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KS3 Overview

Students participate in a wide variety of activities which offers them the opportunity to develop physical competence, confidence and their ability to perform in a range of physical activities. Through this they learn how to co-operate and collaborate with others, as part of a team, understanding fairness, resilience, and equity of play to embed long lasting values. The lessons enable them to improve physical, mental and social health and have an understanding of each aspect of health. 

In Key Stage 3 students: 
- use a range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition through team and individual games , for example: netball, hockey, rounders and tennis 
- develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports: for example, athletics and gymnastics. 
- perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of dance styles and forms 
- analyse their performances compared to previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best 

In Years 7 and 8 students will have programmes of study in netball, hockey, gymnastics, dance, tennis, rounders and athletics. They will also learn about what happens to the body when you exercise and the benefits of leading a physically active life. 

In Year 9, the health and fitness programmes also includes how to test the 11 components of fitness and  how to create a fitness programme to improve their own fitness levels. Trampoline, badminton, football, handball and yoga is also taught in addition to the activities from years 7 and 8. A pre-GCSE course is taught to all students which is a taster of some of the theory which is taught on the course. This includes sessions on : methods of training; musculo-skeletal system; cardio-respiratory system; sports psychology; health and well-being; and social-cultural influences. 

Students use self assessment in their PE Assessment books. Verbal assessment is given throughout lessons. Students are given time to develop their knowledge and skills after feedback. 
There are 5 Key Assessed pieces of Work based on criteria in their assessment workbook which teachers assess students on. 

Building on KS2 and preparing for KS4…

Students build on and embed the physical development and skills learned in key stages 1 and 2, become more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, and apply them across different sports and physical activities. They develop their knowledge about what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others’ work. They develop the confidence and interest to get involved in exercise, sports and activities out of school and in later life, and understand and apply the long-term health benefits of physical activity. 

In key stage 4 students further develop the range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in team and individual games, learned in Key Stage 3. Students are given opportunities to involved in a wider range of activities that develops personal fitness and promotes an active, healthy lifestyle. This includes use of the fitness suite, yoga and Pilates sessions.

KS3 Assessment

Students are assessed throughout their six-session programme of study and at the end of each block in a practical way. Assessments check for understanding of positions and rules, as well as how effective they are as a player in the game's situation. In gym and dance students will be assessed on their choreography and compositions as well as their ability to perform, including technique and control.

KS3 Content

Y7 Content Autumn

Students in Year 7 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will have taking part in 2 of the following:  

Dance - Students will continue to explore a range of dance movements using steps, gestures, formations, body shapes, contact work, and contrasts in dynamic and rhythmic patterning. Students will demonstrate creativity by exploring dance ideas of The Cog or Cartoon Capers. 

Hockey - students will further develop their skills through small-sided games, developing tactical awareness, positions and positional play. They will also develop their understanding of the rules and set play. 

Health Related Fitness - Students learn about the importance of warming up and create their own warm up. They will learn about what happens to the heart when they are physically active and be able to take their heart rate.  

Netball – Students will focus on replication of the fundamental skills required to perform at maximum levels in small sided games. These will include throwing, catching, footwork. Development of the basic principles of attack and defence in netball and be challenged in pressured and competitive situations.

Y7 Content Spring

Students in Year 7 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will have taking part in 2 of the following:  

Dance - Students will continue to explore a range of dance movements using steps, gestures, formations, body shapes, contact work, and contrasts in dynamic and rhythmic patterning. Students will demonstrate creativity by exploring dance ideas of The Cog or Cartoon Capers. 

Hockey - students will further develop their skills through small-sided games, developing tactical awareness, positions and positional play. They will also develop their understanding of the rules and set play. 

Netball - students will further develop their netball skills in the game situation. They will learn positions and rules and how to implement all learnt skills within the game. They will also learn tactics and set play.  

Gymnastics 

Will focus on developing stability when holding their own body position and when supporting a partner. Pupils incorporate control, precision and aesthetics into sequences showing creativity. Students will specifically focus on locomotion, transference of weight and balance.

Y7 Content Summer

Students in Year 7 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will have taking part in 2 of the following:  

Athletics - Students will be introduced to basic athletic skills and develop an accurate replication. Students will develop the skills of sprinting, sustained running, jumping and throwing. 

Rounders - Students will replicate and improve core skills in batting, bowling and fielding. Students will work on improving the quality of replication with the intention of outwitting opponents. In striking and fielding games, players achieve this by striking the ball so that fielders are deceived/avoided and running between bases to score runs. Students should develop physical literacy/body movement competence and begin to accurately score games. 

