in the first term of Year 8. They study the same topics as in Year 7 above, but are stretched through the teaching of higher levels of skills, tactics and game play, including the more advanced rules and regulations of sport.
Our Year 9 pupils continue to study swimming, personal survival, netball, basketball and handball. Pupils become more expert in their skills and techniques, and learn how to apply them in different activities. They start to understand what makes an effective performance and how to apply these principles to their own and others' work. They learn to take the initiative and make decisions for themselves about what to do to improve performance. They start to identify the types of activity they prefer, and take a variety of roles, such as leader and official. They also start to study a wider curriculum including Trampoline, Badminton, weight training and fitness, and sports such as Australian Rules Football.
Key Stage 4: Core PE
We are committed to helping every student in our care remain physically active and fit, so PE remains a core component of the curriculum in Key Stage 4. We also offer a full course GCSE qualification.
Students have one 65 minute lesson per week. The Core PE course is practical based, allowing students to improve their skills in a number of sporting activities including Basketball, Badminton, Football, Netball, Rounders, Trampolining and handball. There will also be a Fitness module incorporating theoretical aspect to the course that allows students to improve their knowledge of the use of training to develop a balanced, healthy and active lifestyle for the future.
There is no formal exam for this course but students are continually assessed using the usual attainment and effort grades.
We are also introducing the Sports Leaders Award and encouraging as many of our more able students, or those with an interest in a sport to lead training sessions for younger members of the school.
GCSE Physical Education:
GCSE PE provides an opportunity for those pupils that enjoy and have good ability in PE to deepen their knowledge of the subject and can lead to a number of future careers in the sports industry.
At de Stafford we deliver the Edexcel GCSE PE Full Course an option for students to study. This involves two 65 minute theoretical classroom based lessons and one practical lesson a week in addition to the core PE provision. The current syllabus assesses students in their practical ability in a wide variety of sports from game activities, gymnastic activities, martial arts, outdoor adventurous activities, fitness and water sports. The pupils are graded out of 10 marks for their performance as a participant, leader or official. These grades make up 48% of their overall mark.
Students are also required to produce, follow and evaluate a six-week training programme aimed at improving self-assessed aspects of their fitness in relation to their sport. This combined with an analysis of the performance of another pupil or participant is the written coursework aspect of the course making up 12% of their overall grade.
Pupils will be require to sit a final written examination worth 40% of their final grade at the end of Year 11 on their theoretical studies which includes exercise physiology and fitness training to improve performance.
Year 10 Core PE
Core PE in Year 10 is planned to educate our students in how to lead a healthy and active lifestyle outside of school. Student’s begin to learn how different methods of training, sport and exercise impacts on the body and health. We study weight training, aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise, circuit training, and exercise to music. This is accompanied by our main stream sports such as football, netball, athletics, tennis, softball, rounders, badminton and invasion games; including Lacrosse, volleyball and handball. Trampolining is delivered in lesson time progressing the students to more complex routines including somersaults.
Year 11 Core PE
We expand on the sports and activities above.
There are also many Sports Leadership opportunities within the school for our Year 10 and 11 pupils. They lead multi-skill activities, sports competitions and festivals for our local primary schools and active surrey. Many of our Year 10 and 11 students are currently running clubs for our younger pupils gaining valuable life skills and a CV that will impress colleges.
GCSE Physical Education: At de Stafford we deliver the Edexcel GCSE PE Full Course an option for students to study. This involves two 65 minute theoretical classroom based lessons and one practical lesson a week in addition to the core PE provision. The pupils are graded out of 10 marks for their performance as a participant, leader or official. These grades make up 48% of their overall mark.
Topic 1.1.1: Healthy, active lifestyles and how they can benefit you.
Topic 1.1.2: Influences on your healthy, Active lifestyle.
Topic 1.1.3: Exercise and fitness as part of your healthy, active lifestyle.
Topic 1.1.4: Physical activity as part of your healthy, active lifestyle
Topic 1.1.5: Your personal health and wellbeing.
Topic 1.2.1: Physical activity and your healthy mind and body.
Topic 2.2.5: Plan a personal exercise programme (PEP).
One mock examination.
Topic 1.2.2: A healthy active lifestyle and your cardiovascular system
Topic 1.2.3: A healthy active lifestyle and your respiratory system
Topic 1.2.4: A healthy active lifestyle and your muscular system
Topic 1.2.5: A healthy active lifestyle and your skeletal system
Topic 2.2.1: Rules, regulations and terminologies.
Topic 2.2.2: Observe and analyse performance.
Topic 1.2.3: Evaluate performance.
Topic 1.2..4: Plan strategies, tactics and practices.
Three Mock examinations
Students are also required to produce, follow and evaluate a six-week training programme aimed at improving self-assessed aspects of their fitness in relation to their sport. This combined with an analysis of the performance of another pupil or participant is the written coursework aspect of the course making up 12% of their overall grade. Pupils will be required to sit a final written examination worth 40% of their final grade at the end of Year 11.