PE Curriculum

In line with our school vision, we aim to create the very best experience of physical activity for our students, empowering them to shine.

Students will develop, build and apply their physical, social and emotional wellbeing through a broad range of engaging sports and physical activities that reflect our local community. We strive to promote a love of learning so that students develop the physical literacy needed for lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.

Our curriculum builds upon the fundamental movement skills developed at primary level and embeds these within a range of specific activities. The concepts introduced in Year 7 are progressively developed throughout Years 8 and 9, acting as building blocks for more advanced strategic and tactical application.

As students progress through the school, they experience a variety of opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, character and practical ability. At Key Stage 4, students begin to take greater ownership of their individual pathways in physical activity, preparing them to continue leading active lifestyles beyond their school journey.

The delivery of activities becomes shorter and more varied at KS4, allowing students to experience a wider range of activities with the aim of inspiring all pupils to lead healthy, active lifestyles. Pupils are encouraged to be physically active for sustained periods of time while developing the confidence and motivation to participate in exercise, sport and physical activity both in and beyond school.

All pupils in Years 7–11 take part in Core PE as part of the school curriculum. The curriculum offers a broad range of activities designed to support our intent and reflect the interests and opportunities within the local community.

Throughout KS3, pupils in Years 7 and 8 receive two hours of high-quality Physical Education each week, while students in Years 9, 10 and 11 receive one hour of Core PE delivered by highly qualified subject specialist teachers. Students who choose to study GCSE PE at the start of Year 9 receive an additional four hours of teaching across the fortnight.

During KS3, students spend a half-term on each activity to allow greater depth of learning and skill development. In Year 7, the focus is on developing the core skills of each activity alongside the introduction of our assessment and feedback model centred around the Head, Heart and Hands concept.

Through our spiral curriculum, students in Year 8 begin to embed and apply these skills in more complex, competitive and demanding situations. As students move into Years 10 and 11, they follow shorter four-week rotations that expose them to a wider range of activities, equipping them with the knowledge, confidence and experiences needed to participate in physical activity beyond school.

Our curriculum rotations are carefully designed around the requirements of the National Curriculum and the sporting opportunities available within our local community. This enables the department to promote local clubs and establish links with community coaches, supporting both curriculum delivery and our extra-curricular programme.

The PE department plays a vital role in the student experience at Sandy. Inside and outside the classroom, we empower students to shine by fostering a lifelong commitment to physical activity and healthy living.

By the end of Key Stage 4, students will have experienced a wide variety of sporting environments and activities through our broad and varied curriculum model. Students develop a deeper understanding of the links between exercise, health, wellbeing and competition.

Participation and engagement within PE lessons remain consistently high and are reflected in strong attendance at extra-curricular activities. We continue to expand our extra-curricular provision, including opportunities for external coaches to lead specialist sessions and strengthen links with local sports clubs.

GCSE PE has also been one of the most popular option subjects in recent years, reflecting the enthusiasm students have for the subject and the department's commitment to creating a positive and inspiring culture around physical activity.