In PE, we want every pupil to develop a genuine desire to refine their skills and improve their performance, growing not only physically but socially and mentally too. We want pupils to engage fully, show determination and rise to the challenge of competitive and pressured situations, learning to perform well when it matters. Above all, we want pupils to leave Yavneh with the knowledge, confidence and habits to lead a healthy, active lifestyle for life.
Reading like a subject specialist
In PE, pupils learn to read and use the texts and information that sit behind performance. In Year 7, this means reading and interpreting the rules of each sport so they can play fairly and officiate accurately, following task cards and success criteria to guide their practice, and reading simple performance data, such as fitness test scores, times and heart rates, to understand how their body is responding and where they can improve. Pupils are taught to read this information closely and to use it to make decisions about their own and others’ performance, whether as performer, official or leader.
Speaking like a subject specialist
In PE, pupils learn to talk about performance using precise, sport-specific terminology. In gymnastics, this means describing body shapes using terms such as extension and tension; in athletics, it means understanding why we throw a javelin but put a shot. Pupils use this vocabulary when giving feedback to a partner, officiating, and leading small groups, and they are expected to explain their judgements rather than simply give them. They are encouraged to ask each other questions about technique and to respond to feedback thoughtfully.
Thinking like a subject specialist
In PE, pupils learn to think like performers who are always looking to improve. Rather than settling for completing a skill, they ask themselves how they can refine it, and how they can help their team perform better, focusing on small details each time. Pupils learn to observe a performance, identify what went well and what could be better, and try out a change to see whether it works. They also learn to read and respond to what is happening around them in competitive and pressured situations, adapting their skills and tactics creatively to overcome challenges, both as individuals and as part of a team. In Year 7, pupils build on the fundamental skills they developed at primary school, applying this way of thinking as a performer, official and leader.
How we teach it
Pupils learn new skills and attributes in low-stakes situations first, where they can practise with confidence, before these are applied in more challenging and competitive settings. Teachers model each skill clearly, give pupils time to practise and refine it, and use feedback from teachers and peers to help them improve. Challenge builds from lesson to lesson, topic to topic and year to year. In gymnastics, for example, pupils learn to perform with control, extension and tension, starting with fundamental floor routines in Year 7, moving on to vaulting onto and over equipment in Year 8, and developing trampolining skills and routines in Years 9 and 10.
How we check understanding
Teachers check understanding throughout every lesson by watching pupils perform, questioning them about their technique and decisions, and listening to how they explain and evaluate performance using subject vocabulary. Pupils also assess their own and each other’s performance against clear success criteria. At the end of each topic, pupils are assessed on their physical, social and mental literacy, and feedback is shared with them so they know exactly what to work on next. For example, in social literacy, teachers look for whether pupils can combine verbal and non-verbal communication to lead or support their team effectively. Details of assessment and reporting can be found in each year group’s Assessment & Reporting Booklet.
How we support every learner
Every PE lesson is adapted to meet the needs of individual pupils using the STEP principle: Space, Task, Equipment and People. In practice, this might mean changing the size of a playing area, simplifying or extending a task, using lighter or larger equipment, or carefully choosing partners and groups so that every pupil can take part successfully and be stretched appropriately. We recognise that PE can bring particular barriers to learning, whether physical, medical, or linked to confidence, anxiety or self-image, and teachers adapt lessons thoughtfully so that every pupil can participate, make progress and enjoy being active.
What great looks like
All pupils will develop their physical, social and mental literacy skills and attributes across a range of physical activities.
| Type of Literacy | Definition | Learning Example |
| Physical | The ability to use a range of physical movements in way that is controlled and efficient in order to perform at their best | Fundamentals: Running, Jumping, Throwing, Catching.
These develop into chest passing in netball and flick passing in handball |
| Social | The ability to successfully read, understand, and navigate social environments and build respectful relationships with others in order to perform at their best | Fundamentals: Communication, Teamwork, Empathy, Listening
These develop into working in small groups and eventually working in larger groups |
| Mental | The ability to understand different situations and overcome challenges in order to perform at their best | Fundamentals: Determination, Resilience, Coping with Stress, Dealing with Failure
These develop into understanding what’s best to complete challenges and perform that their best – using tactics and pushing through barriers |
Help at home by…
- Talk about PE as more than sport. Ask your child what they have been learning, remembering that PE develops social and mental skills, such as teamwork, communication and resilience, as well as physical ones.
- Encourage an active lifestyle. Support your child to stay active outside school, whether through team sports, dance groups, the gym, family walks or one of our extracurricular clubs.
- Encourage them to take on challenges. When something feels difficult, help your child think creatively about how to overcome it rather than avoid it.
- Ask them how they could improve. After a match, activity or practice, ask what went well and what they might do differently next time.
- Watch and talk about sport together. Discuss what makes a performance successful, using the sport-specific vocabulary your child is learning in lessons.
- Challenge stereotypes. Reinforce that every sport and activity is open to everyone, and avoid describing any sport as being “for boys” or “for girls.”
