Markington CE Primary and Nursery School

At Markington Primary School we believe that being physically active and leading a healthy lifestyle is a fundamental life skill and we are committed to ensuring that our pupils become as healthy and active as possible.  We encourage children to develop ‘enquiring minds’ which ‘grow a love of learning’ and ‘our rich, creative curriculum’ provides opportunities to use physical activity in imaginative and cross-curricular ways. Physical activity is encouraged daily through active playtimes, active lessons, The Daily Mile as well as PE lessons twice a week.

Through our teaching of PE we aim to:

• To develop in each pupil a positive attitude towards leading a healthy lifestyle, where exercise is enjoyed by all.

• To provide pupils with the skills and motivation to lead an active lifestyle, where they are successful in a range of sports.

• To enable pupils to develop the ability to identify an opportunity to practise and improve skills, and make physical activity part of their everyday lifestyle.

• To enable pupils to work independently and in co-operation with others.
• To develop confidence in pupils ability in physical activities and specific sports skills and to encourage independence and perseverance.

Our Physical Education curriculum begins in the Early Years’ where our children are taught to:

• Show increasing control when linking movements together
• Know that it is good to be active and sometimes getting out of breath
• Move freely with confidence in a range of ways
• Mount stairs, steps or climbing equipment using alternative feet
• Walk downstairs two-feet to each step
• Stand momentarily on one foot
• Run skilfully whilst negotiating space successfully, adjusting speed and direction as needed
• Recognise how they can refine a range of physical actions such as rolling, running, skipping etc Jumping off objects safely and carefully
• Travelling with confidence and skill when moving around, under, over and through various equipment
• Showing increasing control when throwing, catching and kicking a ball
• Negotiate space and obstacles safely with consideration for themselves and others
• Demonstrate strength, balance and coordination when playing
• Move energetically, such as running, jumping, dancing, hopping, skipping and climbing

Our children are exposed to a range of equipment and space, where we embed learning through providing opportunities within our provision and revisiting prior learning and skills which will prepare them for KS1.

We were delighted to receive the Gold School Games mark. This was rewarded due to our commitment to providing sporting opportunties to all our children, both in school and in competitions with other local schools.

The whole school, from Nursery to Year 6 take part in REAL PE lessons each week. These focus on Phyiscal Literacy and competency in the basics to master success in all sports. The activities promote a love of sport and leading a healthy lifestyle. These activities are fully inclusive to all children.

"REAL PE is like fluency in Maths- we practise regularly, whilst we improve our skill levels in small steps; getting better all the time."

Year 6 Pupil

Children and staff enjoy lessons lead by Sporting Influence teachers and coaches- where all skills are developed with a focus on a different sport each half term.