Physical Education at St James's
Physical Education is one of the key pillars of the curriculum at St James’s Church of England High School.
We believe that equipping students with the knowledge and skills to lead an active, healthy lifestyle is a vital life skill that extends well beyond their school years. Within our PE lessons, students are guided to understand and implement a variety of strategies for maintaining physical and mental wellbeing, ensuring they have the fundamental tools to stay actively involved in sports and/or physical activity throughout their lives.
As part of the Family of St James’s, our ethos of Caring for Others; Achieving Excellence is embedded in everything we do, including Physical Education. Through PE, students not only enhance their physical health, but also develop fundamental life skills such as confidence, resilience, effective communication, leadership, teamwork, and mental toughness. They also learn how to handle challenges, cope with failure, and celebrate success—all essential qualities for personal growth.
Our aim is for every student to leave St James’s with a strong sense of how to care for their own wellbeing, while contributing to the wellbeing of others, and striving for excellence in all they do.
Physical Education Department Vision
Physical Education Department Vision
Our vision is centred around our FUNdamentals.
They are our ‘Knowledge FUNdamentals’ and our ‘Practical FUNdamentals’
We are focussed on ‘fun and active engagement’ and ensuring the fundamental knowledge and practical skills are learned so our students can lead a healthy active lifestyle.
Curriculum Intent
We aim for all students achieve their excellence in a broad range of physical activities to improve motor competence, knowledge of rules and tactics, and to increase participation in games. This will increase their fundamental knowledge of the human body. Pupils will care for others by possessing the correct leadership skills, morals and Christian Values in order to improve mental and social wellbeing.
Curriculum Implementation
Our students are provided with a balanced array of sports, taught by expert teachers with consistent St James’s lesson essentials, spanning an ambitious, planned and sequenced, five-year curriculum. Most sports are completed in blocks of around six weeks, progressed from prior knowledge, and complemented by an extensive extracurricular programme. All lessons contain teaching of fundamental knowledge, fundamental skills, with regular feedback for both.
Curriculum Impact
Students are able lead healthy, active lifestyles beyond St James’s by continuing to take part in team sports, individual sports, or fitness training. Pupils have the fundamental knowledge and experience to continue with physical activity, but also to contribute to discussion in society, and to support others around them in their knowledge and participation in sport too.
Fundamental Practical Curriculum
Fundamental Knowledge Curriculum
In 2024, as a PE team, we decided on our fundamentals. Our fundamental knowledge that we want all pupils to leave St James’s with, so they can lead a healthy, active lifestyle. Regardless of whether they take a PE KS4 option or not, our pupils will leave having the declarative knowledge (know what) and procedural knowledge (know how) about how to stay physically and mentally fit, healthy and maintain lifelong participation in physical activity and sport.
Pupils will learn the following subjects through their lessons
These will be assessed during the whole school exam weeks
If you do have any questions or wish for further information about our PE Department, please contact Mr C Kohler (Head of Physical Education)
Curriculum
Please click below to see what you will study in PE
Revision Lessons
Our revision lessons occur 6-8 weeks prior to students' exams. Classes receive one revision lesson which is predominantly consolidating their FUNdamental knowledge curriculum that has been interwoven within lesson throughout the year. Students will use their booklets as a revision tool and teachers can teach any parts of the FUNdamental curriculum that need to be retaught. After this lesson, pupils then take their booklets home with them to revise from in the weeks leading up to their exam.
Homework Timetable
Please click the link to look at homework and exams across the year. Please note, 'Join + Remain at ECA's' is not a compulsory homework; failure to do so will not cause the receipt of a behaviour point, however we do encourage students to get involved with as many extracurricular clubs (sport and other departments) as possible
Assessment Grids
KS3 Athletics Assessment Grid
KS3 Badminton Assessment Grid
KS3 Basketball Assessment Grid
KS3 Cricket Assessment Grid
KS3 Dance Assessment Grid
KS3 Football Assessment Grid
KS3 Gymnastics Assessment Grid
KS3 Handball Assessment Grid
KS3 Hockey Assessment Grid
KS3 Netball Assessment Grid
KS3 Orienteering Assessment Grid
KS3 Rounders Assessment Grid
KS3 Rugby Assessment Grid
KS3 Table Tennis Assessment Grid
KS3 Trampolining Assessment Grid
KS3 Volleyball assessment Grid
Key Stage 3
St James’s Church of England High School is committed to raising standards of achievement across all areas of activity and for all students across the ability range through the promotion of Physical Education, Sport and Healthy Lifestyles. Our curriculum is purposefully designed to allow pupils to have ‘Fun and Active engagement’ whilst covering a broad and balanced PE curriculum in Years 7-9 from the ranges of content:
- Outwitting opponents, as in games activities
- Accurate replication of actions, phrases and sequences, as in gymnastic activities
- Exploring and communicating ideas, concepts and emotions, as in dance activities
- Performing at maximum levels in relation to speed, height, distance, strength or accuracy, as in athletic activities
- Identifying and solving problems to overcome challenges of an adventurous nature, as in life saving and personal survival in swimming and outdoor activities (OAA)
- Exercising safely and effectively to improve health and wellbeing, as in fitness and health activities.
Year 7 Programme of Study
Year 8 Programme of Study
Year 9 Programme of Study
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4 updated below
In Years 10-11 students will opt to follow either a Maximum Performers or Healthy Lifestyles pathway. The Maximum Performers pathway is designed for those students who enjoy the traditional sports from KS3 and like the element of competition (including all of our GCSE PE students). The healthy lifestyles pathway is designed to help students to understand who to remain physically active during their school years and after they leave and will include activities they may consider taking part in outside of school. This pathway has less of an emphasis on competition and more on being active.
Year 10 Programme of Study
Year 11 Programme of Study
Cambridge Nationals Course
Cambridge Nationals Course - Year 10
