As a Physical Education Department, our role is to contribute to the overall education of young people by helping them lead full, valuable, safe and healthy lives. Our aim is to develop all students physically, morally and socially through physical activity and sport and provide future pathways for participation and pursuit of sporting excellence. All students will achieve and make progress by developing their skills and techniques, their decision-making abilities, their physical and mental capacity, their evaluating and improving skills and their ability to make informed choices about active, healthy lifestyles. This is achieved throughout a wide and varied curriculum which is delivered in two hours of core PE each week during Key Stage 3 and 4. In addition to this, pupils are able to access a diverse and extensive extra-curricular programme that has both a competitive and participation focus.

At Key Stage 4, GCSE PE and Cambridge National in Sport Science are both offered as part of the option system. There is a high take-up for both courses and, subsequently, attainment and achievement by students is very good. In 2023, 81% of pupils taking the GCSE PE course achieved a grade 4 and above with 48% achieving a grade 9 -7. In 2023, 89% of pupils taking the Cambridge National in Sport Science achieved a Level 2 Pass and above with 39% Level 2 Distinction* - Distinction.  A-Level PE is offered at KS5, where pupils are assessed theoretically through two exams; practically in a chosen sport and on their ability to analyse performance. In 2023, 100% of pupils achieved an A*-C with 38% of pupils achieving A*-A.

Core PE

Year 7 Curriculum

In Year 7, both girls and boys will participate in different sporting activities where they will develop in and through the physical domain. They will develop their motor competencies, knowledge of rules, ability to apply tactics and awareness of healthy participation in physical activity and sport.

Girls’ activities

• Netball
• Football
• Badminton
• Table tennis
• Dance
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Athletics
• Health

Boys’ activities

• Rugby
• Badminton
• Football
• Handball
• Basketball
• Health
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Athletics

Year 8 Curriculum

In Year 8, both girls and boys will participate in different sporting activities where they will embed the skills and knowledge learnt in Year 7 and start to develop these further in a competitive setting.

Girls’ activities

• Netball
• Football
• Handball
• Badminton
• Gymnastics
• Health
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Athletics

Boys’ activities

• Rugby
• Basketball
• Handball
• Table tennis
• Football
• Health
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Athletics

Year 9 Curriculum

In Year 9, both girls and boys will participate in different sporting activities where they will refine the skills, abilities, tactics and knowledge learnt in years 7 and 8.

Girls’ activities

• Netball
• Volleyball
• Handball
• Table tennis
• Dance
• Aerobics and health
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Athletics

Boys’ activities

• Rugby
• Badminton
• Football
• Table tennis
• Basketball
• Health
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Athletics

Year 10 Curriculum

At the start of Year 10, pupils will have the opportunity to choose a personalised pathway of participation that suits their needs and interests. This allows pupils to build on and further develop their abilities in activities following on from Key Stage 3; engage in new and different activities; develop leadership skills in a sport of their choice and experience external sports providers that they may utilise outside of school. They will select six different activities that they would like to do each half term. One activity in Year 10 will be a leadership course in an activity of their choice where they will be taught how to plan, prepare and lead sessions to younger children. As part of this, pupils will go to primary schools to lead the sport session that they have designed. The other options pupils can select include:

• Team gym
• Dance
• Fitness at Cleaver Gym
• Fitness at Empire Gym
• Squash
• Racketball
• Badminton
• Netball
• Handball
• Football
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Basketball
• Volleyball
• Table tennis

Year 11 Curriculum

At the start of Year 11, pupils will have the opportunity to choose a personalised pathway of participation that suits their needs and interests. This allows pupils to build on and further develop their abilities in activities following on from Key Stage 3 and Year 10; engage in new and different activities and experience external sports providers that they may utilise outside of school. They will select four different activities that they would like to do each half term. The options pupils can select include:

• Volleyball
• Dodgeball
• Fitness at Cleaver Gym
• Fitness at Empire Gym
• Squash
• Racketball
• Badminton
• Netball
• Football
• Basketball

KS4 PE Options

GCSE PE

The OCR GCSE PE course is assessed in 3 different ways. Pupils will sit two exams at the end of Year 11 which contribute to 60% of their overall GCSE. The component 1 exam is on physical factors affecting performance and the component 2 exam is on socio-cultural issues and sports psychology. Pupils will also be assessed practically in 1 individual sport, 1 team sport and 1 team or individual sport which together makes up 30% of their overall GCSE. Additionally, pupils will complete a controlled assessment where they will evaluate and analyse their own or a peer’s performance in a chosen sport, contributing towards 10% to their final grade.

