Our Curriculum – Physical Education (P.E.)
This table details what will be taught and when, though since children develop at different speeds, 
some will be more proficient than others against these YEAR-END expectations for learning in Physical Education. Back to our Curriculum Wheel –>
| ADVENTUROUS | ATHLETICS | DANCE | GAMES | GYMNASTICS | SWIMMING | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 & 2 | Year 1 & 2 | Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 | Year 1 & 2 | |
| Acquiring and developing skills | · recognise their own space explore finding different places | · remember, repeat and link combinations of actions use their bodies and a variety of equipment with greater control and coordination | · explore movement ideas and respond imaginatively to a range of stimuli move confidently and safely in their own and general space, using changes of speed, level and direction | · be confident and safe in the spaces used to play games explore and use skills, actions and ideas individually and in combination to suit the game they are playing | explore gymnastics actions and still shapes move confidently and safely in their own and general space, using change of speed and direction | · work with confidence in the water explore and use skills, actions and ideas individually and in combination eg use arms to pull and push the water; use legs in kicking actions; hold their breath under water remember, repeat and link skills |
| Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas | · follow simple routes and trails, orientating themselves successfully solve simple challenges and problems successfully | · use their bodies and a variety of equipment with greater control and coordination | · compose and link movement to make simple dances with clear beginnings, middles and ends perform movement phrases using a range of body actions and body parts | · choose and use skills effectively for particular games | ? copy or create and link movement phrases with beginnings, middles and ends ? perform movement phrases using a range of body actions and body parts | · know how to choose and use skills for different swimming tasks e.g. using arms to stay balanced, knowing what to push against the water to move in a particular direction ? improve the control and co-ordination of their bodies in water |
| Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health | · recognise and describe how their body feels during exercise | · recognise and describe what their bodies feel like during different types of activity | · recognise how their body feels when still and exercising | · know that being active is good for them and fun | ? know how to carry and place apparatus ? recognise how their body feels when still and when exercising | · know that being active is fun and good for them recognise what their bodies feel like during different activities |
| Evaluating and improving performance | · observe what they and others have done and use their observations to improve their performance | · watch, copy and describe what they and others have done | · talk about dance ideas inspired by different stimuli copy, watch and describe dance movement | · watch, copy and describe what others are doing describe what they are doing | · watch copy and describe what they and others have done | · watch, copy and describe what they and others have done and use the information to improve their work |
| ADVENTUROUS | ATHLETICS | DANCE | GAMES | GYMNASTICS | SWIMMING | |
| Year 1 & 2 | Year 1 & 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 2 | Year 1 & 2 | |
| Acquiring and developing skills | · recognise their own space explore finding different places | · remember, repeat and link combinations of actions use their bodies and a variety of equipment with greater control and coordination | · explore, remember, repeat and link a range of actions with co-ordination, control and an awareness of the expressive qualities of dance | · improve the way they coordinate and control their bodies and a range of equipment remember, repeat and link combinations of skills | · remember, repeat and link combinations of gymnastic actions, body shapes and balances with control and precision | · work with confidence in the water explore and use skills, actions and ideas individually and in combination eg use arms to pull and push the water; use legs in kicking actions; hold their breath under water remember, repeat and link skills |
| Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas | · follow simple routes and trails, orientating themselves successfully solve simple challenges and problems successfully | · use their bodies and a variety of equipment with greater control and coordination | · compose and perform dance phrases and short dances that express and communicate moods, ideas and feelings choosing and varying simple compositional ideas | · choose, use and vary simple tactics | ? choose, use and vary simple compositional ideas in the sequences they create and perform. | · know how to choose and use skills for different swimming tasks e.g. using arms to stay balanced, knowing what to push against the water to move in a particular direction ? improve the control and co-ordination of their bodies in water |
| Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health | · recognise and describe how their body feels during exercise | · recognise and describe what their bodies feel like during different types of activity | · recognise and describe how different dance activities make them feel understand the importance of warming up and cooling down | · recognise and describe what their bodies feel like during different types of activity | ? recognise and describe what their bodies feel like during different types of activity ? lift, move and place equipment safely | · know that being active is fun and good for them recognise what their bodies feel like during different activities |
| Evaluating and improving performance | · observe what they and others have done and use their observations to improve their performance | · watch, copy and describe what they and others have done | · watch and describe dance phrases and dances and use what they learn to improve their own work | · recognise good quality in performance use information to improve their work | · improve their work using information they have gained by watching, listening and investigating | · watch, copy and describe what they and others have done and use the information to improve their work |
| ADVENTUROUS | ATHLETICS | DANCE | GAMES | GYMNASTICS | SWIMMING | |
