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BOYs' P.E.

Aims of the department

The department aims to educate pupils thoroughly through the physical education in the following dimensions: the physical, the intellectual, the emotional and the social dimensions of human experience.

Year 7

In this year students experience courses in games, swimming, gymnastics and athletics, including some timed cross country running .In games, the boys take part in rugby union, basketball, badminton, tennis, volleyball, indoor hockey , five a side football, tennis and cricket. Activities emphasise the development of basic skills and understanding in the development of teamwork. In gymnastics, the boys study the theme of travelling, involving a variety of apparatus. In swimming, pupils follow a course of stroke improvement and experience a variety of safe water based activities, including an introduction to water polo. In athletics, the boys learn the basic skills and rules for all athletic events (track and field) up to and including 1500m. Personal fitness is measured through standard fitness tests.

Year 8

Pupils experience courses in games, swimming, gymnastics and athletics, including some timed cross country running. In games, the boys take part in rugby union, basketball, badminton, volleyball, indoor hockey and football, tennis and cricket. Activities encourage the further development of basic skills, the development of team work and introduce elements of self assessment. In gymnastics, the theme of balance is studied. In swimming, pupils continue to work on stroke improvement and stamina and water fitness and explore a variety of safe water based experiences. Some consideration is given to personal survival techniques .In athletics the boys refine techniques in a full range of athletic events  (track and field) up to and including 1500m. In year 8 personal fitness levels are reported to parents in the summer via the Cooper Run national fitness test.

Year 9

Pupils follow courses in games, gymnastics, swimming, athletics (including some timed cross country running), and Outdoor and Adventurous Activities. In games, the boys follow courses in rugby union, basketball, volleyball, tennis, indoor hockey and football, badminton, tennis, athletics and cricket.  Activities emphasise the further development of individual skills, the development of unit and team skills, elements of self assessment and the analysis of team roles. Opportunities for full scale match play are very regular. In gymnastics, the boys study the themes of body management and flight. In swimming, stamina, speed and water based activities are considered and personal survival techniques can develop into some consideration of basic life saving techniques. In O.A.A. the boys follow a full range of courses during a residential week at the Bewerley Park Centre. Personal fitness is reported to parents in the summer via the Cooper Run national fitness test.

Year 10

Pupils select an option for games from either rugby union (intense), rugby union(low key), hockey, running club or Junior sports Leader Award. In games, the emphasis is placed upon the development of specialises individual skills and team drills and tactics. Some consideration is also given to seven–a-side rugby. In basketball, the emphasis is placed upon team drills and zone defence. In swimming, the emphasis is placed more upon fitness, life saving and water polo. In athletics, the boys are encouraged to specialise more in their favoured events and are encouraged to seek enhanced levels of personal fitness through track work. There is the opportunity offered to partake in some badminton, indoor football and hockey in the winter and  students opt for either tennis, cricket or softball in the first half of the summer term, followed by athletics in the second half of the term.

Year 11

Students partake in a minimum of two curricular areas. The first of these is swimming in which water fitness and life saving are considered. Water polo is also played. The second curricular area is that of games. Students select from rugby union (intense), rugby union, (low key), football, running club and hockey in the winter. In the summer, students opt from cricket, softball, athletics and tennis. There will be some opportunity offered for participation in indoor football volleyball and badminton.

Techniques, team roles and advanced tactics are considered.

Sixth Form

Students are free to take games or not. Many select from rugby union, hockey (mixed), soccer and badminton in the winter. The rugby tends to be the most intense of these options as the group consists largely of school team squad players. In the summer, cricket takes on this mantle of intensity and a range of recreational activities is offered. The school operates an enrichment programme in the sixth form, of which games is a part. Sports Leadership can be further developed in the sixth form and some opportunities for students to help staff in lessons is also offered.

Health Related Fitness

Strong elements of H.R.F. are included in lessons at all ages. Cross country running, swimming and athletics are clearly very appropriate media for the enhancement of fitness and health but all games lessons contain long warm up runs followed by stretching and flexibility routines. Very frequently, gradient running is included.

Fitness levels are measured (and reported to parents at some stages of key stage 3) against the national statistical norms for the various age ranges. The Bleep Test is also undertaken.

Curricular Time Allocation.

Years 7 and 8 have three experiences each week .Two of these are of 40 minutes duration and one of them is of 80- minutes duration. (In total, Ten percent of curricular time).

Years 9,10 and 11 have two experiences each week. One of these is of 40 minutes duration and one is of 80 minutes duration. (In total, eight percent of curricular time.)

Assessment

Is done through the National Curriculum level descriptors for the key stages. Pupils are levelled across the range of activities. Meaningful descriptors  that explain the standards at which pupils are working are published on very prominent notice boards in the department. Pupils also have their own levelling chart in their planner which they update in line with staff instructions. Pupils use the posters displayed to inform themselves more fully as to their progress and staff employ them , too, to prompt class discussions on the issue of standards. Levels are published frequently and [pupils are given a strong sense of how to progress towards the next level. Levels are sub divided into three sub levels.

Extra Curricular Activities.

There are very regular clubs for games and practices which take place at lunch times (early lunch ticket policy operated for participants) and after school. Rugby fixtures are very frequent and come from a variety of sources: Central Yorkshire Rugby Leagues (operated by R.F.U. from within the Aire Valley Group) (U/18, U/16, U/15,U/14) and Central Yorkshire Festivals  (U/13, U/12). In addition, Daily Mail Cup (U/18, U/15), Yorkshire Cup ((U/16, U/14, U/13). Friendlies are also arranged against traditional opponents(Harrogate G.S., Ermysteds, Ashville college) and a new tranche of fixtures has been established with the Teeside schools.

Cricket fixtures are generated in the local area in friendly but competitive matches and Yorkshire Cups and Lords Taverners Cups provide more steel in competitive terms for all ages. An annual match against R.A.F. Leeming has helped generate sponsorship from the Royal Air force  for the 1st X1 (New kit) and the staff –pupil match attracts old boys back to the school in good numbers.

Athletics trials are attended regularly and many boys do well enough to qualify for advanced competition at Leeds Carnegie or at Cleckheaton.

There are some tennis fixtures for boys and local schools’ leagues are entered  by some of the teams.

The senior Boys’ 1st Soccer X1 play locally from time to time.

House competitions are held in a variety of sports and the large scale ones are in Athletics (sports Day), Swimming (annual gala) , Cross Country (whole school event).

Representative Honours 2005-06

Very frequently boys play rugby for Yorkshire  at all age levels.

Rugby players and cricketers contribute massively to North Yorkshire county teams.

and some cricketers have gone on to play for Yorkshire Schools and have reached North of England and England Academy status.

Some individual students specialise in non-school sports and gain national selection

Details of recent representative honours can be seen on the “Sport” tab on the home page.