In Year 9, pupils will learn the physical training topic which is part of their component 1 examination. Here pupils will learn about components of fitness and how to test them; training methods and how to optimise training through the use of principles of training and how to prevent injury in physical activity. Pupils will also study the cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal system.

In Year 10, pupils will finish the component 1 content by studying movement analysis and the effects of exercise on the body systems. They will then move onto the component 2 topics where they will learn about sports psychology. This includes topics such as goal setting and mental preparation. They will then study health, fitness and well-being and look at the impact physical activity and diet has on these. The controlled assessment aspect of the course will also be completed in year 10.  Within this, pupils will be expected to apply the theory learnt in Year 9 and Year 10 and in doing so, analyse a skill in a chosen sport; identify the performer’s strengths and weaknesses and create a six-week improvement plan for a specific skill or component of fitness based on their previous analysis.

In Year 11, pupils will learn about the socio-cultural influences to participation, the commercialisation of sport and ethical behaviour in sport (component 2 exam). This will be supported with extensive revision and exam practice.

Pupils will also participate in some practical lessons where they will refine their skills, tactics and decision-making abilities so that they meet the high standards of the GCSE specification. Pupils are expected to attend extra-curricular clubs and clubs outside of school to develop their practical ability further in their chosen three sports. Pupils will also need to keep a log of their competitive performance in each of their three sports. 

Cambridge National in Sports Science

Cambridge National in Sports Science

The Cambridge National in Sports Science is assessed through two controlled assessments and one exam. The exam is on reducing the risk of injuries and controlling common medical conditions and the controlled assessments are on applying principles of training and nutrition and sports performance. The exam is one hour and fifteen minutes.

During Year 10 and 11, pupils will learn the content for their controlled assessment units- R181 and R183. Pupils at the start of y10 will begin to complete their R183 controlled assessment (nutrition). They will learn the characteristics of a balanced diet, the role of nutrients in sports, why different sports have different dietary requirements and nutritional behaviours. They will also plan and review a diet for a sports performer.  

During year 10, pupils will also begin to complete their other controlled assessment unit- R181. Pupils will learn the different components of fitness, training methods, fitness testing and training principles. All pupils in year 11 will then finish their R181 controlled assessment on applying principles of training by planning and evaluating a training programme.

The examination content will be taught during year 11. As part of unit R180, pupils will learn about types of sport injuries, injury treatment and extrinsic and intrinsic factors contributing to reducing the risk of injuries. They will also learn about how warming up and cooling down can prevent injuries and how medical conditions need to be considered in a sporting environment.

Year 12 Curriculum

At KS5, pupils can opt to study A-level PE. The OCR course involves various assessments. The pupils will complete three exams at the end of Year 13. The pupils will have a different teacher for each exam-based element. The first exam is on physiological factors affecting performance (30% of A-level); the second exam is on psychological factors affecting performance (20% of A-level) and the third exam is on socio-cultural issues in physical activity and sport (20% of A-level). The remaining 30% of the A-level is made up of non-exam assessment where pupils are assessed on their performance in a sport and their ability to evaluate and analyse performance for improvement. It is vital that students participate in one sport competitively outside of school and keep a log of their participation.

In Year 12, pupils will learn about physiological factors affecting performance and socio-cultural influences. They will learn about the anatomy and physiology of the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems; the impact diet and nutrition have on performance; how to train properly in order to improve and maintain performance; about the biomechanical principles, levers and the use of technology; the emergence and evolution of modern sport and about global sporting events. 

In Year 13, pupils will learn about physiological factors affecting performance including energy for exercise, environmental effects on body systems, linear motion, fluid mechanics, injury prevention and rehabilitation from injury. They will learn about psychological factors affecting performance that includes memory models, attribution, confidence and self-efficacy, leadership in sport and stress management. They will also learn about socio-cultural issues such as ethics, deviance, commercialisation and routes to sporting excellence. In Year 13, pupils will complete their non-exam assessment where they will draw upon the theory learnt in their previous studies to analyse and evaluate a player’s performance in detail so that they are able to suggest and plan effective strategies for improvement.

Extra-Curricular Activities

The curriculum is supplemented by an extensive extra-curricular programme with a range of activities offered to students which have both a competitive and participation focus.

Activities include:

• Football (girls and boys)
• Netball
• Rugby (girls and boys)
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Boxing
• Athletics
• Rounders
• Cricket
• Table tennis
• Dance

School teams are run in many of these sports and Higham Lane has enjoyed a strong tradition of success in a wide range of sports both locally and regionally. Netball, badminton and football have an outstanding history of success.

C Mulholland, Subject Leader for Physical Education