Why do we study PE?
At Ridgeway, we recognise the importance of PE and the role it has to play in promoting long term, healthy lifestyles and making a positive impact on physical, mental and social health. The intent of our PE curriculum is to provide all students with high quality PE and sport provision, not only as a participant but in leadership roles such as a coach, official or choreographer. It is our vision for every child to succeed and achieve their potential as well as to lead physically active lifestyles beyond their years at secondary school. We strive to inspire our students through fun and engaging PE lessons that are enjoyable, challenging and accessible to all. We want our young people of Ridgeway to appreciate the benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle. Through our teaching of PE, we will instil our core values and transferable life skills such as resilience and mutual respect as well as providing them with opportunities to take part in competitive sport through our extensive extra-curricular programme.
Our extra-curricular programme is open to all our students to attend on a competitive and social basis, which is run throughout the academic year and for those wishing to play competitively have further opportunities to represent the school locally, regionally and nationally in various sporting activities. We have also introduced the Sports Tour, which is ran on an annual basis for those wishing to play competitive sport abroad against further afield opposition. This is a fantastic experience for our students, to be coached by professional sportsmen and women along with embedding those skills and tactics into a competitive situation.
KS2
In Key Stage 2 pupils are offered a primary based curriculum that focuses on a range of fundamental skills from movement and agility to balance co-ordination and cardiovascular endurance. They cover these in a range of activities from schemes of work based on health fitness and nutrition to those of a more traditional approach such as invasion games. As part of the sports premium grant, specialist resources, staff and extra-curricular opportunities are offered to ensure pupils at Key Stage 2 get a well-rounded and broad curriculum.
KS3
In Key Stage 3 pupils begin their secondary experience in PE they are taught by specialist secondary staff and their curriculum reflects the national curriculum, in each year their learning has a different focus, and this is displayed and communicated to pupils in the ‘learning journey’. They experience a wide variety of activities from invasion games to individual sports and those activities of a team building and holistic development nature. In year 9 pupils have the opportunity to develop their leadership and undertake a sports leader’s qualification.
KS4
In Key Stage 4 pupils have the option to enhance their academic development in PE by taking the OCR GCSE PE qualification. Alongside this they begin to focus on pathways that suit their personal desires from PE in these pathways they will experience different styles of PE but the focus will be heavily around lifelong activity, mental health and increasing holistic health.