Physical Education

Our high-quality physical education program is crafted to motivate all pupils to achieve and excel in competitive sports and other challenging physical activities. We provide opportunities for children to build their physical confident, which supports their health and well-being.

All children experience a broad range of sports, allowing all pupils to experiment with various sports. They will team up for football, netball and rugby as well as getting involved with athletics, gymnastics and dance. In Years 5 and 6, the sports opportunities are extended to include sailing, climbing, golf, dance and mountain biking. Our school sports teams have the opportunity to participate in both local and national curriculum.

Nursery

In Nursery, pupils develop their physical skills through daily opportunities for movement, play, and exploration. They take part in activities that build strength, balance, and coordination, such as climbing, running, jumping, and dancing. Children also begin to develop fine motor skills through threading, cutting, and using tools like paintbrushes and scissors. Outdoor play is a key part of the day, giving children the space to move freely and build confidence in their physical abilities. Through fun games and imaginative play, pupils learn to move safely, negotiate space, and begin to understand the importance of being active and healthy.

Physical Development

Physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives11. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood, starting with sensory explorations and the development of a child’s strength, co-ordination and positional awareness through tummy time, crawling and play movement with both objects and adults. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being. Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination, which is later linked to early literacy. Repeated and varied opportunities to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts and the practice of using small tools, with feedback and support from adults, allow children to develop proficiency, control and confidence.

Reception

In Reception, pupils continue to develop both gross and fine motor skills through a wide range of structured and exploratory activities. They take part in PE lessons that focus on fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, balancing, and ball handling. Children also explore dance, gymnastics, and team games, helping them to build coordination, rhythm, and teamwork. Fine motor development is supported through activities like cutting, drawing, and model making. Pupils are encouraged to take risks, try new movements, and reflect on their physical achievements. They also begin to learn about healthy lifestyles, including the importance of hygiene, exercise, and nutrition

Physical Development

Year 1

In Year 1, children explore a wide range of physical activities that help them build strength, coordination, and confidence. They develop ball skills through throwing, catching, and agility games, and learn how to hold and use a racket in tennis, practising rallies, target shots, and serving. In gymnastics, they work on balances, both individually and with a partner, and create simple routines. Through dance, children explore movement by linking actions and responding to music with creativity and control. In athletics, they try out events like sprinting, long jump, and javelin throwing, and take part in fun races such as egg and spoon and skipping. The year also includes a Trust football competition, where they practise dribbling, passing, and shooting—building teamwork and a love of sport.

Fundamental Movement Skills

Develop balance, coordination, and agility through jumping, hopping, skipping, and ball control
Practise throwing, catching, and kicking with increasing accuracy

Team Sports & Games

Participate in team-based games that encourage cooperation and spatial awareness
Learn basic football skills including passing, dribbling, and shooting
Engage in simple relay-style and target games to build teamwork and strategy

Gymnastics & Dance

Perform individual and partner balances and link them into short sequences
Explore movement types (e.g. slow/fast, high/low) and respond to music through dance
Create and perform simple dance routines using imagination and rhythm

Athletics

Take part in athletics activities such as sprinting, standing long jump, and relay races
Practise throwing for accuracy using bean bags and howlers

Year 2

In Year 2, children take part in a wide variety of physical activities that support their development, teamwork, and enjoyment of movement. They build core gross motor skills such as balance, jumping, and throwing, and apply these in sports like basketball, where they practise dribbling, passing, and shooting. In gymnastics, children explore body shapes, rolls, and jumps, creating sequences that develop control and coordination. Through dance, they respond to music and stories—like Kitchen Disco and Mini Rabbit, Not Lost—to create expressive routines. Later in the year, they learn skills for cricket and rounders, including bowling, fielding, and catching, and prepare for sports day with sprints, relays, and long jump. The PE curriculum encourages every child to feel confident, included, and excited to be active.

Fundamental Movement Skills

Refine gross motor skills including strength, balance, and coordination
Improve throwing, catching, kicking, and jumping techniques

Team Sports & Games

Develop skills in basketball, including passing, dribbling, shooting, and basic attacking/defensive play
Learn cricket/rounders techniques such as underarm and overarm bowling, fielding, and catching

Gymnastics & Dance

Perform a sequence of body shapes, rolls, and jumps in gymnastics
Create and perform a dance routine inspired by themes such as food and travel, using mirroring and expressive movement