Physical Education

At St. John the Baptist, we aim for all pupils to leave school physically literate and with the knowledge, skills, and love for physical activity that will encourage lifelong participation in regular movement that they enjoy, equipping them with the understanding of the positive nature of physical activity on the body and mind.

Learning in Physical Education is underpinned by our learning values, the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum and Early Years Foundation Stage, and delivered through the values of Catholic Social Teaching.  From our curriculum, pupils will become physically educated through experiencing a range of activity areas and develop curiosity and respect for the body, be confident to take part in physical activity, be competent in a range of skills, and be open-minded to the various talents of each and every one of us.  P.E. is carefully mapped and builds on previous learning. The curriculum focuses on the physical, how children compete and perform, giving children opportunities to co-operate and collaborate, children being creative and curious and children having an understanding of health and fitness.  Our P.E. curriculum encompasses a range of physical experiences and opportunities for children to apply their learning from our curriculum.  Children experience gymnastics, dance (culminating in regular performances to invited family members), a range of different sports, adventurous activities, swimming, and orienteering.

At St. John Baptist, we are aware that opportunities to compete in sports and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness, respect, resilience, independence, open-mindedness, and compassion.  We believe competition is important and children will have the opportunity to compete against their peers in intra-school competition at least once each term.  There are plenty of opportunities for children to represent the school in inter-school competitions such as hockey, cross-country, basketball, football, netball, athletics, rounders, kwik cricket, and athletics as part of the Andover Town Schools’ Association and Mountbatten School Sports Partnership.  We endeavor to ensure that, if a child wants to, they will have the chance to represent the school in a sport.  As well as competition with others, children take part in opportunities for physical activity during break and lunchtimes; this includes the use of the MUGA (multi-use games area), trim trail, playground equipment, and Table Tennis areas.  We ensure that children work on improving their personal best, providing varying physical challenges for them to take part in, making clear that we are all unique and strive to be the best that we personally can be.  To further develop progression and participation in P.E., St. John the Baptist pupils are given the opportunity to learn a wide range of sport-based skills in extra-curricular activities in lunchtime and after school.  There is a wide variety of clubs on offer.

We promote a passion and love for physical activity and celebrate the success as well as participation both within and out of school in our Mission Assemblies, Award Services, on our PE board, and in our School Newsletter.   P.E. is an integral part of daily life at St. John the Baptist, within the classroom and beyond. Its positive effects on the well-being of pupils are both recognised and celebrated. We ensure that children leave St. John the Baptist having been introduced to a range of physically active experiences and are pro-active in wanting to live a healthy life with physical activity as a key part of this. Children will become physically confident in a way, which supports their health, fitness, and well-being for the future.