PE

“For me, sometimes it’s more important to perform well in training and know that I am improving rather than scoring in a game. It’s doing the hard work, day in, day out.”  
Marcus Rashford

At Holy Cross we understand how important PE is for our children.  We know that active children not only have improved physical and mental health, but also increased brain function and cognition. We understand that children are more effective learners when they are happy so the role of PE, sport and play is critical for ensuring our children have healthy, joyful lives.  Throughout the School we teach our children the importance of keeping their bodies fit and active and give them the opportunity to become physically confident in a way that enables them to develop good, active habits for life.  

Our core curriculum of dance, gymnastics, swimming, team games and athletics helps the children to develop competences in a broad range of physical activities.  Each year the children build on the skills they have learnt previously.  In EYFS and KS1 the children are taught fundamental movement skills such as running, jumping, catching and throwing, which in KS2 are developed, either in isolation or combination, and applied to a range of different sports and games.  Likewise, the children are taught to develop their agility, balance and co-ordination and then later to build on those skills and link them into actions and sequences of movement or dance patterns.  In team games they learn simple defending and attacking tactics which they later apply to specific sports and activities and on residential trips they have the opportunity to participate in more adventurous activities at specialist centres.  In addition, children are able to join sports clubs during or after school where they can further develop their skills.

Throughout the School, children enjoy collaborating and co-operating with each other.  They are given opportunities to lead and to compete in games and sports that help embed key values of teamwork, honesty and respect and they are encouraged to evaluate and recognise their own success, to have the self-belief and determination to challenge themselves and most importantly, to support one another.   We celebrate our children’s successes, big and small, both in and out of School and are proud of all their achievements.