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Due to the current situation, departmental curriculum plans are not currently available.

Here is the Cowley COVID resuming plan as an interim guide.

Curriculum aim

The Physical education curriculum offers a broad, flexible and comprehensive range of experiences and activities that caters for the needs of individual students. All students are encouraged to participate fully, irrespective of their abilities and to develop positive attitudes towards active involvement as performers, observers and officials.

 The development of self-discipline, confidence, leadership skills, communication skills, social skills, fair play, etiquette and the appreciation of their own and other people’s strengths and weaknesses are an essential part of the learning process.

 It is intended that pupils are made aware of sporting and leisure opportunities available outside of the school environment and are encouraged to develop the skills and positive attitude for involving themselves in an active healthy lifestyle.

Our curriculum’s main aim is to install a love for Sport and Physical activity to every student and provide them with the skills, confidence and knowledge to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle when they leave school.

Curriculum structure

Our curriculum is flexible in that it allows activities to be modified dependent on group ability, staff expertise and facilities available. We believe in longer units of work that allow skills to be built upon and confidence gained. Our year games also allows us to set groups on ability and delivery a curriculum that meets the needs of the students. For example, students that are keen on rugby study three units of rugby to develop their skills, other students will follow a curriculum that will allow them to experience other activities.

In yr 9 and 10 core lessons we increase the challenge in the curriculum by introducing new activities such as badminton, basketball, weights, handball. Again our curriculum must be flexible to allow the activity being taught to meet the needs of the students and allow every student to succeed and develop.

In yr 11 core lessons we introduce the use of outside providers to encourage students to take up lifelong participation in Physical Activity. We have an option process where students can study and develop skills in an area of their choice.

KS4 Qualifications: At KS4 we offer students the opportunity to study either GCSE PE or BTec Sport. This is dependent on the students ability both practically and academically. We will allocate students onto the most appropriate course for their abilities that will allow them to achieve their potential.

At KS5 we offer A level and BTec Sport (level 3) courses and again we will advise and allocate students to the most relevant course for their abilities.

Curriculum in action

Curriculum Beyond the Classroom
We as a department fully believe that this is a crucial element of a child’s education. Our staff are wholly committed to providing the students with a world class and unique provision of extra curricular activities to cater for students of all abilities. Included in our program are traditional sports such as netball, hockey, rugby league, rugby union, gymnastics, dance, football, badminton, basketball but also other activities including boccia, mountain biking, boxing, weights training, yoga amongst others.

We also provide opportunities for students to perform at the highest level by competing nationally in a number of different sports as well as providing a more recreational opportunity for students of all abilities.

We provide a range of sporting visits to supplement the curriculum to major sporting events, e.g netball World Cup, county cricket matches, regular super league matches.

We also provide sporting tours which we believe give students unique opportunities to learn social and independence skills. Our annual tours include rugby and cricket tours. We also have a history of international tours across the world to France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Barbados in sports including rugby, netball and cricket.

Subject Expertise
The department is made up of 5 full time members of staff and 2 part time members. We are also supported by a large number of staff from other departments to help support Games lessons and also provide extra curricular opportunities. When non specialist staff are placed on Games they are initially partnered with an experienced member of staff to team teach on first year. They are also provided with training opportunities both in house and external.

The department is well balanced with each member of staffing having expertise in many different areas. All staff are kept up to date with latest developments in coaching, law and safety.

Within the department we have all access to twitter forums, 2 members of the school innovators program, the HoD is the chair of the St Helens’ Schools PE Association, 1 exam moderator. All staff qualifications are kept in staff handbook and updated annually.

Destinations
All students are given advice on appropriate courses to study at each Key Stage.

An up to date careers board is prominent in the department showing various routes and pathways to careers in sport.

Links with local primary schools and Sports Development to give students leadership opportunities and real life experiences.

Trip to St Georges Park to discuss different careers in Sport.

Visit to local universities to see different sport degrees in action and what are available