Physical Education

Curriculum Leader:

Miss C Canlett

Department Introduction:

We strongly believe in promoting a fun, active and healthy lifestyle. We want students to develop an understanding of the positive benefits of physical activity and become informed participants about the activities that they are taking part in. We use a variety of different teaching styles in order to engage all students and ensure that skill progression is made by all. We offer a curriculum that is both broad and balanced in order to ensure depth of learning and understanding. We extend on learning experiences and opportunities by offering a variety of extra-curricular activities and inter-house competitions for the students to take part in. We believe that Physical Education should be fun to encourage motivation to take part in physical activity. We promote this through our teaching and through the various enrichment opportunities that we offer to our students.

Department Aims:

The aim of studying Physical Education is that students enjoy the subject through fun and interactive lesson delivery. Students should be engaged in lessons, work hard to achieve their full potential and be motivated to make progress and experience success. Students are encouraged to adopt a positive approach to their physical and mental well-being and have a variety of opportunities and pathways to suit their individual needs. Students will develop all 5 of their abilities through Physical Education: Physical, Social, Personal, Cognitive, Creative. As a result, we hope they will be able to appreciate and articulate what Physical education as a subject has to offer.

Key Stage 3:

At Key Stage 3 students are provided with a broad and balanced curriculum, ensuring each student has the opportunity to develop across a range of activities, to the best of their ability. They have the opportunity to take part in a number of the following activities through Years 7-9: netball, football, badminton, table tennis, games for understanding, outdoor adventurous activities, fitness, gymnastics, dance, striking and fielding (cricket and rounders) tennis and athletics in their core PE curriculum lessons.

In Year 7 we aim to introduce and develop the activities taught.
In Year 8 we aim to develop and consolidate the activities taught.
In Year 9 we aim to consolidate and refine the activities taught.

Students have the opportunity to extend their performance and knowledge by attending extra-curricular activities, which also provides increased access to competition and the opportunity to experience excellence.

Key Stage 4:

Years 10 - 11 (Core PE)

All students continue to take part in Physical Education in Years 10 and 11. We aim to build upon the experiences from Key Stage 3 to further develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. Students are able to have an input in designing the curriculum to take part in activities that they have a greater interest in and follow pathways that suit them.

Examples of some of the activities that we offer are netball, football, badminton, basketball, volleyball, handball, fitness, table tennis, games for understanding/Olympics, tag rugby, tennis, rounders, cricket, tennis, dance, gymnastics and athletics.

All pupils follow a compulsory Fitness for Life Module in Year 10. The aim is that they will experience a range of different fitness training methods that they can engage in within lessons and then draw upon that knowledge and experience to engage in fitness activities for life.

In KS4 we aim to promote healthy lifestyle choices and develop, consolidate and refine skills, tactics and gameplay through the activities taught.

Years 10 - 11 (GCSE PE)

We follow the OCR specification for Physical Education.

Learners must complete all components to be awarded the GCSE (9-1) in Physical Education.

Component 01

Content – Applied anatomy and physiology & Physical training.

Method of assessment: 1 hour written exam on Physical factors affecting performance – 30%

Component 02

Content – Socio-cultural influences, Sports psychology & Health, fitness and well-being.

Method of assessment: 1 hour written exam on Socio-cultural issues and Sports Psychology – 30%

Component 03

Performance in Physical Education – 30%

Method of assessment: Ongoing teacher assessment over 2 years. Awarded from final marks in their strongest 3 activities (worth 10% each).

Non-Exam Assessment (NEA) – 10%

Method of assessment: A written piece of work relating to topics within the specification. This involves analysis of fitness components and skills within in a chosen activity and development of an Action Plan to improve a weakness within the activity.

A whole range of interesting topics are covered within the three components. Some examples are as follows: Understanding the structure, function and effects of exercise on the four main body systems (skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular & respiratory), movement analysis, components of fitness (including fitness testing), principles and methods of training to improve performance, prevention of injury, socio-cultural influences in physical activity and sport (engagement patterns, commercialisation & ethics, drugs and violence in sport), Sports psychology (characteristics of skilful movement, skill classification, goal setting & mental preparation), and health, fitness & well-being (including the physical, social and emotional health benefits of physical activity & diet and nutrition).

Within the performance component, candidates need to be able to perform to a good standard in 3 different practical activities. The following activities that can be facilitated in school are: netball, gymnastics, dance, badminton, table tennis, handball, basketball, swimming (assessment only), tennis, cricket and athletics. Activities will need a log of competitive performance and so some activities require this to be done outside of school. If an individual performs to a high standard in a practical activity outside of school and the activity is accepted by the examination board, then they may also be assessed in this activity. However, they will be required to provide video evidence to support this (common activities that are assessed in this capacity are football, horse riding, golf, skiing, boxing, ice skating).

Students have the opportunity to extend their performance and knowledge by attending GCSE focused extra-curricular activities, which also provides increased access to competition and the opportunity to experience excellence.

Key Stage 5:

We have 2 different ways in which girls can formally take part in Physical Education during years 12 and 13.

A-Level Physical Education

We follow the OCR specification for Physical Education and it is delivered on site at WGHS.

Component 01

Physiological factors affecting performance This component will assess: • 1.1 Applied anatomy and physiology • 1.2 Exercise physiology • 1.3 Biomechanics.

Method of assessment: 2 hour written exam – 30%

Component 02

Psychological factors affecting performance This component will assess: • 2.1 Skill acquisition • 2.2 Sports psychology.

