Learning PE at Witham St Hughs Academy is all about experiencing a wide variety of sports. Pupils should leave our Academy with a passion to stay fit and active, having found at least one sport they enjoy. During a pupil’s time as a Witham sportsperson, they will encounter a range of both classic sports like netball, as well as lesser-known modern sports such as boccia.
This wide-range of sports allows pupils access to PE in all areas of our Academy, and allows pupils to build upon the skills they have learned by regularly revisiting sports as they continue their journey through our Academy.
We believe that a high-quality physical education should inspire an environment centered on a love of sport. We believe PE teaching should equip all pupils with the confidence to try something new, and inspire pupils to find a new passion and hobby within sport that can be followed beyond their time at our Academy.
It is because of this, that we follow a scheme of learning, which is very much rooted in the National Curriculum requirements, called GetSet4PE. Within this, pupils follow a very clear sequence of learning that progresses their skills and knowledge across a wide range of sports.
Our PE curriculum is taught in a way that provides an opportunity to inspire our pupils to find a love of sport. Children are exposed to a wide-variety of sports to enable them to find the right sport (or sports) for them. We ensure this can happen by teaching PE twice per week; once with our PE specialist teacher, and once with their class teacher. This allows pupils the opportunity to explore and experience two sports every half term.
Mr Medley is our sports specialist teacher, with a wealth of experience in coaching and working with children. Alongside providing lessons for our pupils, he also works closely with teachers to share his knowledge to ensure PE lessons are of the highest quality. Mr Medley also runs several afterschool sports clubs, and is at the center of organising competitive events for our pupils.
The sports chosen to study per year group are carefully selected in a way that allows pupils to revisit and build on prior skills as they continue their journey at our Academy. We are continually changing and adapting to the world that we live in, so are regularly looking for ways to introduce new sports, whether that be through providing experience days, sports days or extra-curricular sports clubs.
We understand that lots of our pupils already attend sports clubs outside of school, and so, within our Academy, we give pupils the opportunity to try something new. We do this by providing pupils at Witham St Hughs Academy with a wide-range of after school sports clubs that complement their curiosity to try something new, as well as providing opportunities for pupils to continue a sport they already have a passion for.
Alongside the after school clubs provided, we understand the need for competition within sports. Because of this, we offer the opportunity for pupils to compete in sports, either individually or as part of a team. This competitive element allows pupils to work on their team-building, social and problem-solving skills as well as being a fun and memorable experience.
Sporting experiences are everywhere at Witham St Hughs Academy, increasing in complexity as pupils continue their journey at our Academy. We aim to provide every year group with a memorable sporting opportunity outside out of their weekly PE lessons. Whether that be experiencing their first sports day, learning a dance for a production, going to a mini Olympics event or going on a residential trip, packed with outdoor adventurous activities. We have significant participation in competitions across Lincolnshire to provide pupils, who are passionate about a sport, the opportunity to represent our Academy competitively. Through this, pupils are able to develop their ambition as well as their resilience, enjoyment, unity and respect.
Depending on the time of year, you will see sport either inside, outside or both. We make excellent use of our field (when the weather permits) and also have the use of the hall for indoor sports such as dance and gymnastics. We regularly celebrate our sportspeople in assemblies where they are given the opportunity to share their sporting successes from outside of school.
Sport can be seen after school with a wide-range of sporting clubs being offered every night. Alongside this, we like to welcome other schools to our Academy for after school competitions and leagues, such as football and netball.
A huge part of our sporting ethos is to enable pupils to find their talents and passions. Through this, it is massively important to us at Witham St Hughs Academy that pupils continue sports beyond our Academy, and understand that they can form a career from sport. We like to welcome athletes and other sportspeople into our Academy to talk about their successes, and how they were able to create a career out of their passion.