| Years 3 & 4 | Years 3 & 4 | Year 3 | Year 3 | Year 3 | Key Stage 2 | |
| Acquiring and developing skills | · develop the range and consistency of their skills and work with others to solve challenges | · consolidate and improve the quality, range and consistency of the techniques they use for particular activities | · improvise freely on their own and with a partner, translating ideas from a stimulus into movement | · consolidate and improve the quality of their techniques and their ability to link movements develop the range and consistency of their skills in all games | · consolidate and improve the quality of their actions, body shapes and balances, and their ability to link movements | · consolidate and develop the quality of their skills e.g front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, floating, survival skills improve linking movements and actions |
| Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas | · choose and apply strategies and skills to meet the requirements of a task or challenge | · develop their ability to choose and use simple tactics and strategies in different situations | · create and link dance phrases using a simple dance structure or motif perform dances with an awareness of rhythmic, dynamic and expressive qualities, on their own, with a partner and in small groups | · improve their ability to choose and use simple tactics and strategies keep, adapt and make rules for striking and fielding and net games | · Improve their ability to select appropriate actions and use simple compositional ideas | · choose and use a variety of strokes and skills, according to the task .and the challenge e.g. swimming without aids, distance and time challenges |
| Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health | · recognise the effect of different activities on the body and to prepare for them physically work safely | · know, measure and describe the short-term effects of exercise on the body describe how the body reacts to different types of activity | · keep up activity over a period of time and know they need to warm up and cool down for dance | · know and describe the short-term effects of different exercise activities on the body know how to improve stamina begin to understand the importance of warming up | · recognise and describe the short term effects of exercise on the body during different activities know the importance of suppleness and strength | · know and describe the short-term effects of exercise on the body and how it reacts to different types of activity |
| Evaluating and improving performance | · describe and evaluate their own and others’ performances, and identify areas that need improving | · describe and evaluate the effectiveness of performances, and recognise aspects of performances that need improving | · describe and evaluate some of the compositional features of dances performed with a partner and in a group talk about how they might improve their dances | · recognise good performance and identify the parts of a performance that need improving use what they have learned to improve their work | · describe and evaluate the effectiveness and quality of a performance recognise how their own performance has improved | · describe and evaluate the quality of swimming and recognise what needs improving |
| ADVENTUROUS | ATHLETICS | DANCE | GAMES | GYMNASTICS | SWIMMING | |
| Years 3 & 4 | Years 3 & 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 | Year 4 | Key Stage 2 | |
| Acquiring and developing skills | · develop the range and consistency of their skills and work with others to solve challenges | · consolidate and improve the quality, range and consistency of the techniques they use for particular activities | · explore and create characters and narratives in response to a range of stimuli | · develop the range and consistency of their skills in all games | · develop the range of actions, body shapes and balances they include in a performance perform skills and actions more accurately and consistently | · consolidate and develop the quality of their skills e.g front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, floating, survival skills improve linking movements and actions |
| Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas | · choose and apply strategies and skills to meet the requirements of a task or challenge | · develop their ability to choose and use simple tactics and strategies in different situations | · use simple choreographic principles to create motifs and narrative perform complex dance phrases and dances that communicate character and narrative | · devise and use rules keep, adapt and make rules for striking and fielding and net games use and adapt tactics in different situations | · create gymnastic sequences that meet a theme or set of conditions use compositional devices when creating their sequences, such as changes in speed, level and direction | · choose and use a variety of strokes and skills, according to the task .and the challenge e.g. swimming without aids, distance and time challenges |
| Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health | · recognise the effect of different activities on the body and to prepare for them physically work safely | · know, measure and describe the short-term effects of exercise on the body describe how the body reacts to different types of activity | · know and describe what you need to do to warm up and cool down for dance | · recognise which activities help their speed, strength and stamina and know when they are important in games recognise how specific activities affect their bodies | · describe how the body reacts during different types of activity and how this affects the way they perform | · know and describe the short-term effects of exercise on the body and how it reacts to different types of activity |
| Evaluating and improving performance | · describe and evaluate their own and others’ performances, and identify areas that need improving | · describe and evaluate the effectiveness of performances, and recognise aspects of performances that need improving | · describe, interpret and evaluate their own and others’ dances, taking account of character and narrative | · explain their ideas and plans recognise aspects of their work that need improving suggest practices to improve their play | · describe their own and others’ work, making simple judgements about the quality of performances and suggesting ways they could be improved | · describe and evaluate the quality of swimming and recognise what needs improving |
