CURRICULUM – PE & EXTRA-CURRICULAR

At Cunningham Hill Junior School, we believe an active, healthy body and mind is essential for children’s learning. Through constant encouragement and opportunity, we have developed an ethos for a sustained healthy lifestyle, enabling our pupils to flourish. In recognition of this, our school has been awarded the very prestigious Platinum School Games Award.

All of the staff within our school support the active ethos and as a result, give up their time to run a variety of different extra-curricular sports / fitness based clubs. These are available for children at a range of points during the school day to ensure that all needs and abilities are accommodated for. As a school, we work together with coaches from local sporting associations to extend this club offer and a group of children from Year 6 run engaging active clubs for children in the younger year groups. This ensures that every child participates in at least one active club per week per term.

In addition, the school have introduced the ‘Daily Run’ (our school’s version of the Daily Mile). To really engage children in this initiative, we have introduced various themed running challenges for example our ‘Marathon Challenge’ and ‘Race to Tokyo’. These challenges encourage our children to improve their personal best, and build resilience. As well as the ‘Daily Run’, teachers have been asked to incorporate ‘Super Movers’ regularly within subjects that are more inactive. Teacher’s feedback has been incredibly positive, specifically reporting on the improvement in energy levels and focus during lessons.

As well as the other active opportunities we deliver, as a school we ensure that each class receives the recommended 2 hour requirement of high quality PE per week throughout the academic year, covering all key areas. We have a designated PE teacher who works alongside class teachers for one of these PE lessons every week. This provides CPD opportunities for all teachers across the PE curriculum, to extend their subject knowledge, and increase their confidence in teaching a wider variety of PE topics. To further engage pupils, to extend their skills, and provide community club link exit routes, we arrange sport specific workshops as part of a unit of PE. We also ensure, with the support of our ‘Sports Crew’ that children regularly participate in intra-school competitions, both intra-house and across year groups. We conclude each year with our school Sports Day, where each child takes part in at least two races.

Children in our Year 3 classes attend swimming lessons across 2 terms. If by the end of Year 3 a child has not met the swimming requirements, then they will have the opportunity to continue to attend swimming lessons for the remaining years at primary school until they have achieved these requirements.

As a school, we believe it is important that children have ownership and a ‘voice’ throughout their time at primary school. Because of this, regular pupil voices are conducted and the children’s thoughts are then considered and if possible implemented. Children at our school really enjoy PE lessons as they feel as if they are challenging, skill-building and engaging. The children also had positive opinions on the enrichment opportunities within the school and especially enjoy the many competitions, both inter and intra, that are regularly available.

Away from sport, we also offer a wide variety of clubs that children can participate it.  We have Robotics, Drama, Gardening, Yoga, Origami, Puzzle, Boards Games to name a few!  We are always looking for new ideas and listening to our children and what they want to do!