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Physical Education

Curriculum Intent

The physical education curriculum at Corpus Christi is designed to achieve the aims of the broader National Curriculum in the context of our pupils. Our curriculum will engage, inspire and challenge pupils through equipping them with the knowledge to lead a healthy active lifestyle. We deliver a coherent curriculum, which widens the enrichment experiences and further develops opportunities for our pupils. Pupils develop positive behaviours and personal qualities so they can make a positive contribution to society.

The curriculum will develop pupils’ practical skills in a broad range of physical activities to enhance their personal development, physical ability and leadership qualities. Pupils will engage in competitive scenarios which will allow them to work collaboratively within teams or individually, developing their communication skills further.

The curriculum is sequenced to build on prior knowledge to ensure pupils know more and remember more throughout curriculum topics. As pupils progress, they will develop an appreciation of elite performances and develop the ability to analyse and evaluate performances of themselves and others.

Pupils will learn to be resilient, competitive and confident. They will learn the values of fair play, respect, sportsmanship and discipline. Our curriculum allows pupils to leave school as respectful, kind and gracious young people who can make a positive contribution to society.

“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.”

National Curriculum

Aims

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

  • Use a range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition through team and individual games;
  • Develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports;
  • Perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of dance styles and forms;
  • Take part in outdoor and adventurous activities which present intellectual and physical challenges and be encouraged to work in a team, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group;
  • Analyse their performances compared to previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best;
  • Take part in competitive sports and activities outside school through community link or sports clubs.

An extensive extra-curricular programme builds on the PE curriculum and allows opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sports and activities both in school and outside of school and develop community links with sports clubs.

Subject content Key Stage 3

Pupils will consolidate and extend their knowledge in a range of physical activities chosen to suit their needs. Pupils will build on the motor competences and fundamental movement skills developed at primary school until mastered, then advance into competitive situations through a range of activities. They will develop declarative and procedural knowledge of technique, tactics and strategies to improve their performance in competitive team and individual sports, as well as activities allowing them to express themselves in a non-competitive situation and those which present physical and intellectual challenges. They will develop greater competence in understanding what makes an effective performance and how they can apply these principles to improving their own and other’s work. Pupils will enrich their knowledge of a broad range of activities in depth to become competent in leading a healthy, active lifestyle.

KS3 Overview

The opportunities are endless for pupils in the Physical Education department. The subject encourages pupils’ self-expression and the mindset of commitment and excellence. 

The curriculum is sequenced to build on prior knowledge to ensure pupils know more and remember more throughout curriculum topics. As pupils progress, they will develop an appreciation of elite performances and develop the ability to analyse and evaluate performances of themselves and others. Pupils learn how to develop their fundamental skill in a variety of sports, how to work in a team and how to push themselves to reach their full potential. Sports which pupils experience include;

  • Fundamental movement skills;
  • Direct competition: netball, basketball, hockey, football, rugby, table tennis, rounders, cricket, tennis, softball;
  • Improving technique and performance: athletics, gymnastics, HRE (Health-Related Exercise);
  • Dance;
  • Outdoor and adventurous activities: orienteering.

Corpus Christi Catholic High Schools PE department is a successful department that provides outstanding extra-curricular opportunities for our pupils. Every year we compete and enter teams in many different tournaments and leagues on a local, regional and national level. We offer a wide range of sports as part of our extra-curricular provision such as Basketball, Girls and Boys Football, Rugby, Netball, Handball, Rounders, Hockey, Rounders and Cricket, as well as other individual sports such as Badminton, Table Tennis, Tennis, Dance, Cross Country and Athletics.

To date, the sports teams have had several successes to celebrate in a range of sports. For example, the Under 14 Boys Basketball team were successful in winning the Lancashire Basketball Cup in 2023. Furthermore, in 2022, the Year 7 Boys Football reached the final of the Preston Cup played at Deepdale, and Under 13 Girls got to the semi-final of the Utilita Cup. Pupils benefit from the incredible dedication of our staff in providing extra-curricular activities and pupils are encouraged daily to take part in after school sports.

Our PE department also host annual sports days, Primary School competitions where our Sports Studies and GCSE PE pupils will help run these days.

Every year more and more people take up sport and physical education is an extremely important part of society, so having access to outstanding facilities, exceptional teaching and independent learning ensures that pupil’s reach their highest potential.

