Why We Study PE
Physical Education at Ramsden Hall Academy is fundamental to supporting our pupils' social, emotional and mental health needs. Through a diverse range of sports and physical activities including basketball, handball, volleyball, football, hockey, table tennis, trampolining, dodgeball, rugby, badminton, athletics, striking and fielding, and swimming, we provide opportunities for students to develop confidence, resilience, and self-esteem in a safe and supportive environment.
PE helps pupils develop emotionally and socially by teaching fairness, respect, and integrity. Through teamwork, cooperation, communication, and leadership activities, students learn to work together, support each other, and understand their roles within a group. Our curriculum supports pupils' regulation and wellbeing through structured physical activity, whilst building the fundamental movement skills and fitness components necessary for lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.
By encompassing pupils' emotional connection to sport and their ability to express themselves through physical activity, our PE curriculum prepares students for their next steps in education, training or employment, promoting healthy, active lifestyles and positive life choices. Through recognised qualifications including OCR Entry Level Certificate in Physical Education and NCFE Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Sport, we ensure pupils leave Ramsden Hall Academy with both physical competencies and accredited achievements that support their progression.
Our Five Aims
1. Develop Physical Literacy and Fundamental Movement Skills
Pupils will build competence across running, jumping, throwing, catching, striking, and fielding activities, developing the fundamental movement patterns needed for lifelong physical activity. By mastering basic skills in isolation before applying them under pressure in competitive situations, pupils develop the physical confidence and capability to participate in sport throughout their lives.
2. Build Confidence, Resilience and Self-Esteem
Every pupil will experience success through progressive skill development, differentiated activities, and personal goal-setting in a supportive environment. Understanding that everyone develops at different rates and celebrating individual progress rather than comparison with others builds positive self-image and demonstrates that physical activity can be accessible and rewarding for all.
3. Learn to Work Collaboratively
Pupils will develop teamwork, communication and leadership skills through team sports, paired activities, and coaching opportunities. By taking on different roles within practices and games—performer, leader, coach, official—pupils learn to support each other, understand different perspectives, and develop the social skills needed for employment and community participation.
4. Understand the Importance of Healthy, Active Lifestyles
Pupils will make informed choices about physical activity, exercise, nutrition and wellbeing through understanding how the body works, the benefits of regular physical activity, and the principles of training and healthy living. By exploring anatomy and physiology, fitness components, training methods and nutritional needs, pupils develop the knowledge to maintain their health throughout their lives.
5. Experience Success and Celebrate Achievement
Pupils will achieve recognised qualifications matched to their individual capabilities—OCR Entry Level Certificate or NCFE Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Sport—whilst developing transferable employability skills. Through differentiated activities, personal goal-setting, and celebration of effort and improvement, pupils build the confidence and credentials needed for further education, training or employment in sport and beyond.
How We Teach PE
Curriculum Structure
Our PE curriculum offers two pathways: Core PE for all pupils and Option PE for those pursuing sport qualifications.
Core PE (KS3 and KS4) follows a rotating programme covering diverse activities. Autumn Term includes football, basketball, handball, dodgeball, and fitness testing (HRE). Spring Term develops volleyball, table tennis, badminton, trampolining, and rugby. Summer Term focuses on athletics, striking and fielding (cricket), swimming, and hockey. Each activity unit typically runs for 4-6 lessons with progressive skill development from isolation through to competitive game situations.
OCR Entry Level Certificate in Physical Education is taught and moderated alongside Core PE lessons. Learners are assessed in four activities—one team, one individual, and two of their choice. Practical performance accounts for 80% (four activities at 20 marks each), whilst analysing performance accounts for 20% (observing and assessing their own or a peer's performance, identifying skills, strengths, weaknesses and improvement suggestions). Students can be assessed as performers in all four activities or as performers in three activities and leaders in the fourth.
NCFE Level 2 Certificate in Sport requires completion of four units progressively through Years 9 and 10: Unit 1 - Participating in Sport, Unit 2 - Anatomy & Physiology in Exercise, Unit 3 - Introduction to Healthy Exercise & Nutrition, and Unit 6 - Sports Coaching. Students work independently at their own pace through assignment booklets, with three 45-minute sessions per week.
NCFE Level 2 Diploma in Sport (Extension) allows students making planned progress to complete three further units in Year 11: Unit 7 - Performance Analysis, Unit 8 - Factors Affecting Participation, and Unit 9 - Lifestyle and the Sports Performer. Students' independent progress can see the scheme of work merge across year groups, meaning the certificate award can take three years, with those meeting expected progress proceeding to the Diploma accordingly.
Building Knowledge and Skills from Varied Starting Points
Staff observation differentiates lesson progression according to suitable challenge and supports students to make appropriate progress. We recognise that students enter lessons at different ability levels, and differentiation plays a key role in staff observations to allow all to be engaged and challenged within lessons.
