Physical Education

PE is taught on a weekly basis across the school. Pupil understanding, ability and age are considered when planning a suitable activity. Participation is supported through visual instructions and positive modelling by all members of staff. Our PE curriculum aims to promote a healthy lifestyle alongside increasing self-confidence and mental well-being. 

Swimming is provided on a weekly basis for primary pupils and hydrotherapy for pupils with more complex needs. Secondary school pupils with complex needs and those with physiotherapy programmes take part in weekly hydrotherapy sessions.

Key Stage 1 and 2 classes participate in weekly PE lessons onsite and offsite by attending a local gymnastics club and participating in horse riding and swimming sessions. PE lessons encourage and promote pupils to explore movement and body awareness through a variety of activities.

Key Stage 3 and 4 classes participate in weekly PE lessons following our Life Skills Curriculum. Lessons encourage independence and build on understanding of individual functional skills such as identifying emotions and benefits of self-regulation. 

Key Stage 4 and 5 have access to off-site activities which encourage physical activity such as cricket, companion cycling at Bushy Park and weekly sessions at a local gym. All students are supported to participate in the activities which are tailored to individual needs.

Through PE, we can build and consolidate skills learnt in Maths, English and PSHCE as these are incorporated within lessons and adapted to individual needs to further build understanding during practical activities.

To make PE accessible to all students, the curriculum is adapted to ndividual need by incorporating hydrotherapy sessions, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy sessions for students with more complex needs.

Our Swimming Provision

We provide:

• Onsite swimming for all pupils in Key Stage 1

• Offsite swimming for all pupils in Key Stage 2

Swimming is delivered as both a physical activity and a therapeutic intervention, carefully adapted to meet pupils’ individual Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) outcomes.

Attainment in Relation to National Curriculum Requirements

The National Curriculum states that by the end of Year 6, pupils should be able to:

• Swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres

• Use a range of strokes effectively

• Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations

Due to the significant and complex learning needs of our cohort, we do not have pupils who are sufficiently proficient to meet these National Curriculum benchmarks by the end of Year 6.

The majority of our pupils have substantial cognitive, physical, communication and/or social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. For many, swimming is not accessed as a sport with competitive or distance-based outcomes, but as a structured therapeutic and developmental experience.

Why National Curriculum Assessment Markers Are Not Appropriate for Our Cohort

The statutory swimming attainment measures are designed for mainstream pupils accessing age-related academic expectations. For our pupils, these measures do not accurately reflect progress, achievement or the impact of provision because:

• Many pupils are working significantly below age-related expectations across the curriculum.

• Physical disabilities, motor coordination difficulties or medical needs may prevent independent swimming over a set distance.

• Communication and cognitive differences can impact understanding of formal stroke technique and self-rescue concepts in the way they are conventionally assessed.

• Emotional regulation, sensory processing and anxiety around water are often primary barriers that must be addressed before technical swimming skills can be developed.

As such, measuring success purely by the ability to swim 25 metres or perform a prescribed stroke would not capture the substantial and meaningful progress our pupils make.

Our Focus and Intended Outcomes

Our swimming curriculum prioritises:

• Safe, calm and supported transitions to and around the pool environment

• Increased independence in dressing and undressing

• Familiarity with water and reduced anxiety

• Development of body awareness, proprioception and interoception

• Hydrotherapy-based approaches to support regulation and SEMH needs

• Occupational therapy (OT)-informed targets

• Confidence, engagement and enjoyment

For some pupils, this may include exploring formal swimming techniques and stroke development. However, due to their needs, pupils would not be expected to sustain these techniques over a distance of 25 metres.

Measuring Impact

Progress in swimming is measured against individual EHCP outcomes and personalised physical development targets rather than age-related National Curriculum standards. Impact is evidenced through:

• Increased independence

• Improved emotional regulation

• Enhanced physical coordination

• Greater confidence and participation

• Reduction in anxiety related to water-based activities

For our pupils, these outcomes represent significant and meaningful achievement and directly support wider educational engagement and wellbeing.