PE

Our Vision and Values

Team Birchwood believes in the power of aspiration, knowledge and kindness. We know that we achieve our best when we work together. The Physical Education and Sport faculty promotes these values through the Birchwood ME in PE curriculum (based upon the Youth Sport Trust’s My Personal Best initiative) at key stage 3, key stage 4 core PE and through our exam courses at key stage 4. Students are encouraged to improve their knowledge of the technical and tactical aspects of sport across a wide range of activities. Students are encouraged to aspire to achieve their own personal bests in lessons and are given a wide range of experiences through PE and sport that ensure they aspire to be the best in a variety of activities. Students are also taught kindness in lessons through the thinking me, healthy me and social me aspects of the Birchwood ME in PE curriculum.

Our Ethos

High expectations, high aspirations and high achievement rely upon a positive working environment based upon respect. In PE, respect is demonstrated by students in many ways. Students must have respect for each other as classmates, teammates and opposition. They must respect the excellent school facilities and must also respect the teacher and the learning of other students. This can only be achieved if every student’s behaviour enables every teacher to teach and every child to learn. We expect students to come ready, with their full PE kit and a positive attitude to achieve their personal best.

In addition to our extensive curriculum, we have a wide variety of extra-curricular activities in PE and sport that help children develop their skills and knowledge across a wide range of sporting activities. Students are given the opportunity to take part for recreation and competition through our weekly clubs, house competitions and inter school fixtures. Students are also given opportunities to develop their leadership skills in lessons and through the sports hub where students can apply to be sports ambassadors and take on the roles of coach, leader or official.

In conclusion, the PE and Sport faculty promotes a positive learning environment based on respect, aspiration, knowledge, and kindness. Through their PE curriculum and extra-curricular activities, students are encouraged to learn valuable life skills and develop a love for physical activity that they will take with them when they leave Birchwood Community High School.

How do we build on what students learn at KS2?

Students at Birchwood Community High School are encouraged to build upon and embed the physical development skills such as running, jumping, throwing and catching learned in key stage 2 by using these skills in combination with new skills and strategies to take part and gain confidence across a range of activities. They are taught sport specific skills and tactics which allow them to take part in collaborative and competitive opportunities as they grow in confidence throughout key stage 3. They build on their knowledge of competitive games, movement patterns and develop key components of fitness such as power, muscular endurance, flexibility, coordination, agility and balance. In addition to this students continue to develop their analytical skills by considering how they can improve and how their peers can improve.

How do we cover the KS3 National Curriculum and beyond?

At Birchwood Community High Scholl we cover a range of activities across key stage 3 to ensure students develop competence and are given the opportunity to excel in a number of activities. Students are delivered 2 hours of physical education lessons each week. During lessons students are encouraged to be active, learn new techniques, strategies and skills and are educated about the importance of leading a healthy active lifestyle. Students are further encouraged to improve in these areas by taking part in the extensive extra-curricular and enrichment opportunities provided to them during enrichment periods and after school. These include the opportunity to compete in school during lessons and inter-house competitions and against other schools in local, regional and national competitions.

In addition to the array of opportunities students are given to develop themselves physically, students are also given the opportunity to develop their understanding of the social, psychological and health aspects of physical education and sport. This is achieved through the Birchwood ME in PE curriculum, which uses the Youth Sports Trust’s My Personal Best initiative to demonstrated to students how skills learned in physical education lessons can be transferred and used in other subjects and later in life.

What do we cover in KS4 and how do we aspire towards KS5?

The Key Stage 4 PE Curriculum consists of a core programme which all pupils follow. This is an option strand based system that allows students to personalise their learning. All strands include a variety of activities to ensure students are engaged and motivated to participate throughout years 10 and 11. Students are encouraged to develop their personal fitness and engage with a variety of complex and challenging activities. In addition to the core programme, students can also choose to take the Edexcel GCSE Physical Education course or the OCR Cambridge National in Sports Studies.

Edexcel GCSE Physical Education

Why study GCSE Physical Education?

Taking this course will allow students to develop a knowledge and understanding of human performance through participation in a range of physical activities. They will be given the opportunity to acquire and develop a higher level of personal performance through participation in a variety of sports. They will be encouraged to develop an appreciation of the relationship between physical activity, general health and education for post school leisure. The course has relevance for a variety of areas of employment. For example, coaching/teaching/lecturing, physiotherapy and leisure centre management.

What will I study?

Students will study the Edexcel GCSE Physical Education syllabus. Students will study a wide range of topics including Anatomy and physiology, Sociocultural Influences and Sports Psychology during the two year course. In addition to this, students will take part in numerous practical activities which build upon knowledge and skills learned through Physical Education in the Lower School. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the rules, tactics and techniques of sports. They will also develop an understanding of the theory of Sports Science and develop and improve their personal performance.

How will my work be assessed?

Students are assessed in the following ways:

Theory of Sport Written Exam (2 exams) 60%
Course Assessment of Practical Work (3 practical activities) 30%
Personal Exercise Programme (coursework) 10%

OCR Sports Studies

Why study Cambridge National Sports Studies?

The Cambridge National in Sport Studies enables students to develop and apply knowledge of sports-related activities, with a particular focus on performance, leadership, sports organisation and officiating. Students will explore contemporary issues in sport, different ways of being involved in the sports industry, and the impact of sport on wider society across a number of varied units of study.

What will I study?

Students will study the OCR Cambridge National in Sports Studies syllabus. Students will study a wide range of topics including Contemporary Issues in Sport, Developing Sports Performance and Leadership and Skills in Outdoor Adventurous Activities. In addition to this, students will take part in numerous practical activities which build upon knowledge and skills learned through Physical Education in the Lower School. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the rules, tactics and techniques of sports whilst being given the opportunity too experience new activities and take on new roles such as official, coach and leader.

How will my work be assessed?

Students are assessed through assignment tasks in each unit. There is a mixture of coursework, practical and examination units that students will complete: