7 tips for Outstanding P.E in Primary Schools

7 non-negotiables for Outstanding P.E in Primary Schools

Inspired by J and C Academy P.E teachers James Eaton, Alex Lewis and Paul Meakin during my
visits to schools this morning, I was inspired to share with you just 7 non negotiables for
outstanding PE lessons in Primary Schools.

1. Safety is of paramount importance. A great example of this today was when James positioned a green cone for the batter and a yellow cone a few paces behind for the catcher, thereby minimising any risk of injury.

2. Always include a whiteboard or power-point reference for your key learning objectives / learning focus. Pupils tend to remember more about the lesson if the key ideas are communicated  verbally, physically and visually. I was most impressed when a year 4 pupil confirmed that he was learning about 'symetrical' and 'asymetrical' balances in Paul's gymnastics lesson.

3. Maximise Activity and Learning. Following your key instructions and teaching points, get the children moving. During intermissions, give pupils an activity or exercise to keep their hearts racing or their brains boggling. The best way to prevent children from fidgeting or misbehaving is not to give them a chance to think about it.

 I really enjoyed this about Alex's netball lesson today as everything was really swift and pupils were constantly moving (except key reflective moments and demonstrations.)

4. Talk for Learning: Rather than spending 2 minutes explaining something, get the children to discuss the key context for learning with their peers and develop understanding among themselves. e.g. "I'm going to give you 30 seconds to quietly discuss with your partner, how you might be able to find space so your partner can throw you the netball, without it being intercepted by the defender."

This helps children think independently whilst keeping them mentally engaged. As a result, you will spend less time saying "stop fidgeting with the ball" and more time praising the children for progressing so swiftly, and advising them of the next steps for learning. #AccelerateLearning!

5. Teaching Assistants must wear trainers and be actively involved in supporting the learning. Help them to add value to the lesson by supporting key individuals or groups.

6. Group Calling is a tactile way to get pupils to remember key words and retain information. The skill is to use your body language (e.g. opening of your arms) to indicate that all children should respond in choral. e.g. "When we are travelling around the hall, we will be looking for (open arms nice and wide...children respond together) "Space"

7. James demonstrated differentiation in an expert manner today when he was teaching cricket. He asked pupils to hit one of 2 large cone targets before asking some who were still developing the technique to aim for 3 cones, and the pupils who were performing well, to aim for just one cone.

All the children were working at their own skill level, rather than 'one size fits all' approach which inevitably means that all children were able to make active progress.

I hope you find this blog useful. For further information about outstanding P.E, simply get in touch via our website; www.jandcacademy.com. Until next time, have a great week! #HappyTeaching

Jazz Rose,
Director of Education,
www.jandcacademy.com