Physical Education is not just a way of satisfying a pupil’s athletic flair, the skills learnt in this subject help to develop independent thought and can open the door to exciting career and recreational opportunities as they progress through their education.

Curriculum Overview

Year 7

 Boys 1Boys 2Girls 1Girls 2
Block 1 (4 lessons)FMSFMSFMSFMS
Block 2 (13 lessons)Table tennisBasketballNetballDance & Orienteering
Block 3 (13 lessons)BasketballTable tennisDance & OrienteeringNetball
Block 4 (13 lessons)Orienteering & DanceFootballTable tennisBadminton
Block 5 (13 lessons)FootballOrienteering & DanceBadmintonTable Tennis
Block 6 (13 lessons)AthleticsAthleticsAthleticsAthletics
Block 7 (8 lessons)CricketCricketRoundersRounders

Year 8

 Boys 1Boys 2Girls 1Girls 2
Block 1 (14 lessons)Table tennisBasketballNetballDance & Orienteering
Block 2 (14 lessons)BasketballTable tennisDance & OrienteeringNetball
Block 3 (14 lessons)Orienteering & DanceFootballTable tennisBadminton
Block 4 (14 lessons)FootballOrienteering & DanceBadmintonTable Tennis
Block 5 (13 lessons)AthleticsAthleticsAthleticsAthletics
Block 6 (8 lessons)CricketCricketRoundersRounders

Year 9

 Boys 1Boys 2Girls 1Girls 2
Block 1 (12 lessons)Table tennisBasketballNetballHRE
Block 2 (12 lessons)BasketballTable tennisHRENetball
Block 3 (11 lessons)FootballRugbyTable tennisBadminton
Block 4 (11 lessons)HREFootballBadminton  Hockey
Block 5 (11 lessons)RugbyHREHockeyTable tennis
Block 6 (12 lessons)AthleticsAthleticsAthleticsAthletics
Block 7 (8 lessons)CricketCricketRoundersRounders

Reading

At Corpus Christi we believe that all pupils should be equipped with and supported in developing a high level of reading and literacy capability, as is required by each subject discipline. To achieve this, Heads of Department should agree clear expectations for how subject knowledge and understanding will be demonstrated through oracy and literacy. This will allow all teachers to ensure that pupils show a deep understanding of their subjects using appropriate subject vocabulary. This is modelled by teachers and explained to pupils to continually reinforce the expected standard.

Heads of Department must ensure that appropriate reading strategies are implemented to meet the demands of their subjects. The strategies adopted must be informed by the demands of the intended scheme of work, pupils’ reading ages, and the key principles of the Corpus Christi approach to ensure pupils are supported in developing their reading, literacy, and oracy across the curriculum. Reading is differentiated across the curriculum to meet the needs of different ability groups, not only to support access to the curriculum but to also develop fluency and deepen understanding.

Assessment

At Corpus Christi, we believe that high quality summative assessment must primarily enable pupils to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding acquired throughout the implementation of the planned curriculum. Subsequently, this will allow teachers to measure the progress made by pupils through the curriculum, in relation to learning outcomes set out in schemes of work. In measuring the extent to which pupils have acquired knowledge and a secure understanding, teachers will be able to identify gaps in learning, to inform future teaching and planned interventions.

At Corpus Christi, all assessments must be suitably challenging whilst meeting the needs of all pupils. Suitable points for summative assessment are chosen by each Head of Department ensuring that they are embedded into the planned curriculum. Assessments are differentiated to ensure all academic groups can demonstrate their understanding and have the opportunity to make outstanding progress through the curriculum. It is the responsibility of each teacher to ensure their classes are suitably ready for assessments and all content has been covered thoroughly, considering the needs of all pupils.

GCSE Physical Education

This course is ideally suited to those who have a particular talent or enthusiasm for physical activities and are capable of pursuing a theoretical course of study in anatomy, physiology and exercise, sporting issues within our society and education involvement within our society.

Course Outline

The theoretical element, which makes up 60% of the GCSE PE course, is assessed by two examinations at the end of year 11. Each examination is worth 30% out of the overall mark.

The practical element, which makes up 40% of the GCSE PE course, is assessed through a practical performance moderation and a controlled assessment. Pupils will be assessed in three sports; one from the ‘individual’ list, one from the ‘team’ list and one from either list, all weighing 10%. The final 10% is assessed through a written analysis and evaluation of their own performance in sport.

