Physical Education
Curriculum Purpose and Impact
The aim of physical education at Uxbridge High School is to develop physically literate individuals who are willing to take risks, responsibility and ownership of their own learning. In physical education at Uxbridge High School we offer a balanced and varied curriculum that provides our students with ample opportunity to develop both physically and academically. Our holistic approach to teaching enables students to develop essential skills necessary in helping to prepare students for life beyond school. We aim to provide character building opportunities, ensuring students develop their knowledge and understanding of the importance of health and wellbeing, where students enthusiastically take an interest in leading an active lifestyle. This is supported through our work with schools, and organisations throughout and beyond the Hillingdon borough, to promote student engagement with local clubs, creating an ambition to play sport and develop skills, techniques and knowledge outside of school.
Through providing an exciting, vibrant curriculum, we hope to ignite an interest in sport, being physically active and how to become healthy. Throughout each stage of our students’ learning at Uxbridge High School, we provide a safe learning environment where students are comfortable and encouraged to take risks. Through creating such an environment, students fear of failure is eradicated and students become comfortable when working outside of their comfort zone, thus developing resilient learners. Both teaching staff and students have created and bought in to this culture where high standards and expectations are the foundation of our success in PE. This has created an inclusive environment for all learners regardless of their needs, providing opportunity and access for all students to partake in PE and be successful.
Through providing students with the necessary academic knowledge, understanding and qualifications, the PE team hope to prepare our students for further and higher education with the ambition of building and developing a career in sport.
The Foundation Years
Year 7 and 8 at Uxbridge High School are focused around igniting a sporting interest and providing students with new sporting and physical experiences. Students will focus their learning around the theoretical aspects that underpin physical education through being physically active. Our experienced staff help students to understand the benefits of physical education, along with the physical, mental and social benefits of being physically active.
Our curriculum is hugely accessible and designed for all types of learners, not just aiming to develop students’ physical skill set, but allowing them to grow in terms of their literacy skills. We provide students with the opportunities to analyse performance where they will develop their ability to provide positive and constructive feedback to their peers and teachers. Not only this, students will be encouraged to make the most of the extensive extra-curricular programme on offer, providing ample opportunity to become and remain active at school.
Dylan, Year 7 Student
PE has taught me that not only do I want to become better than others, but to become better myself.
Feena, Year 8 Student
PE has taught me how to apply the confidence I display in PE in to other subject such as Drama and English. It has also enable me to improve my leadership and teamwork skills.
Transition Years
This year provides the opportunity to effectively prepare students for their GCSE years. The curriculum in Year 9 offers choice to our students, tailoring and equipping students with the necessary skills should they wish to pursue physical education at GCSE level. One group specifically will be presented with the introduction of more theory. Students will have the option to take this GCSE pre-option where the sports covered are linked to that of the Edexcel GCSE specification. Students in this group will develop a deeper understanding of key topics surrounding the anatomy and physiology of the human body and the impact of exercise on specific bodily systems. With this particular group, there will be an increased focus on increasing and developing performance both in isolation and in competition.
For those students who do not have the ambition of carrying on PE through to GCSE, they still remain a huge focus and priority given the current lack of awareness and general participation in physical activity nationally. The aim of physical education throughout Year 9 is to promote engagement and interest in physical education among specific target groups in order to ensure our students remain fit, healthy and active. Throughout PE at UHS, the aim is to ensure our students are consciously aware of their health and well-being, but also to become confident and expert in specific skills and techniques. Students will develop their ability to analyse and evaluate the performance of themselves and others, providing positive, constructive feedback that will aid in developing the individual and their performance.
Elsie, Year 9 Student
PE has taught me how to lead a healthy active lifestyle. PE has inspired me to join a football club outside of school in order to improve my fitness.
Mastering Qualification
Throughout their GCSE years, our students have the options to study either Edexcel GCSE PE 9-1, or OCR sports studies. Both courses provide students with a breadth of knowledge and strong academic base, preparing them for future studies both at post 16 and university level, whilst providing an insight in to the potential career opportunities available in sport. Students will cover a variety of key topics ranging from the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, to socio-cultural issues surrounding sport such as the use of performance enhancing drugs in elite sport.
Students will be expected to drive their own personal standards, demonstrating and developing their levels of maturity and independence. Leadership opportunities linked to each course and sports leader’s qualification will assist in developing student character and creating the culture we crave throughout the school.
Frankie, Year 10 Student
PE has taught me the key values surrounding sport and to be dedicated and hardworking regardless of what I am applying myself to.
Advanced
Students in our successful and growing sixth form will study a BTEC level 3 in sport. This extensive course provides our students with the equivalent to 1.5 A levels, assisting our students aspiring to progress to university. This course covers a variety of topics from sports psychology, to developing a deeper understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Our experienced team also run a higher sports leaders’ award in line with the BTEC level 3, hoping to develop forward thinking, independent individuals who have a passion for sport and a thirst for learning new skills. The skills developed aid in building our students’ personal portfolios whilst building key skills to support further university and job applications.
Marie, Sixth Form Student
There is nothing more fascinating than learning about your own anatomy, the bodily systems and what makes us the people we are.
The Wider Curriculum: Physical Education and Sport
At Uxbridge High School, we aim to develop well rounded individuals who leave the school with essential skills to prepare them for life outside of school. The PE department provides an extensive extra-curricular programme, allowing our students to express themselves and participate in a variety of sports, whilst learning, demonstrating and upholding the key whole school values through representing the school in tournaments, fixtures and competitions across London.
Our department has worked hard to develop links with the RFU and Brentford, among other universities and governing bodies, in order to provide our students with essential character-building opportunities and experiences. As aforementioned, students in the mastery and advanced years can also opt to undertake the recognised sports leaders’ qualification, in order to develop essential leadership, coaching and planning qualities whilst also aiding in terms of their personal portfolios.
Our students have been provided with some amazing opportunities in recent years such as: football tour to Holland; rugby tour to Paris; ski trip to Alpe D’huez and a recent trip to Court One at Wimbledon. These are just a few examples that demonstrate the development of our wider curriculum in PE. Students have also experienced success in rugby, football, cricket and rounders competitions, whilst also increasing participation in new clubs such as dance and fitness.