| ADVENTUROUS | ATHLETICS | DANCE | GAMES | GYMNASTICS | SWIMMING | |
| Years 5 & 6 | Years 5 & 6 | Year 5 | Year 5 | Year 5 | Key Stage 2 | |
| Acquiring and developing skills | · develop and refine orienteering and problem-solving skills when working in groups and on their own | · develop the consistency of their actions in a number of events increase the number of techniques they use | · explore and improvise ideas for dances in different styles, working on their own, with a partner and in a group | · develop a broader range of techniques and skills for attacking and defending develop consistency in their skills | · perform actions, shapes and balances consistently and fluently in specific activities | · consolidate and develop the quality of their skills e.g front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, floating, survival skills improve linking movements and actions |
| Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas | · decide what approach to use to meet the challenge set adapt their skills and understanding as they move from familiar to unfamiliar environments | · choose appropriate techniques for specific events | · compose dances by using adapting and developing steps, formations and patterning from different dance styles perform dances expressively, using a range of performance skills | · know and apply the basic strategic and tactical principles of attack, and to adapt them to different situations choose and apply skills more consistently in all activities | choose and apply basic compositional ideas to the sequences they create, and adapt them to new situations | · choose and use a variety of strokes and skills, according to the task .and the challenge e.g. swimming without aids, distance and time challenges |
| Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health | · understand how the challenge of outdoor and adventurous activities can help their fitness, health and wellbeing | · understand the basic principles of warming up understand why exercise is good for fitness, health and wellbeing | · organise their own warm-up and cool-down activities to suit the dance show an understanding of why it is important to warm up and cool down | · know and understand the basic principles of warming up, and understand why it is important for a good-quality performance understand why exercise is good for their fitness, health and wellbeing | · know and understand the basic principles of warming up and why it is important for good quality performance understand why physical activity is good for their health | · know and describe the short-term effects of exercise on the body and how it reacts to different types of activity |
| Evaluating and improving performance | · see the importance of a group or team plan, and the value of pooling ideas improve their performance by changing or adapting their approaches as needed | · evaluate their own and others’ work and suggest ways to improve it | · describe, analyse, interpret and evaluate dances, showing an understanding of some aspects of style and context | · choose and use information to evaluate their own and others’ work suggest improvements in own and others’ performances | · choose and use information and basic criteria to evaluate their own and others’ work | · describe and evaluate the quality of swimming and recognise what needs improving |
| ADVENTUROUS | ATHLETICS | DANCE | GAMES | GYMNASTICS | SWIMMING | |
| Years 5 & 6 | Years 5 & 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 | Year 6 | Key Stage 2 | |
| Acquiring and developing skills | · develop and refine orienteering and problem-solving skills when working in groups and on their own | · develop the consistency of their actions in a number of events increase the number of techniques they use | · explore, improvise and combine movement ideas fluently and effectively | · choose, combine and perform skills more fluently and effectively in invasion, striking and net games | · combine and perform gymnastic actions, shapes and balances more fluently and effectively across the activity areas | · consolidate and develop the quality of their skills e.g front crawl, back crawl, breaststroke, floating, survival skills improve linking movements and actions |
| Selecting and applying skills, tactics and compositional ideas | · decide what approach to use to meet the challenge set adapt their skills and understanding as they move from familiar to unfamiliar environments | · choose appropriate techniques for specific events | · create and structure motifs, phrases, sections and whole dances begin to use basic compositional principles when creating their dances | · understand, choose and apply a range of tactics and strategies for defence and attack use these tactics and strategies more consistently in similar games | develop their own gymnastic sequences by understanding, choosing and applying a range of compositional\ principles | · choose and use a variety of strokes and skills, according to the task .and the challenge e.g. swimming without aids, distance and time challenges |
| Knowledge and understanding of fitness and health | · understand how the challenge of outdoor and adventurous activities can help their fitness, health and wellbeing | · understand the basic principles of warming up understand why exercise is good for fitness, health and wellbeing | · understand why dance is good for their fitness, health and wellbeing prepare effectively for dancing | · understand why exercise is good for their fitness, health and wellbeing understand the need to prepare properly for games | · understand why warming-up and cooling-down are important understand why exercise is good for health, fitness and wellbeing, and how to become healthier themselves carry out warm ups safely and effectively | · know and describe the short-term effects of exercise on the body and how it reacts to different types of activity |
| Evaluating and improving performance | · see the importance of a group or team plan, and the value of pooling ideas improve their performance by changing or adapting their approaches as needed | · evaluate their own and others’ work and suggest ways to improve it | · understand how a dance is formed and performed evaluate, refine and develop their own and others work | · develop their ability to evaluate their own and others’ work, and to suggest ways to improve it know why warming up and cooling down are important | · evaluate their own and others’ work suggest ways of making improvements | · describe and evaluate the quality of swimming and recognise what needs improving |