Pupils will have two theory lessons and one practical lesson per week to cover the content of the GCSE course as set out below:

 Year 10Year 11
AutumnAnatomy and physiology  Socio-cultural influences and sports psychology  
SpringPhysical training    Health, fitness and well-being
SummerAEP controlled assessment    NEA preparation and exam preparation

Year 10

Anatomy and physiology:

  • Location of major bones
  • Functions of the skeleton
  • Types of synovial joints
  • Types of movement at synovial joints
  • Other components of joints
  • Location of major muscle groups
  • The roles of muscles in movement
  • Lever systems
  • Planes of movement and axes of rotation
  • Structure and functions of the cardiovascular system
  • Structure and functions of the respiratory system
  • Aerobic and anaerobic exercise
  • Short term effects of exercise
  • Long term effects of exercise

Physical training:

  • Components of fitness
  • Principles of training
  • Optimising training
  • Preventing injury

Year 11

Socio-cultural influences:

  • Physical activity and sport in the UK
  • Participation in physical activity and sport
  • Commercialisation of sport
  • Ethics in sport
  • Drugs in sport
  • Violence in sport

Sports psychology:

  • Characteristics of skilful movement
  • Classification of skills
  • Goal setting
  • Mental preparation
  • Types of guidance
  • Types of feedback

Health, fitness and well-being:

  • Benefits of a healthy lifestyle
  • Consequences of a sedentary lifestyle
  • Diet and nutrition

Assessment

Assessment involves a 40% practical performance in three different sports chosen from their best practical marks. The practical mark includes an assessed piece of coursework based on the strengths and weaknesses of one of their chosen sports.

The two exams involve a mixture of multiple choice/objective test questions, short answer questions and extended answer questions.

Sports Studies

The course is made up of three units; sport and the media, performance and leadership in sports activities, and contemporary issues in sport.

The contemporary issues in sport unit is assessed by an examination at the end of year 11, contributing to 40% of the overall mark.

The sport and the media unit is assessed by a set assignment, contributing to 20% of the overall mark.

The performance and leadership in sports activities unit is assessed by a set assignment, contributing to 40% of the overall mark, which includes a practical performance assessment in two sports and a leadership assessment, which forms half of this set assignment.

Pupils will work in blocks of theory lessons or practical lessons depending on the unit of work they are studying.

 Year 10Year 11
AutumnSport and the media  Contemporary issues in sport  
SpringPerformance and leadership in sports activities    Contemporary issues in sport
SummerPerformance and leadership in sports activities    NEA preparation and exam preparation

Year 10

Sport and the media:

  • Different media sources and how they cover sport
  • The positive relationship between the media and sport
  • Positive impacts of the media in sport
  • Negative effects of the media on sport in relation to spectators and live sport
  • Negative impacts of the media on sports and sports performers

Performance and leadership in sports activities:

  • Performance in two selected activities
  • Participating in activities
  • Decision-making during performance
  • Managing and maintaining performance in individual activities
  • Your role and contribution to team activities
  • Strengths and weaknesses of sports performance
  • Methods to improve performance
  • Measuring improvement in performance
  • Organisation of a sports activity session (organising and planning)
  • Safety considerations when planning a sports activity session
  • Objectives to meet the needs of the group
  • Organisation of a sports activity session (leading)
  • Leading a sports activity session
  • Reviewing your leadership of a sports activity session

Year 11

Contemporary issues in sport:

  • User groups in sport
  • Possible barriers to participation
  • Possible barrier solutions
  • Factors positively and negatively affecting the popularity of sport in the UK
  • Emerging/new sports in the UK
  • Sports values
  • The Olympic and Paralympic movement
  • Sporting values initiative and campaigns
  • The importance of etiquette and sporting behaviour
  • The use of performance enhancing drugs in sport
  • The features of a major sporting event
  • Positive and negative pre-event aspects of hosting a major sporting event
  • Potential positive and negative aspects of hosting a major sporting event
  • National Governing Bodies
  • The role of technology in sport
  • Positive and negative effects of the use of technology in sport

For further information regarding the Physical Education curriculum please contact:
Mrs Wright, email: jwri@ccc.lancs.sch.uk or telephone school reception: (01772) 716912.

Together In One Body
Corpus Christi Catholic High School
St. Vincent’s Road, Fulwood, Preston PR2 8QY
Telephone: 01772 716912 Fax: 01772 718779 Email: admin@ccc.lancs.sch.uk