Physical Education
There are currently eight members of staff in the PE Department. The department places great importance on developing the traditional skills and values associated with competitive sport in line with the School’s ethos and mission statement. The quality of teaching and coaching offers boys the opportunity to achieve School, county, divisional and national honours in rugby, cricket, athletics, swimming and water polo.
Our facilities include:
- New 25m, eight-lane swimming pool
- Gymnasium
- Weights and Fitness Suite
- Four outdoor hard-court tennis courts
- Nine-bay cricket nets
- Extensive playing fields
In order for the School to maintain the high standards achieved in the subject and enjoy continued extra-curricular success, we group boys by ability in their main games lesson of the week. Initial sets are determined at the end of the first half-term, but changes to sets are made when and where appropriate throughout the year. This system underpins the department’s commitment to after-school and weekend fixtures/practices.
Lower School pupils follow the National Curriculum programme of study for PE at Key Stage 3. Throughout the key stage, pupils are given opportunities to engage in health-promoting physical activities. They begin to understand how to prepare for particular activities and to recover afterwards, the short-term and long-term effects of exercise and the rôle of exercise in establishing and maintaining health. Lower School pupils follow rotations in: games (eg rugby, cricket, basketball); athletic activities; swimming & water polo; cross-country; gymnastics and orienteering. Pupils are assessed at the end of each rotation to inform setting decisions.
In the Middle School Year 9 boys complete the National Curriculum programme of study for PE at Key Stage 3. Throughout the key stage pupils have been given opportunities to engage in health-promoting physical activities. They should now be able to understand how to prepare for particular activities and to recover afterwards, the short-term and long-term effects of exercise and the rôle of exercise in establishing and maintaining health.
In Year 10 all boys follow GSCE PE short-course in both practical and theory-based lessons over two years. In Year 11 selected pupils continue to follow the GCSE PE short-course option, whilst those not selected continue to focus upon health-related aspects in practical lessons. The long-course GCSE PE is due to start in September 2008. Selected boys also cover the Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership over a two-year programme that covers extra-curricular provision both in and out of school.
Formative assessment of our pupils takes place during each rotation. Summative assessments are made at the end of each rotation and at the end of the year in the profile issued to parents. Boys are graded according to the National Curriculum attainment targets set for the end of the key stage.
Curriculum provision includes a combination of whole-year ‘180’ games, half-year ’90’ PE lessons and single PE lessons. Years 7 and 8 both have 180 games, 90 PE and a single PE lesson, comprising a total of three hours per week. Year 9 has 180 games and 90 PE (two-and-a-half hours per week). Year 10 has 180 games and 90 GCSE PE (two-and-a-half hours per week). Year 11 follows the same pattern as Year 10, but with non-GCSE students having their 90 sessions as recreational PE. In Years 12 and 13, there is optional 180 games and boys may also opt to work towards the Level 2 Community Sports Leader Award.
For ‘180 games’ lessons, boys are grouped by ability. These double lessons sometimes incorporate important fixtures against other schools, house teams, or teams within sets. Top-set boys are expected to carry on with School practices after school on ‘180 games’ afternoons, as well as attending another practice during the week.
In half-year ’90 PE’ double lessons at Key Stage 3, boys remain in their form groups and receive mixed-ability tuition. At Key Stage 4, boys are set by ability into teaching groups for both theory and practical lessons.
In single PE lessons, mixed-ability groups enjoy a variety of activities aimed at developing the boys’ cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills, including indoor ball games, on- site orienteering and extra swimming.
Queen Elizabeth’s School is proud of its games-playing reputation, and representative games are an important part of School life. We expect our pupils to strive for such honours through determination and commitment, which includes involvement in mid-week and Saturday practices and fixtures. Selection for School teams is regarded as a privilege. Representative teams are fielded in: rugby (A,B,C & D XVs); cricket (A,B & C XIs); athletics (A,B & C teams), cross-country (A,B & C strings); basketball, swimming and water polo. Inter-school games take place on most Saturdays in the Autumn, Spring and Summer terms and mid-week.
A full programme of inter-house matches underpins the School teams and gives more boys the opportunity to gain representative honours. All boys in both Key Stage 3 and 4 represent their house in two or more house sports activities.
^ Top