Skills are taught in isolation before being applied under pressure. Drills progress from controlled situations to conditional play, then to competitive games. Students implement strategic and tactical decisions based on movement of the ball into space and choice of skill execution. Regular opportunities for peer coaching, self-assessment and targeted questioning support consolidation.
Lessons begin with recaps of prior learning through warm-up activities. Mid-lesson plenaries check technical points and reinforce teaching points. Skills are revisited across different sports—for example, throwing techniques in handball, basketball, and athletics. Progressive challenge ensures students can master fundamentals before advancing.
For NCFE qualifications, the pace of work is set according to students' needs and ability. Clear language and support is provided by staff to direct focus and support engagement methods in learning. For Pass candidates, we provide structured templates and writing frames, clear examples and case studies, and guided research tasks. For Merit candidates, we encourage detailed explanations with multiple examples, independent research, and links between different sports and contexts. For Distinction candidates, we demand comprehensive analysis, inventive ideas, synthesis of information from wide-ranging sources, and sophisticated links between concepts.
Trauma-Informed Teaching Approach
Our PE teaching reflects trauma-informed practice through building trusting relationships with personalised feedback from staff and peers, small group work and paired activities based on ability and confidence levels, and celebrating individual progress and achievement regardless of absolute performance. We invest time in getting to know each pupil's physical abilities, anxieties and aspirations through consistent staffing across PE lessons and one-to-one support during skill development.
We recognise that challenging behaviour in PE often stems from anxiety about performance, previous negative experiences, or feeling overwhelmed. When pupils struggle, we respond with curiosity not judgment, using restorative approaches rather than punitive measures. We provide alternative activities when students are dysregulated, allow time-out and regulation breaks when needed, and focus on the underlying need rather than the behaviour.
Students have choice in their preferred positions, playing styles, and which skills to develop. For OCR Entry Level, students select their four activities based on their interests and strengths, with the option to be assessed as a performer or leader. Students work independently at their own pace through structured progression levels. Differentiated equipment and modified rules allow students to access activities at their level.
We create safe, non-judgmental spaces with emphasis on personal improvement rather than comparison with others, mixed-ability pairing and team formation with rotating roles to understand different perspectives, and clear expectations around behaviour and safety consistently reinforced. Marking is positive, rewarding achievement rather than penalising failure. Our classroom and sports hall environments feature predictable lesson structures with consistent routines including warm-ups, main activities and cool-downs.
Staff are trained to recognise signs of anxiety or dysregulation during physical activity. Students facing challenges around confidence are offered adapted equipment and support. Pre-lesson check-ins assess emotional state, with awareness of activities that may cause anxiety such as competitive situations or team selection. Alternative activities are available when students need regulation support, with close liaison with the pastoral team about individual needs.
Typical Lesson Structure (Core PE)
Lessons begin with Settling and Warm-Up (5-10 minutes) where pupils enter calmly, complete a low-stakes retrieval task reviewing previous learning through warm-up activities, and activate prior knowledge whilst preparing the body for physical activity. Learning Intention and Success Criteria (2 minutes) follows, with clear learning intentions shared and success criteria displayed, making links to prior learning and real-life sporting contexts.
Skill Development in Isolation (10-15 minutes) sees the teacher model and demonstrate new skills or techniques, thinking aloud to make decision-making visible, providing worked examples with step-by-step explanations. Pupils practice with individual equipment or in pairs, with regular check-ins through observation and questioning. Guided Practice - Drills and Conditioned Games (10-15 minutes) has pupils work through drills with teacher support using scaffolded activities with decreasing support, working in pairs or small groups with teacher circulating, receiving immediate feedback and correction of technique.
Independent Practice - Competitive Application (15-20 minutes) allows pupils to apply skills in modified games or competitive situations at differentiated levels (mild, spicy, hot), with teacher and LSA providing targeted support. Pupils implement tactical decisions and strategic thinking, with opportunities for leadership, officiating and peer coaching. Cool-Down and Reflection (5 minutes) reviews learning through "What have we learned today?", allows pupils to share observations or explain tactical decisions, addresses any remaining misconceptions, and previews the next lesson. Regulation breaks are built in as needed throughout.
Communication, Literacy and Numeracy Development
Every lesson includes opportunities to develop literacy through learning sport-specific vocabulary including technical terms (dribbling, passing, shooting, marking, cardiovascular, respiratory, ATP, aerobic, anaerobic), tactical concepts (possession, pressure, attacking, defending), and analytical vocabulary (accurate, controlled, fluent, consistent, demonstrates, applies, effective). Vocabulary is explicitly taught through verbal and visual demonstrations, directed and differentiated questioning, and peer coaching opportunities.
