THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM AND IMPORTANCE OF P.E
NATIONAL CURRICULUM
The National Curriculum is organised into blocks of years called 'key stages'. There are 4 key stages although Youngstars will only be covering the first 2 as key stage 3 begins with children aged 11+. Their is also an 'Early Years Foundation Stage' which covers education for children before they reach five.
- Early Years Foundation Stage: Ages 3-5
- Key Stage 1: Ages 5-7 (Years 1-2)
- Key Stage 2: Ages 7-11 (Years 3-6)
- Key Stage 3: Ages 11-14 (Years 7-9)
- Key Stage 4: Ages 14-16 (Years 10-11)
The programmes of study set out what pupils should be taught, and the attainment target sets out the expected standards of pupils' performance.
Early Years Foundation
The 'Early Years Foundation Stage' covers education for children before they reach five (compulsory school age)
Key Stage 1
During Key Stage 1 pupils build on their natural enthusiasm for movement, using it to explore and learn about their world.
They start to work and play with other pupils in pairs and small groups. By watching, listening and experimenting, they develop their skills in movement and co-ordination,
and enjoy expressing and testing themselves in a variety of situations.
Key Stage 2
During Key Stage 2 pupils enjoy being active and using their creativity and imagination in physical activity. They learn new skills, find out how to use them in different ways,
and link them to make actions, phrases and sequences of movement. They enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other.
They develop an understanding of how to succeed in different activities and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.
Attainment Levels
Children develop at different rates, but National Curriculum levels can give you an idea of how your child's progress compares with what is typical for their age.
| Range of levels within which the great majority of pupils are expected to work | Level | Expected attainment for the majority of pupils at the end of the key stage | Level |
Key Stage 1 |
1-3 |
At age 7 |
2 |
Key Stage 2 |
2-5 |
At age 11 |
4 |
- Level 1 - Pupils copy, repeat and explore simple skills and actions with basic control and co-ordination
- Level 2 - Pupils begin to show understanding of simple tactics and basic compositional idea's. Talk about differences between their own and others' performances and suggest improvements. Understand how to exercise safely, and to describe how their bodies feel during different exercises.
- Level 3 - Pupils select and use skills, actions and idea's appropriately, applying them with coordination and control. They give reasons for warming up before an activity is important, and why physical activity is good for their health.
- Level 4 - Their performance shows precision, control and fluency. Pupils explain and apply basic safety principles in preparing for exercise. They describe what effects exercise has on their bodies, and how it is valuable to their fitness and health.
Physical Education
'The aim of Physical Education is to develop physical competence so that all children are able to move efficiently, effectively and safely and understand what they are doing.'
The aims and purposes of P.E
- Physical Education develops pupil's physical competence and confidence, and their ability to use these to perform in a range of activities.
- It promotes physical skilfulness, physical development and knowledge of the body in action.
- Physical education provides opportunities for pupils to be creative, competitive and to face up to different challenges as individuals and in groups and teams.
- It promotes positive attitudes towards active and healthy lifestyles.
- Pupils learn how to think in different ways to suit a wide variety of creative, competitive and challenging activities.
- They learn how to plan, perform and evaluate actions, ideas and performances to improve their quality and effectiveness.
- Through this process pupils discover their aptitudes, abilities and preferences, and make choices about how to get involved in lifelong physical activity.
Back in 2007 the Government set a new objective for all children in statutory education (5-16) the opportunity to do 5 hours of sport a week. This was to be made up of 2 hours of high quality curriculum physical education and 3 hours of sport beyond the school and into the community.
