Physical education
"Intelligence and skills can only function at their peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong." John F Kennedy
Head of Department: Mr S Miles
Teachers: Miss C Barrell, Miss B Fenner, Mr A Savcenko, Mr S Pashley
Support staff: Mr I Bambury
Offering an opportunity for social interaction, stress-relief and enjoyment, the importance of Physical Education’s role in the curriculum cannot be overstated. Opportunities to practice sport are numerous at the Latymer School, taking place both in and outside of the school timetable. We offer a wide range of sports and games for all students and organise a variety of extracurricular activities. The Physical Education Department’s overall aim is to provide a broad and accessible scheme, which encourages participation from students of all abilities.
We focus on developing students’ social skills, while providing a framework for a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Activities champion teamwork, build trust and offer students an opportunity to develop leadership abilities. Our students are also taught to recognise the important roles that resilience and hard work play in realising their ambitions.
By encouraging positive attitudes towards exercise and nutrition, we aim to promote lifelong participation in sport. We hope to ensure that young people continue to implement the knowledge and skills acquired during Physical Education when they leave the school.
The Physical Education curriculum at the Latymer School is designed to:
- Give students the physical skills and confidence, knowledge, and personal qualities they need for a healthy balanced lifestyle.
- Develop a lifelong love of, and passion for, physical activity and sport.
- Support all students to become confident and knowledgeable, and able to lead, persuade and challenge others.
- Provide opportunities for regular competitive physical activity and sport.
- Raise students’ aspirations and equip them with the knowledge and skills to flourish in future careers in physical activity or sport.
- Provide access to external providers of physical activity and sport.
- Provide talent pathways for elite athletes.
- Provide the facility for leadership and officiating skills to develop.
- Foster the development of students’ character preparing them to make valuable contributions to the future of physical activity within society.
KEY STAGE 3
All pupils complete units of work in athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, dance, football, gymnastics, handball, health-related fitness, hockey, netball, rounders, rugby, tennis and volleyball. Students develop fundamental movement skills, while developing their communication skills and learning to collaborate with each other.
The school has a well-developed House System and House sports competitions take place during lessons. All pupils compete in a range of activities, including badminton, basketball, circuit training, cross country, dodgeball, fitness, football, handball, hockey, lacrosse, netball, table tennis, rugby and volleyball.
An annual highlight of the school calendar is Sports Day, which is run in the summer term and involves the whole school. Activities are hotly contested, taking place on our large sports field, where students gather to spectate in their House teams. Events include athletics, rounders, tennis and the much-loved tug of war.
KEY STAGE 4
In addition to the aforementioned Key Stage 3 activities, pupils can opt to participate in more diverse activities, including aerobics, boxercise, trampolining, table tennis, and yoga.
The Physical Education Department also offers a range of leadership courses, with the aim of enabling pupils to follow their passions, while working with younger pupils and people in the local community. We facilitate and support pupils wishing to complete national governing body sports qualifications, refereeing and umpiring courses, and leadership training, which benefits people and primary schools in the local area.
We offer pupils the opportunity to take Physical Education as a GSCE subject, in addition to non-examination PE. We follow the OCR examining board PE specification which consists of 50% practical coursework, 10% written coursework and 40% examination.
Pupils continue to take part in House sport and Sports Day, with all activities taking place during PE lessons. Key Stage 4 pupils also get the chance to compete in athletics, badminton, basketball, dodgeball, football rounders, table tennis, tennis and tug of war.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
There is a wide range of activities that students can participate in; football, netball, basketball, hockey, rounders, rugby, badminton, table tennis, cricket, self-defence to name a few but the Physical Education Department is committed to increasing the number of sporting opportunities open to students at the Latymer School and growing participation.
Students are coached by passionate staff from the school and, in some cases, expert external coaches.
DESTINATIONS
The PE curriculum is designed to support students who wish to pursue a career in the areas such as sports biomechanics, sports technology development, biomedicine, nutrition, physiotherapy, teaching, sports administration and management and sport marketing and media.