Intent

To offer an inspirational and competitive learning experience to enhance the development of skills and techniques in a range of physical activities and experience fun, enjoyment, friendship, belonging, and the pleasure of taking part in sport alongside developing knowledge and understanding of sports and games that may well lead to a fulfilling career.

Implementation

At Oastlers School, we pride ourselves on offering all learners the opportunity to experience a range of physical disciplines, including those experienced on residential visits, in school competitions and in after-school sports programmes, all of which can contribute to our learners’ communication, leadership and social skills.

Any parent/carer knows early physical development of a younger child begins with walking, running and jumping and that in their primary years’ children learn through play and interacting with others.  With this in mind, we take an experiential approach through which learners enjoy a wealth of both indoor and outdoor sports, such as volleyball, cricket, football, indoor hockey, curling, rugby, archery and indoor athletics to build on that play and learn experience.  All of these activities provide our learners with the chance to advance their skills, but we also ensure that we enhance the experiences by applying the rules and regulations to each activity to deepen the breadth of understanding in each sport studied. Many of these experiences and activities are social experiences that can also be enjoyed as part of a wider group or team.

All learners can experience stress with the pressures of school and sometimes from stressful personal issues.  PE can provide a way to escape from these situations, through the release of chemical endorphins, to bring about a state of emotional well-being.  The use of physical activity to support our learners’ ability to cope with the pressures of life should not be underestimated.

Our Outdoor Education programme provides our learners with the opportunity to gain additional skills in kayaking, climbing, mountain biking and abseiling. These activities are critical for the development of team building as well as encouraging a healthy lifestyle and the acquisition of a wide range of additional skills for each and every child at Oastlers School.

Additionally, incorporated into our curriculum, and within the BTEC in Sport Level 2, is the opportunity for learners to develop their leadership skills and qualities through our designated activities to increase their self-esteem and confidence skills that are needed to engage within larger diverse and complex environments.

Impact

The reward of a BTEC qualification and active involvement in sports can support the skills and qualifications that will create career opportunities within the sports sector, with careers such as gym instructors, coaching positions, sports leaders and PE teachers being just some of the possibilities.  Sport also links well with specialist roles, such as physiotherapy and other medical careers.  Many of the skills learned can be transferred and applied to other areas of everyday life and to other related subject areas.  Putting it simply, leading an active life brings about its own pleasures and enjoyment that enhances a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction.