PE

Please keep up to date with all of our sporting events and results on the Sport at St Charles' Blog.

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At St Charles’, our aim is to ensure all children enjoy and are engaged in Physical Education and Sport. Through Physical Education we aim to develop the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding, so that they can perform with increasing confidence and competence in a range of physical activities. We aim to improve health and well-being, promote active participation and lifelong learning, and for each child to fulfil their potential. We aim to ensure that the children’s experience of Physical Education is positive and motivating.

In physical education children develop their skills in gymnastics, dance, games and adventure play to develop good body co-ordination and control. We endeavour to give each child enjoyment and satisfaction from physical activity and the opportunity to develop positive sporting attitudes. The children in our school carry out a minimum of 2 hours PE per week. We also promote swimming in KS2.

As a school we participate in many sporting competitions including football, netball, athletics, running and bench ball. We believe in healthy competition teaching the children to do their best and be gracious in victory and defeat. The school also runs a wide variety of lunchtime and after school clubs, some of which are led by coaches, teachers and teaching assistants.

Swimming and water safety

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in key stage 1 or key stage 2.

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

Pupils in Year 4 go to Gosforth Swimming baths over the course of the year. A £1.20 per week voluntary contribution to the costs is asked for these lessons.

Funs

'FUNS for everyone' is a programme that we have adopted which is designed to include, challenge and support the Fundamental Movement Skills (Balance, Coordination and Agility) at all ages, stages and abilities. It includes over 200 physical challenges organised into a circuit format with 12 stations and an integrated awards scheme. Our teachers integrate this uniquely designed programme into their PE curriculum.

NUFC foundation coaching

Coaches from the Newcastle United Foundation will be leading PE lessons throughout the year for all classes within the school. An NUFC led after school football club has also been set up for boys and girls in Years 5 and 6, giving them the opportunity to train with a qualified coach. The boys and girls will alternate terms with the girls provided the club in the first half term of Autumn.

Competitions

As a school we like to provide opportunities for pupils to compete in as many competitions as possible. See our sports blog for more information regarding our participation in a selection of competitions we have entered in this academic year.

Running Club

All children in Key Stage 2 are very welcome to join our weekly running club. It takes place every Thursday lunchtime (weather permitting) and Mrs Ambrose runs the club with Mrs Hobbs (parent of Charlotte and Ben in Year 6).

Playground Leaders

Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 will receive the opportunity to become playground leaders.

The aim of Playground Leaders is to introduce and develop leadership skills in Year 5 and 6 children by training them and getting them to organise activities for other children in the playground. One of the aims of the scheme is that it will increase the amount of physical activity undertaken during playtime and reduce the amount of anti-social behaviour. It is hoped there will be a whole school impact in terms of children’s behaviour both at lunchtime and in afternoon lessons. The scheme will also hopefully raise self-esteem and self-confidence of the leaders.

Silver leadership: A selection of playground leaders from the last academic year have since taken part in silver training in partnership with the Newcastle School Sport Service. They planned games they could play and behaviour rewards for all pupils taking part before practising their ideas with the Year 2 class.

Healthy Active Lifestyle

Healthy Active Lifestyle events are organised by the Newcastle PE and School Sport Service. They are non-competitive sporting events designed to promote a love of sport without the pressure of competition. It is a fantastic opportunity for pupils who do not regularly play sports to experience representing the school in the sporting arena. Upcoming events include Bench ball, Multi Skills, EYFS Introduction to Play, Team Games and an Introduction to games.

Skipping School

Year 2 and 4 have the opportunity to work with the lovely staff from "SkippingSchool", who teach our children the ABCDE of skipping in preparation for the skipping festival. That is; Agility, Balance, Co-ordination, Determination and Enthusiasm.

When "SkippingSchool" visits a school they aim to "show how skipping skills learnt today will last a lifetime and lay the foundations for better health, fitness and improved self esteem." So we hope your children have been skipping at home! Our children learn the following ways to skip: "The Cross Over", "The Side Swing", "The Double Bounce", "Side by Side", "Face to Face" and the rather improbably named "The Pretzel"!