Physical Education

Key Stage 3

All students receive two one hour lessons a week. Throughout the year all students will experience a wide range of physical activities. These activities include Games (such as basketball, football, rugby, netball, hockey, rounders, cricket and tennis), as well as gymnastics, swimming, trampolining, badminton, dance, athletics and health related fitness. These activities are taught in single sex classes where students follow a programme of study that aims to develop both fitness and skill level for all. Examples of rotations that a student would expect to study can be seen below: Summer 2024-25

Year 7 Timetable 2024-25

Year 8 Timetable 2024-25

Year 9 Timetable 2024-25

Key Stage 4

All students receive five one hour PE lessons a week across a two week timetable. Within allocation we plan to ensure that each student works within an accredited PE and Sport pathway to achieve a qualification and develop both their understanding of health and physical activity and further improve their fitness and wellbeing as a result. Each pathway offers either an examination or an accreditation in a Level 2 course and may be academic or a sport related vocational course, either in GCSE PE or BTEC Sport Certificate. With such a high number of students studying for examined qualifications our results have continued to be outstanding and place us well above schools who select smaller cohorts for these courses. This is something we continue to be very proud of.

For example, in these lessons students may follow one of the following courses:

GCSE Physical Education (Exam Board – OCR)

30% of the course is on your practical ability. In the practical lessons you will be assessed in a variety of sports, with 3 scores counting. You will be assessed on a weekly basis on:

Your ability to perform a range of skills
Your ability to apply the skills in the game

At the end of the two years, you will have two written exams on the theory topics. This will count for 60% of your overall GCSE PE grade. In addition to these two elements there will also be a piece of coursework related to you and your performance in sport worth 10% of your grade. Your combined theory and practical mark will determine your overall GCSE PE grade.

BTEC First in Sport Certificate

There will be one online assessment that is worth 25% of the final grade. This can be taken at any stage of the course and can be retaken. The remaining 75% is all coursework based and can often help those students who find examinations difficult.

Units Studied

Fitness for Sport and Exercise (25% Online Assessment)
Practical Sports Performance
The Mind and Sports Performance
Applying the Principles of Personal Training

Key Stage 5

Sandringham School is responsible for delivering both A Level Physical Education (currently the AQA syllabus) and the Level 3 Cambridge Technical in Sport and Physical Activity. There is a high expectation that students who are on the A Level PE course assist the PE Faculty during lesson time and with extra-curricular practices. Each student in Year 12 is also expected to complete at least one hour of physical activity to ensure a healthy active lifestyle is maintained alongside academic study. Our academic results as recognised by ALPS have consistently been outstanding and demonstrate the standard of teaching and delivery of these courses at KS5.

AQA A Level PE

Theory Content

Section A: Exercise physiology and biomechanics
Section B: Sport psychology
Section C: Sport and society and technology in sport
- 2 x Written exams: 2 hours (each)
- 105 marks each
- 35% of A-level each

Non Examined Assessment

Students assessed as a performer or coach in the full sided, competitive version of one activity (15% of final overall mark)
Written/verbal analysis of performance (15% of final overall mark)

CTEC Level 3 in Sport

2 examined units (1 in each year) and 3 pieces of written coursework (over 2 years)

Unit Name: Body Systems and the effects of physical activity
Unit Number: 1
Assessed: E
Year: 1
GLH: 90

Unit Name: Practical skills in sport and physical activities
Unit Number: 18
Assessed: I
Year: 1
GLH: 60

Unit Name: Sports injuries and rehabilitation
Unit Number: 17
Assessed: I
Year: 1
GLH: 60

Unit Name: Sports organisation and development
Unit Number: 3
Assessed: E
Year: 2
GLH: 60

Unit Name: Sports Coaching and activity leadership
Unit Number: 2
Assessed: I
Year: 2
GLH: 90

Super Curriculum

To access the Super Curriculum for this subject please visit the Super Curriculum page HERE

Extracurricular and enrichment programme

The PE Faculty has an outstanding sporting tradition and there is an extensive extracurricular and out of hours learning programme offered to ALL students across the school. The Department offers a full programme of inter-school sports which can be divided into the following categories:

National Competitions
County Competitions
District Competitions
Friendly Fixtures
Inter-House Competitions

The Faculty recognises the unique contribution that extracurricular clubs can offer students at school and this is reflected in the wide range of competitive and non-competitive activities that are offered. The school’s house system is strong and the PE Faculty support this fully with regular inter-house competitions in a full range of sports.

Many of the extracurricular clubs are not related to a particular school team and are offered to encourage a greater number of students to participate in sport simply for enjoyment and fun, as well as to improve their individual performance and understanding of the importance of physical activity.

Whole-school health and well-being is considered very important at Sandringham and, to support this, the PE Department currently organises, promotes and delivers a “Fit for Life” week across the whole school. The primary objectives behind this are to promote the benefits to all of pursuing a healthy lifestyle through engaging in physical activity. This is achieved through providing a range of physical activities to enable both students and staff to `kick start’ a new health and fitness regime. The week often culminates in a whole school Charity Run challenging students to participate in a 5 mile multi-terrain run around the local area whilst also raising money for worthy causes.

Finally, the PE Department has been responsible for organising enriching sporting experiences, for example, trips to watch sporting events, sports tours abroad and ski trips. The Leadership team feel strongly that these trips are a valuable part of the students’ whole school experience and entitlement. Aside from encouraging positive and rewarding relationships with other students and staff, these experiences make students feel a part of our school and it develops their sense of belonging and pride.

Accommodation

The Department boasts excellent PE and sports facilities including a full-sided, all-weather 4G astroturf pitch, 25 metre swimming pool, a standard gymnasium, 2 dance studios, outside hardcourt areas with 6 tennis courts and 4 netball courts, expansive playing fields accommodating 2 well-maintained football pitches and 2 rugby pitches, and a strength and conditioning suite. This helps us to meet and extend the range of PE and sporting activities on offer, both to students and to the local community.

As a thriving community school, the existing PE facilities are used daily by our primary feeder schools, the local community and various community groups.