Pittington Primary School

PE and Sport at Pittington

PE and Sport at Pittington

At Pittington Primary School, we are fully committed to our engagement in sport and physical activity.

Physical Development

Nursery

In Nursery, we very much look at movement development and engage fully in both indoor and outdoor opportunities.  This includes both large movements and developing movement patterns. The children really enjoy engaging in weekly ‘Sticky Kids’ opportunities which are linked to music and areas of the curriculum such as the children blasting off as rockets. The outdoor areas are also fully implemented to develop movement skills such as skipping, galloping, hopping and balancing. The children love working on the climbing frame and using the wooden blocks to construct balance trails. 

Reception

In Reception, the PE focus is dance/gymnastic movements and games/ball skills in the autumn. We  look to develop fundamental movement skills such as rolling, crawling, walking, jumping and running. To link to the movement patterns, we have focus the movements to other areas of our learning, such as the movements of different animals. We also work on ball skills in the autumn which includes passing, rolling and kicking which we further develop in the summer by aiming at targets and exploring accuracy. Additionally, we have explore gymnastic movements in preparation for Year 1 and explore a range of rolls, balances and sequences and we very much enjoy our first experiences when using the apparatus in school.

To further develop our activity, we thoroughly enjoy our ‘Movement Time’  where we take over the yard with our balance bikes, pedal bikes or bats and balls. We even explore obstacle courses to develop our gross movement skills. In our Reception class you can also witness our love of activity every day as just before lunch we happily engage in movement opportunities linked to music.

In the spring, we focus upon dance and gymnastics and then in the summer it is time for games skills and athletics ready for our Sport Day. Over the year, we also engage in regular fundamental movements session in order to prepare the children ready for their experience in Year 1 and further throughout school.

National Curriculum

Key Stage 1 and 2

In Key Stage 1, we cover the key aspects of P.E. which includes elements of dance, gymnastics and games skills. We also explore athletics and OAA within key stage 2.

Gymnastics

We love our gymnastics at Pittington, and explore this element in each year group, building upon the experiences and skills developed in EYFS. We regularly access the apparatus to develop our routines and engage with partners such as Durham Sixth Form Centre in this area. 

Year 1 explore two gymnastic units over the year, as the children begin to gain confidence and link their movements within gymnastic routines. The children also enjoy the opportunity to visit Durham Gymnastic Centre for a gymnastic carousel of activities. Year 2, build on this further with two gymnastic units, including 'Family of Actions' as children are given the opportunity to apply their growing gymnastic movements.

Within Key Stage 2, gymnastic continues to be a key component of the PE curriculum and this is designed to allow children to continue to build upon skills and knowledge developed in earlier year groups. Year 3 have two units of a gymnastic focus and Year 4 begin to develop their routines with a partner in 'Partner Work'. Year 4 also enjoy visiting Durham Gymnastic Centre for a fun carousel of gymnastic activities. Year 5 continue to develop paired routines with 'Acrobatic Gymnastics' where counter tension, counter balance and part weight-bearing balances are explored. Within Year 6, the focus develops more to group routines where the children can display a range of their growing skills.

Dance

Within Key Stage 1 and 2, we explore a range of dance opportunities and the children have the opportunity to develop the complexity of movements and length of movement phrases. In Year 1, the children work in pairs and small groups to explore 3 different dance units over the year. These include moving as different types of transport and also creating dance routines linked to the movements of 'Sporting Superstars'. In Year 2, children explore a range of dance units and begin to explore musicality with the use of facial expressions and exploring feelings through dance. The Year 2 class also have the opportunity to explore a dance routine to perform at the Durham Gala Theatre as part of the Dance Festival in the spring.

Within Key Stage 2, dance is explored in all year groups. Year 5 also have the opportunity to prepare and perform a dance routine at the Durham Gala Theatre as part of the Dance Festival. Year 6 continue the progression through dance with the introduction of props and repeating motifs.

Athletics

We focus upon athletics within each year group in Key Stage 1 and 2. This includes working and developing towards our Sports Day in the autumn. We also regularly engage in athletic competition and our Year 6 class competes in the Indoor Athletics competition against other schools in the autumn term. We also compete in the Cross Country Competition each year and in the summer, we compete the Durham and Chester-le-Street Athletics Competition at the Riverside Stadium.

Striking and Feilding

Within this area of PE, our main focus areas are tennis and cricket skills. Year 1 begin the development of skills from EYFS with 'Bean Bag Throw' and Year 2 continue this with 'Kick Rounders and 'Mini Tennis' . Each year, the units are planned so that children have the opportunity to build upon previous skills. In Year 3, the children work on 'Arc Rounders' and 'Target Baggers'. Year 4 have a focus of 'Run the Loop' and 'Mini Tennis 2'. Year 5 work on cricket skills in 'Runner Cricket' and also have a focus upon tennis skills. In Year 6, there is also a cricket and tennis focus. Over the year, we enter a number of competitive and festival opportunities such as a Year 5/6 Cricket Competition and a Tennis Festival. We also look to work with specialist partners such as 'Chance to Shine'. Year 3 also have the opportunity to attend a Tri-Golf Festival.

Invasion Games

We really enjoy our work with invasion games and different elements are covered in each year group, building the exploration of a range of sports in upper key stage 2. We cover different focuses upon netball, basketball, hockey, tag rugby and football. This also includes the opportunities in a range of festivals and competitions with other schools. We engage in the Durham Football Leagues and the the Girls' Football Leagues. We also compete in the Year 4 Football Cup. We take part in the Tag Rugby Competition and look to engage in a Tag Rugby Festival.  We also engage each year in the Durham and Chester-le-Street Basketball Competition.

OAA (Outdoor and Adventurous Activities)

Within Key Stage 2, we experience OAA within the PE curriculum. Each year group has the opportunity to explore teamwork and cooperation within the units of work. Year 4 also have the opportunity to engage with other schools as part of a 'Team Building Festival'. 

   Swimming

We very much value the swimming element of the PE curriculum and its role as a vital life skill. Currently, children engage in termly swimming opportunities in Key Stage 2. Curriculum swimming currently takes place on a weekly basis at Freeman's Quay Leisure Centre. Year 3 swim in the summer term, Year 4 swim in the spring term and year 5/6 swimmers who have not yet reached national curriculum expectations swim in the autumn term. Each year, we also compete the the Durham and Chester-le-Street Swimming Gala.

School Games, Sporting Festivals and Competitions

Within school, we compete in a wide range of sporting festivals and competitions. These include: cross country, Tri Golf
Festival, Year 4 Gymnastic Carousel, Year 6 Sports hall Athletics, Year 1 Gymnastic Carousel, Year 2 Halloween Festival, Cross Country, Year 3 Multisport Festival, Team Building and Problem Solving Festival, KS2 Swimming Gala, Tag Rugby Competition, Basketball Competition, KS1 Invasion Games Festival, Dance Festival, Year 1 Disney-themed Festival, Y2 Striking
and Fielding Festival, Athletics Competition, Cricket Skills Festival, Durham Dash Urban Athletics Competition, Mixed
Cricket Event, Quidditch Festival and a Tennis Skills Festival. We also compete in the Year 5/6 Football League and the Year 5/6 Girls' Football League.