Physical Education

PE and Sports at Bexton

Bexton is a strong advocate for the benefits that PE, sport, and physical activity bring to children’s lives. Beyond the obvious health benefits, regular participation in sport and physical activity develops character, creates a sense of belonging, and supports building personal resilience. Additionally, playing team sports has positive impacts on developing leadership and teamworking skills. Our children have an awareness and understanding of the dangers of leading an unhealthy lifestyle. We ensure all children are accessing physical activity (in addition to their 2 hours of PE lessons per week) in school.

Bexton has a progressive, broad and balanced PE curriculum which enables PE to be enjoyed by all from Nursery through to Year 6. Children love the challenge of learning new sports (including being resilient to failure) and developing their skills in sports they are familiar with.

Children are given opportunities to become lunchtime club leaders, sports captains and be part of a team to share skills and support other children in their enjoyment of sport. Children are able to engage and compete in sports where they are gifted, talented or able. PE at Bexton is inclusive, and all children are given a chance to compete.

Bexton is involved in community sport initiatives and works closely with local sports groups to develop future sport in Knutsford.

We endeavour to improve the profile of PE across the school and local community by celebrating achievements in whole school assemblies, our newsletters and on our social media pages.

Curriculum

A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.

The national curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:

·        develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities

·        are physically active for sustained periods of time

·        engage in competitive sports and activities

·        lead healthy, active lives

In EYFS and Key Stage 1, pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others. They should be able to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations.

Pupils should be taught to:

·        master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities

·        participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending

·        perform dances using simple movement patterns

In Key Stage 2, pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils should be taught to:

·        use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination

·        play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending

·        develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]

·        perform dances using a range of movement patterns

·        take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team

·        compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best

Swimming

Pupils should be taught to:

·        swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres

·        use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]

·        perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

Each year, Bexton have been fortunate enough to have a temporary swimming pool constructed, so that the Y3-Y6 children (and Rainbow Room children) can undertake catch up swimming sessions and statutory swimming assessments in the Summer term. It has been a great success, and Bexton has continued its successful pass rate of the swimming standards and water safety achievements. Thank you to Sports Coaching Group for providing us with the swimming pool and their expert swimming coaches who work with the children.

Sports Day

Each year, a highlight in our school calendar is Sports Day. Families are invited in to stand ‘in the round’ as the children compete in their events around them. With music playing, refreshments selling and crowds cheering, it’s always a great event for everyone.

Our Nursery carries out its own separate Sports Day with a closing medal ceremony on our astro pitch.

Later on, featuring such crowd favourites as The Builders’ Race, The Car Wash Race and Welly Wanging, our EYFS & KS1 children complete carousel of activities around the spectating adults, so they get their first taste of competing in front of a large crowd. Our very helpful Year 6 Sports Captains are on hand to help run the activities and award the children with stickers after each event.

KS2 Sports Day is more competitive, with each year group earning valuable points for their houses for each event. Javelins, speed bounces, tyre rolling, sack races and long-distance races, to name a few, are what our children compete in as they are cheered on by their peers and families.

Each year, we end proceedings with the children enjoying a well-earned ice lolly as our wonderful parents take the stage. We have previously had a parents’ dressing up race and a parents’ tug of war, which have been brilliant fun. Our parents have loved having the chance to get involved and enjoy the competition within the spirit of the day.

Our School Sports Partnerships

Knutsford Academy events and leagues

Knutsford Harriers

Knutsford Tennis Club

Knutsford Rugby Club

Sale Sharks Rugby

Bikeability from Everybody Leisure

Sports Coaching Group

Toft Cricket Club

Enrich Education

Athletes In Schools

Youth Sport Trust’s National School Sports Week

Bexton has championed being fun and being active, especially during the Youth Sports Trust’s National School Sports Week. We’ve had Quidditch event days courtesy of Enrich Education, Athletes In Schools have sent professional Team GB athletes in to carry out sessions with each class, we’ve had sponsored runs, whole school workouts for children and families, and we’ve included our Sports Day in the scheduling.

See our extra-curricular clubs page for more information on the sporting opportunities available.

Also, check out our Instagram, X and Facebook accounts for announcements, updates and photos.