Tennis – Students will be able to demonstrate & use the correct grip and understand the ready position. Students will be able to accurately replicate a basic stroke and maintain a simple rally. They will understand the basic scoring and rules of a double game play. Students will develop their understanding of tactics and play shots within a rally more consistently. 

Y8 Content Autumn

Students in Year 8 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will be taking part in 2 of the following:  

Dance 

Students will develop the skill of music visualisation, using dynamic skills to portray a character. Students will work on motif development and abstract working gestures alone and with others and will create using both symbolic and representational movements. They will create material that integrates dance and drama, using The Car Man by Matthew Bourne as the stimulus. 

Health Related Fitness  

Students experience specific fitness-based skills in a range of different contexts. These include a basic circuit, boxercise, and sustained running. They will learn about different components of fitness and which sports they are most common as well as test their own fitness levels. 

Hockey -  

Students will learn to use basic principles of play when selecting and applying tactics for defending and attacking. Pupils will develop the skills necessary to outwit opponents. Passing, receiving, shooting and control will be developed through small sided games and conditional situations Demonstrating high quality performances and accurate replication 

Netball – students will learn about rules and positions of the game. The main focus is on developing team attacking and defending strategies. Students will experience a range of skill variations with intent to outwit the opposition. Students will develop a sound knowledge of positions and rules surrounding footwork and contact. Students will begin to analyse performances and adapt elements to improve. 

Y8 Content Spring

Students in Year 8 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will be taking part in 2 of the following:  

Dance 

Students will develop the skill of music visualisation, using dynamic skills to portray a character. Students will work on motif development and abstract working gestures alone and with others and will create using both symbolic and representational movements. They will create material that integrates dance and drama, using The Car Man by Matthew Bourne as the stimulus. 

Gymnastics 

Students will learn how to accurately replicate basic balance, rotation and flight-based movements. Students will learn how to demonstrate correct take-off and landing technique, as well as a clear body shape whilst airborne. They will learn travel movements, rotational moves and balances individually and as part of a fluent sequence.  Students will develop the core skills necessary to develop fluent flight based routines. Students will learn how to link individual skills as part of a group sequences both on the floor and using low/high apparatus. 

Hockey -  

Students will learn to use basic principles of play when selecting and applying tactics for defending and attacking. Pupils will develop the skills necessary to outwit opponents. Passing, receiving, shooting and control will be developed through small sided games and conditional situations Demonstrating high quality performances and accurate replication 

Netball – students will learn about rules and positions of the game. The main focus is on developing team attacking and defending strategies. Students will experience a range of skill variations with intent to outwit the opposition. Students will develop a sound knowledge of positions and rules surrounding footwork and contact. Students will begin to analyse performances and adapt elements to improve. 

Y8 Content Summer

Students in Year 8 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will be taking part in 2 of the following:  

Athletics - Students will begin to use knowledge of athletics events, strategies and techniques to develop and enhance replication and performance. Students will develop their understanding of fitness and its relationship to performance. Students will perform and improve core skills and personal/team bests in relation to speed, height, distance and accuracy.  

Rounders - Students focus on accurate replication & further developing, implementing and refining techniques for batting, bowling and fielding. Students will develop the ability to place the ball in a target area and refining game strategies with the intention of outwitting an opponent. Students will develop confidence in movement and test mental capacity through scoring and officiating games. 

Tennis - Students will continue to accurately replicate shots with control and purpose. Serves, forehand & backhand (topspin & slice), volleys and drop shots will be developed through game play and conditional situations. Technique will be applied through small-sided games and assessed against expected learning outcomes. 

Y9 Content Autumn

Students in Year 9 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will be taking part in 2 of the following:  

Dance - students will explore a range of dance movements using steps, gestures, formations, body shapes, contact work, and contrasts in dynamic and rhythmic patterning. Students will demonstrate creativity by copying and adapting movement and movement phases from Matthew Bourne's The Nutcracker. Students will evaluate and assess movements to improve routines and perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of dance styles and forms.  

Handball - students will be refining their invasion games techniques by learning the new sport of handball. They will be refining skills such as throwing, catching, shooting and goalkeeping as well as developing their attacking and defending strategies.  

Hockey - students will be refining core skills as a team and as individuals to outwit opponents. Teams will be expected to plan strategies and implement them in competitive games. They will be working on how to beat defensive players as well as learning set plays for the attack and defence. 