Method of assessment: 1 hour written exam – 20%

Component 03

Socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport This component will assess: • 3.1 Sport and society • 3.2 Contemporary issues in physical activity and sport.

Method of assessment: 1 hour written exam – 20%

Component 05

Practical Performances This component will assess either: • core and advanced skills in performing one activity or • core and advanced skills in coaching one activity.

Method of assessment: NEA – 15%

Non-exam assessment (NEA) 15% of total A Level 30 marks, weighted up to 45 marks This NEA will consist of one activity taken from the approved list. Learners can be assessed in the role of performer or coach.

Component 06

Evaluating and Analysing Performance for Improvement This component draws upon the knowledge, understanding and skills a learner has learnt throughout the course and enables them to analyse and evaluate a peer’s performance in one activity.

Method of assessment: NEA – 15%

Non-exam assessment (NEA) 15% of total A Level 30 marks, weighted up to 45 marks This NEA will consist of observing a live or recorded performance by a peer and then providing an oral response analysing and critically evaluating the performance.

OCR’s A Level in Physical Education will equip learners with both a depth and breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills relating to scientific, socio-cultural and practical aspects of physical education. This requires them to: • develop theoretical knowledge and understanding of the factors that underpin physical activity and sport and use this knowledge to improve performance • understand how physiological and psychological states affect performance • understand the key socio-cultural factors that influence people’s involvement in physical activity and sport • understand the role of technology in physical activity and sport • refine their ability to perform effectively in physical activity and sport by developing skills and techniques and selecting and using tactics, strategies and/or compositional ideas • develop their ability to analyse and evaluate to improve performance • understand the contribution which physical activity makes to health and fitness • improve as effective and independent learners and as critical and reflective thinkers with curious and enquiring minds.

Optional Enrichment & Sports Leadership

There is the opportunity for members of the sixth form to access the PE facilities during allocated enrichment periods each week.

The fitness suite is also accessible during free periods, at lunchtime and after school.

Currently there is also an opportunity to complete a Sports Leadership Qualification.

Extra-Curricular Activities:

The department offers a wide range of activities that students can attend. The activities are open for all students to attend and enjoy participation in the activities. We do also have a number of competitive teams and have a strong history of success in many different sports and activities.

Netball

There is a netball team for each year group in the school. We are proud that we often experience success in the local leagues and tournaments. Often being runners-up or winners. We experience annual success with many of our teams at the South Staffordshire Tournaments, regularly reaching the County tournament stage, and even reaching the National Finals in 2018.

We have a number of girls from different age groups that have been selected to be members of South Staffordshire County netball academy through school organised trials and links with the county coaches.

Badminton

There is a badminton club for all year groups. These are open to all abilities and have a friendly and sociable atmosphere to them. We enter teams into the local Wolverhampton league and tournaments. Both our U14 and U16 teams are currently Wolverhampton Champions. We regularly reach the regional stages of the competition pathway and have succeeded to represent the region in the West Midlands Finals.

Football

At different points in the year, we run a club for Years 7 & 8, 9 & 10 and 11 & 6th form. This is open to all abilities. We do enter teams into the local competitions and are competitive in the city league.

Gymnastics

The gymnastics club runs during the Spring Term working towards the Wolverhampton Schools competition, which takes place in April. The club is available for all age groups and abilities to come along to. Students will have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills and to improve upon the skills that they already have. The focus is to work towards creating their own floor sequence and performing a vault at the competition.

Cross Country

You can opt to be involved as a member of the school cross-country team that competes in the Wolverhampton league and town championships. We have had success in these competitions in recent years. There are both individual and team competitions in these events. They also have a performance pathway that gives talented runners the opportunity to represent Wolverhampton and the West Midlands.

Swimming

The school has a swimming team which competes in the annual Wolverhampton City Competition. We have also supported talented performers to enter the British Schools Biathlon competition, which combines swimming and running and have seen some fantastic individual results.

Tennis

There is an opportunity to play tennis during the Summer Term. This open to all year groups. Students can book out the tennis courts during enrichment time in order to play recreational tennis with their friends. We enter teams into the local leagues and tournaments and have had great success in previous years in the National Aegon Schools Competition.

Athletics

We run athletics clubs during the Summer Term. We have a track practice at least two lunch times per week. We also have separate throwing and jumping clubs that students can come along to either to improve their performances or to try out for the school team. We have been very successful in this competition for a number of years and very often have been awarded Wolverhampton Schools Champions status.

Dance

We sometimes have the opportunity to run dance classes that cater for different age groups and different styles of dance. This is dependent on staffing and pupil interest. Very often these classes have been coordinated by older students. We have held successful dance shows in the past and have performance opportunities to showcase talent such as in assemblies, House Winter Games and Sports Day. We very much hope for these to continue to run in the future.

Cricket

We are very fortunate to have a strong link with Wolverhampton Cricket Club in Tettenhall. We welcome coaches from the club who come into school to work with our students. Many of our students go on to represent the cricket club and have been selected for the county cricket squads as a result. Due to this strong link we have regular success in the South Staffordshire Indoor and Outdoor Competitions, regularly becoming Wolverhampton Champions and have even reached the National Finals stages.

Inter-Form and Inter-House Competitions

The school has a tradition for holding various Inter-House competitions in different activities that all girls can get involved in order to represent their House and embrace House spirit.

House Captains and Sports Prefects in Year 13 are responsible for organising their teams and coaching them throughout the competitions.

There is usually a lot of friendly competitiveness, and they are very enjoyable events to be part of. All students that represent their Houses in the different activities are very proud to do so.