For NCFE qualifications, pupils develop extensive reading, writing and comprehension skills through assignment booklets, reflection and evaluation skills, skimming and exploring information, and problem-solving and decision-making. Written explanations, justifications, evaluations, reflective journal writing, and report writing systematically develop literacy alongside physical competence.
Numeracy skills are embedded throughout including score keeping and tallying, distance measurements and time recordings, angle calculations, progress tracking, heart rate measurements, calorie intake calculations, macronutrient percentages, risk assessment ratings, performance profile scoring, and statistical data analysis. Athletics includes distance measurements, time recordings, angle calculations, and progress tracking in authentic sporting contexts.
Alternative recording methods include peer observation and verbal feedback, recording scores and distances on tracking sheets, video analysis for self-assessment, and practical demonstration of understanding, ensuring all pupils can demonstrate their learning regardless of literacy levels.
SMSC, British Values and Modern Britain
SMSC: PE lessons explore moral and ethical issues through fairness, respect and integrity in sport, understanding sportsmanship and gamesmanship, dealing with pressure and expectations, and the social impact of physical activity on mental, physical and social wellbeing. Pupils consider the importance of healthy lifestyles and responsible choices.
British Values: Democracy explored through students voting on game conditions, team strategies and practice activities; rule of law through understanding rules, accepting referee decisions, and learning about sports officials and National Governing Bodies; individual liberty through choosing preferred positions, developing playing styles, and making independent tactical decisions; tolerance through inclusive teamwork across diverse groups, challenging stereotypes, and understanding that sport brings together people of all backgrounds and abilities.
Modern Britain: Understanding healthy lifestyles, career pathways in sport, media influence on participation, technology in sport, and diverse sporting communities prepares pupils for informed citizenship and contemporary life. Topics like elite athlete pressures, financial considerations, media scrutiny, and work-life balance are handled in age-appropriate ways that develop understanding of modern sporting contexts.
Curriculum Impact
Academic Progress and Achievement
Our progressive qualification pathway from foundational physical literacy through to OCR Entry Level Certificate or NCFE Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Sport ensures every pupil can achieve recognition for their progress. Staff observation during practical activities, peer and self-assessment using success criteria, video recording for evidence collection, and regular marking of NCFE assignment booklets provide ongoing formative assessment. End-of-unit practical assessments, fitness testing data, OCR moderation of performances, and NCFE portfolio evidence demonstrate summative achievement. Pupils progress from basic skill development and controlled drills to competitive application, tactical decision-making, leadership and coaching, with nationally recognised qualifications supporting post-16 transitions.
Personal Development and Confidence
Progressive skill development with differentiated activities and personal goal-setting builds self-esteem and demonstrates that physical activity can be accessible and rewarding. Successfully completing practical tasks—from mastering fundamental skills to leading coaching sessions to competing in games—creates a sense of achievement and pride. Understanding that everyone develops at different rates and celebrating individual progress rather than comparison with others builds positive self-image. Safe, supportive learning environments where mistakes are valued as learning opportunities support emotional wellbeing and reduce anxiety about physical performance.
Communication and Teamwork
Pupils progress from supported pair work to independent leadership and coaching, with improved ability to communicate with teammates, give and receive feedback constructively, take on different roles within teams, and demonstrate leadership skills. Understanding how to work collaboratively, support others, and contribute to team success develops the social skills needed for employment and community participation. Systematic development of verbal communication, tactical discussions, peer coaching and analytical vocabulary prepares pupils for workplace expectations.
Preparation for Life Beyond School
Practical physical skills, understanding of healthy lifestyles, teamwork and leadership capabilities prepare pupils for further education, training, employment or independent living. Understanding how to maintain physical and mental health through exercise, make informed choices about nutrition and fitness, and participate in community sport equips pupils to live healthy, active lives. OCR Entry Level Certificate and NCFE Level 2 Certificate/Diploma in Sport provide recognised achievements that support progression to college courses, apprenticeships in sport and leisure sectors, or employment, while transferable skills in teamwork, communication, resilience and self-management support success across all areas of life.
Monitoring and Evaluation
We measure impact through ongoing observation during practical activities, peer and self-assessment, questioning and feedback, photographic and video evidence of skill development, NCFE assignment booklet completion and marking, OCR practical performance assessments and analysing performance tasks, qualification outcomes (OCR Entry Level, NCFE Level 2 Certificate/Diploma), fitness testing data showing physical progress, pupil voice (feedback about engagement, confidence and enjoyment of physical activity), and evidence that pupils choose to participate in extracurricular sport, maintain active lifestyles, and successfully transition to appropriate post-16 pathways including sport-related courses or careers.