Health Related Fitness - Students will reinforce their understanding about the importance of warming up and create their own warm up. They will learn about the different components of fitness and which are health related and which are skill related. Students will learn how to test their own fitness and analyse normative data. Students will further develop their understanding of the importance of leading an active lifestyle. 

Netball - students will recap all the fundamentals from Years 7 and 8 and further develop their game play including court linkage, effective centre passes and backline throw set plays. Students will learn about the 3 stages of defence and use it in skills practices and game play. Students will be encouraged to learn all the positions and rules of the game. 

Trampoline 

Students will learn how to accurately replicate basic shapes, turns, drops and rotational movements. Students will be able to demonstrate correct take-off and landing technique, as well as a clear body shape whilst airborne or in contact with the bed. They will learn how to apply movements individually and as part of a fluent sequence. Students will select, combine and perform skills demonstrating varied levels of creativity.  

Football 

Students will learn passing, receiving, dribbling, turning and shooting the ball. They will learn how to control the ball both under pressure in small sided games and in skills practices. Students will learn to use basic principles of play when selecting and applying tactics for defending and attacking. Students will develop the skills necessary to outwit opponents. 

Y9 Content Spring

Students in Year 9 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will be taking part in 2 of the following:  

Dance - students will explore a range of dance movements using steps, gestures, formations, body shapes, contact work, and contrasts in dynamic and rhythmic patterning. Students will demonstrate creativity by copying and adapting movement and movement phases from Matthew Bourne's The Nutcracker. Students will evaluate and assess movements to improve routines and perform dances using advanced dance techniques within a range of dance styles and forms.  

Handball - students will be refining their invasion games techniques by learning the new sport of handball. They will be refining skills such as throwing, catching, shooting and goalkeeping as well as developing their attacking and defending strategies.  

Hockey - students will be refining core skills as a team and as individuals to outwit opponents. Teams will be expected to plan strategies and implement them in competitive games. They will be working on how to beat defensive players as well as learning set plays for the attack and defence. 

Health Related Fitness - Students will reinforce their understanding about the importance of warming up and create their own warm up. They will learn about the different components of fitness and which are health related and which are skill related. Students will learn how to test their own fitness and analyse normative data. Students will further develop their understanding of the importance of leading an active lifestyle. 

Netball - students will recap all the fundamentals from Years 7 and 8 and further develop their game play including court linkage, effective centre passes and backline throw set plays. Students will learn about the 3 stages of defence and use it in skills practices and game play. Students will be encouraged to learn all the positions and rules of the game. 

Trampoline 

Students will learn how to accurately replicate basic shapes, turns, drops and rotational movements. Students will be able to demonstrate correct take-off and landing technique, as well as a clear body shape whilst airborne or in contact with the bed. They will learn how to apply movements individually and as part of a fluent sequence. Students will select, combine and perform skills demonstrating varied levels of creativity.  

Football 

Students will learn passing, receiving, dribbling, turning and shooting the ball. They will learn how to control the ball both under pressure in small sided games and in skills practices. Students will learn to use basic principles of play when selecting and applying tactics for defending and attacking. Students will develop the skills necessary to outwit opponents. 

Y9 Content Summer

Students in Year 9 rotate every 3 weeks which gives them 6 lessons per activity. So each group will be taking part in 2 of the following:  

Athletics – Students will further enhance replication and performance across all disciplines. Students will gain a more detailed understanding of fitness and its effect on performance. Students will focus on planning, preparing for and competing in a range of athletic competitions. Students will perform core skills and record personal/collective bests. Students will develop knowledge of the immediate effects of exercise and physically exert themselves throughout. 

Rounders - Students will demonstrate consistency, timing and fluency in the execution of core skills for batting, bowling and fielding. Students will work on improving the skill of outwitting opponents as a batter and bowler. Development of decision making skills will be encouraged through game play. Students should independently be able to score and officiate rounders games. 

Tennis - Students will focus on consistently replicating core skills through competitive situations attempting more advanced variations. Students will develop the ability to land the ball in a target area and refining game tactics with the intention improving personal best. Students will be expected to understand the games rules, accurately score/officiate. 

Cricket - Students will learn to use basic principles of play to work towards successful outcomes. Students will develop the skills necessary to compete in competitive games. Batting, bowling and fielding will be developed through games and conditional situations. Technique will be further tested through its use in small sided games and assessed against expected learning outcomes.