Physical Education

The Physical Education Curriculum at the British Schools of America enables every child to experience through participation, a range of physical activities and sports. Students participate in the following areas of activity: athletics, games, dance, gymnastics, swimming, outdoor and adventurous activity. Students develop and refine thought process, such as sequencing, recall, cause and effect, relationships and problem solving. Interpersonal skills such as team co-operation, commitment and fairness will also be encouraged and promoted.

Through our PE curriculum we aim to develop and improve levels of physical competence within each of the areas covered. We also aim to promote desirable sporting values and a positive attitude towards physical activity that will continue into adult life.

At Key Stage One the children build on their natural enthusiasm for movement, exploring range of basic skills. They use movement imaginatively, communicating their ideas, feelings and responding to music in dance. The children learn to make their movements more controlled through practising; watching; copying and describing others as they work. The children work individually, in pairs and in small groups.

At Key Stage Two the children develop and build on their skills. They learn how to use their skills in different ways and to link them together. They use their creativity in performing dance and planning gymnastic activities. Our pupils develop an understanding of how to succeed in different activities, i.e. pacing themselves in athletics and swimming. They learn to evaluate and recognise their own success.

During Key Stage Three pupils become more expert in their skills and techniques, and how to apply them in different activities. They start to understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others endeavour. They learn to take the initiative and make decisions for themselves about what to do to improve their performance and that of others. They start to identify the types of activity they prefer to be involved with, and to take a variety of roles such as captain, leader and team member.

  During the Key Stage Four, pupils are taught the knowledge, skills and understanding through the a variety of activity areas. Pupils are taught to play competitive games, use advanced techniques and skills specific to the games played with consistency and control, respond effectively to changing situations within their games, to meet challenges in specific swimming events and water-based activities, to use advanced techniques and skills with control, power or stamina and technical proficiency, to take part in specific athletic events and to use advanced techniques and skills with precision, speed, power or stamina and technical proficiency.

Competitive team sports are undertaken during club times from a range of both British and American sports.

Assessment in Physical Education is on going by the class teacher through observation and recording of results. At the end of each unit of work, each child's achievement is recorded against levels in the National Curriculum (England).