Physical Education

Physical Education, May 2024

Foundation 

We're excited to share the current focus for PE is catching. Throughout our lessons, we've been emphasising three essential steps to master this skill effectively. Firstly, we encourage our students to keep their eyes firmly fixed on the ball at all times, ensuring they maintain focus and are ready to react swiftly. Secondly, we introduce the concept of "fruit bowl hands," teaching students to position their hands like a bowl to create a secure and stable catching platform. Lastly, we emphasise the importance of absorbing the ball upon contact, reducing the impact and ensuring a clean catch. By breaking down catching into these fundamental steps, we're equipping our students with the skills and confidence they need to succeed. We encourage you to reinforce these techniques at home, providing opportunities for practice and fostering a love for physical activity. Thank you for your continued support in your students' development.

Year 1 & 2 

In our Year 1-2 Physical Education classes, we're excited to announce our focus on mastering fundamental skills crucial for physical development. Here's a glimpse into what our young athletes have been up to:

• Overhand Throw: Students are refining their overhand throw technique, learning proper arm positioning and follow-through for accuracy and distance. Through engaging activities, they're enhancing coordination and teamwork.
• Catch Practice: Catching is more than just grabbing a ball—it's about hand-eye coordination and concentration. Our students are honing their catching skills through partner drills and group games, improving timing and focus.
• Ball Bounce: Mastering the ball bounce is vital for various sports. Students are learning to control the height and direction of the bounce.

We're thrilled to witness our Year 1-2 students' enthusiasm and progress in mastering these essential skills. Your support in reinforcing these skills at home is greatly appreciated!

Years 3 - 6 

This term, the Year 3-6 students are learning the same skills. These skills will be varied in difficulty and adjusted depending on age and skill level. 

Our focus for the term is Athletics. So far, we have focused on Sprinting, Relays, Long Jump and Triple Jump. Each skill has been sequenced to support students in learning the next. For example, improving the sprint technique has supported students in their long jump and triple jump run-up, where they generate optimal speed while maintaining balance and control. Through long jump the students have also learnt about explosive power from the legs at take off and then finally the art of landing gracefully and efficiently has been emphasised, ensuring safety and minimising the impact on landing. We do this by using our ‘motorbike landings’. The triple jump adds an extra layer of complexity, challenging our students to not only leap forward but also to navigate the intricacies of a multi-phase jump - going from a hop, step then jump.

We encourage families to support their children in practising these skills outside of school. Whether it's finding a grassy field for long jumps or marking out a safe space for triple jump practice, every opportunity for additional practice contributes to mastery and confidence.