Physical Education at Lightwater Village School
Intent
At Lightwater Village School, our intent is to equip children with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to support their mental, emotional, social, and physical well-being, both now and in the future. We recognise physical education (PE) as a vital part of a child’s development—teaching self-discipline, resilience, teamwork, and determination.
We aim to nurture confident, active learners who understand the value of physical health, the importance of regular exercise, and the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle. PE helps pupils build character, form positive habits, and develop lifelong skills in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.
Our PE curriculum aims to develop pupils who:
- Demonstrate competence and confidence in a range of physical activities.
- Show enjoyment, imagination, and creativity in their performance.
- Understand the importance of healthy choices and exercise in daily life.
- Display sportsmanship, fairness, and cooperation.
- Take pride in their achievements and those of others.
- Participate with enthusiasm, energy, and curiosity.
We aim to provide every child with two high-quality PE lessons per week, creating positive experiences that foster a love for movement and physical activity.
Implementation
PE at Lightwater Village School is delivered through a broad and balanced curriculum, covering a range of physical activities including dance, gymnastics, games, and athletics. Lessons are taught twice weekly and are carefully planned to develop skills progressively across the school.
Our approach includes:
- High-quality teaching by class teachers and trained PE specialists.
- A varied curriculum, with two sporting disciplines covered each half term or term.
- Use of digital tools such as Jumpstart Jonny, which offers engaging warm-ups, dance, and in-class movement breaks.
- Employment of specialist coaches to introduce children to a wide variety of sports such as basketball, fencing, and short tennis.
- Opportunities for children to take part in before and after school clubs including gymnastics, football, dance, and more.
- A dedicated Health and Fitness Week each summer, culminating in an inclusive and celebratory Sports Day.
- Active play during break and lunchtimes with access to sports and playground equipment to encourage physical engagement throughout the day.
We actively promote values such as positivity, respect, inclusion, dedication, and enthusiasm—instilling a sense of fair play, leadership, and collaboration through individual and team-based challenges.
Impact
At Lightwater Village School, we view PE as a foundation for lifelong physical activity. Our goal is for children to leave us with a love for movement and the confidence to participate in a wide range of physical activities.
The impact of our PE curriculum is seen when children:
- Take responsibility for their own health and fitness.
- Understand the importance of making healthy choices in daily life.
- Build resilience and perseverance through physical challenges.
- Learn to evaluate and improve their own performance.
- Develop physical skills such as coordination, strength, flexibility, and balance.
- Collaborate and compete with fairness and respect for others.
We strive to ensure every child experiences success and feels proud of their achievements. Physical activity supports their academic progress, emotional stability, and overall well-being—helping them grow into happy, healthy, and active individuals.
