P.E

“Our ambitious and inclusive curriculum is designed to empower our students to become life-long learners and successful global citizens.”

We want every child to have the skills, knowledge, motivation and opportunity to participate in sport, not only as a student, but to embrace an active and healthy lifestyle as an adult.

Through Physical Education (PE) lessons we aim to develop students' competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities and ultimately allow students to make an informed choice for lifelong sport and healthy lifestyles.

Through our curriculum we aim to foster resilience, honesty and respect for themselves and each other, in addition to leadership and ambition - all of which are so important for an individual to succeed in life and maximise their potential in their academic studies.

We offer a wide and varied PE curriculum that will encourage participation and promote equality in all our pupils.

Our key aim is that every student will take part in regular curricular and extra-curricular sport, with a focus on increasing participation of females and disadvantaged students.

WHY DO WE BELIEVE SPORT IS SO IMPORTANT?

We recognise the extensive benefits that sport participation can bring and its increased importance post Covid-19 Pandemic.

• Improved Academic Performance

There is a growing body of research, both in the UK and internationally, which has found a positive association between participation in physical activity, and higher academic performance in young people. This is attributed to improved cognitive processing, enhanced mental alertness, concentration and focus.

• Improved Attendance and Behaviour

Large cross-sectional studies have shown a positive relationship between participation in sports programmes, improved physical fitness and school attendance. Furthermore, engagement in physical activity has been linked with reduced risk taking behaviours in school- aged children and known to positively impact the extent to which young people feel connected to their school and the positive social behaviours which exist within their school.

In our diverse school community, sport can act as a catalyst for social cohesion, promoting our Hestonian Values of Respect, Honesty, Resilience, Ambition, Equality and Kindness.

• Improved Student Health and Wellbeing

There are a range of benefits to sport participation on young people which include improved bone mineral density, increased strength, stamina, flexibility and endurance, as well as enhanced functioning of cardio-respiratory and muscular systems, reduced risk of chronic illnesses and reduced obesity.

There is an increasing amount of published research which focuses on the psychological health benefits of sports participation demonstrating lower levels of depression, anxiety and issues of self-esteem.

• Improved Employability and life chances

In addition to the improved academic performance and the positive impact this will have employability, earning potential and improved life chances, increased sport participation teaches young people transferable skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, commitment and responsibility.

Key stage 3

Students build on and embed the physical development and skills learnt in Key Stage 1 & 2, become more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, and apply them across different sports and physical activities.

Students understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others’ work. Students develop the confidence and interest to get involved in exercise, sports and activities out of school and in later life, and understand and apply the long-term health benefits of physical activity.

When assessing students we acknowledge that sport is not just the ability to play sport, but sport has many other opportunities to develop cognitive skills and understanding the important of being active to maintain a healthy active lifestyle.

Key stage 4

Students tackle complex and demanding physical activities. Students have the opportunities to take on leadership roles within lessons, taking part in a range of activities that develops personal fitness and promotes an active, healthy lifestyle. In addition, we offer our Key Stage 4 students a Cambridge National vocational qualification in Sport Studies, which includes modules to develop Sport Leadership and student understanding of Sport in the Media.