At St James’ Church of England Primary Academy, we believe that Physical Education plays a vital role in promoting children's physical health, emotional wellbeing and personal development. Our engaging and inclusive PE curriculum encourages children to develop confidence, resilience and teamwork while fostering a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity.

Through a broad range of sports, games and physical challenges, pupils develop their fundamental movement skills, coordination, fitness and understanding of healthy lifestyles. We aim to ensure every child has the opportunity to participate, experience success and develop positive attitudes towards physical activity, competition and sportsmanship.

How We Teach PE

Our PE curriculum is carefully structured to ensure children progressively develop their physical skills, knowledge and confidence from Reception through to Year 6.

Children experience a wide range of activities, including gymnastics, dance, athletics, team games, outdoor and adventurous activities, and swimming. Lessons develop essential skills such as balance, agility, coordination, movement and tactical awareness, while encouraging cooperation, communication and problem-solving.

As children progress through the school, they participate in an increasingly diverse range of sports, including football, netball, basketball, hockey, cricket, rounders, badminton and tag rugby.

We recognise that every child develops at their own pace and ensure that activities provide appropriate support and challenge, allowing all pupils to experience achievement and develop their sporting abilities.

Sport, Competition and Healthy Lifestyles

We believe PE extends beyond the classroom and provides valuable opportunities for children to develop important life skills.

Pupils are encouraged to demonstrate respect, perseverance, fairness and teamwork, learning to celebrate success, respond positively to challenges and support one another.

Our curriculum is enriched through opportunities to participate in sporting tournaments with other schools, extracurricular clubs and activities supported by specialist coaches.

We also recognise the importance of swimming and water safety, helping children develop essential skills to keep themselves safe.

Above all, we aim to inspire children to enjoy being active, understand the benefits of exercise and develop healthy habits that will support their wellbeing throughout their lives.

Our PE Curriculum

Find out more about our Physical Education curriculum by exploring the documents below:

• PE – Intent, Implementation and Impact: How we teach PE, our curriculum aims and what we want children to achieve.

• PE Curriculum Overview: An overview of the sports, physical activities and skills taught from Reception through to Year 6, demonstrating how learning progresses throughout the school.