Aims
We aim to offer a diverse and inclusive programme of activities in which every pupil participates. In addition to being inclusive, we aspire to the highest level of elite performance in our major games. The activities on offer are designed to be enjoyable and to challenge pupils’ physical abilities. We also aim to provide as many as possible with the opportunity to represent the school.
Staff and facilities
In addition to the 8 specialist staff, the department is supported by over 20 academic staff and sports coaches who run and coach school teams.
The school benefits from excellent sports facilities, including extensive grassed areas on site and at Dialstone Lane. The school also boasts a fully equipped gymnasium, 2 squash courts, a 25m swimming pool, five netball courts (7 tennis courts in summer), one artificial pitch (8 tennis courts in summer), 4 artificial cricket nets, and fitness room including a 9 station multi gym. In addition, the purpose-built sports centre contains a sports hall with climbing wall and extensive changing areas.
How much time will I spend on this subject per ten day cycle?
- First Year – 2 lessons of gymnasium-based Physical Education, 2 lessons of Games and 1 lesson of Swimming (equating to 5 hours over the cycle)
- Second Year and Third Year – 2 lessons of Physical Education and 2 lessons of Games (equating to 4 hours over the cycle)
- Fourth Year and Fifth Year – 1 lesson of Physical Education and 2 lessons of Games (equating to 3 hours over the cycle)
- Sixth Form – Team players have 4 Games lessons whilst others participate in recreational sporting activities for 2 lessons
Activities during lessons
The main winter games for boys are rugby and football and for girls are hockey and netball. In the summer, boys concentrate on cricket and athletics, whilst the girls focus their attention on tennis, athletics and rounders. The Physical Education curriculum is diverse with activities including aerobics, badminton, ball skills, basketball, dance, hockey, gymnastics, health-related fitness (including fitness testing), squash, swimming and volleyball.
Physical Education further up the school
GCSE
Physical Education is a 2 year course which is designed to give a broad outline of the theoretical and practical aspects of Physical Education. The AQA specification follows on from the key stage 3 programme by providing students with exciting opportunities to lead a healthy and active lifestyle by choosing from a variety of roles and activities in which to participate in physical activity. The content of the GCSE Physical Education course also provides a route to further study at AS and A2 and to Higher Education in PE as well as to related career opportunities. Topics covered in the theoretical examination are:
- Fitness capabilities
- Specific exercise and training programmes
- Diet
- School influences
- Healthy eating
- Cultural and social factors
- The media
- Sponsorship
- Health and safety.
For the practical side of the course each pupil is taken through the individual skills and game play for each of their chosen activities. They are also taught how to analyse their own performance as well as the performance of others in order to improve their techniques. The new specification of the course no longer has any coursework assignment. The course is very popular, but as 60% of the course is practically based it must be stressed that candidates must possess a high level of sporting ability in a range of different activities.
A Level
We have recently introduced both AS and A2 Physical Education which follows the OCR syllabus.
Extracurricular activities
There is a comprehensive extracurricular programme including:
School teams
The school fields a large number of teams. Sports represented are girls’ hockey, netball and tennis and boys’ football, rugby, basketball and cricket. Both boys and girls can take part in school teams for cross-country, swimming and athletics. All of these play on a regular basis (both Saturdays and midweek), and up to 350 pupils represent the school on a Saturday. The school teams have an excellent reputation, gaining success in regional and national competitions. Individuals frequently gain representative honours with both county and national teams.
Read more about our school sports on our teams page.
House sports
The inter-house sports competition has a central role within the school. It incorporates a total of 14 activities, from rugby to chess, and provides a very important level of competitive, representative experience for large numbers of pupils.
Clubs
Clubs are organised in an increasing number of activities. These include dance, fitness, climbing, basketball, squash, weightlifting, leisure swimming, aerobics, gymnastics, badminton and lifesaving. These activities are not concerned with producing school teams as such, but rather to encourage widespread participation and enjoyment.
School team tours
Recent school sports tours have included:
- Australia (cricket)
- Barbados (cricket, netball and hockey)
- Ireland (rugby and cricket)
- Holland (hockey)
- Malta (cricket and netball)
- South Africa (rugby)
- Canada (rugby)
- Italy (netball and rugby)
- Portugal (rugby)
- Spain (hockey)
