Core P.E.

It has five key pillars:

Inclusive and Aspirational:

Core P.E

The PE curriculum in Oakwood is thoughtfully designed to reflect the rich cultural diversity and varied socioeconomic backgrounds, ensuring inclusivity and equal opportunity for all students. By offering a broad range of physical activities, from traditional team sports to individual activities, the curriculum promotes engagement and personal achievement among students of all abilities and backgrounds. It fosters aspiration by embedding values such as resilience, teamwork, and respect, which are essential for success both within and beyond school. Even after leaving Oakwood, The aim is that every student understands where they can continue to participate in activity within the community. Students are taught to understand how and why it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle and participate in physical activity.

NCFE Sport Studies

NCFE inspires each student about the sport and leisure industry by teaching a deeper knowledge and understanding of the world of sport. The vocational qualification gives students an opportunity to progress into leisure and sporting careers or further education within our community and wider area.

Personal development is encouraged through practical participation and performance in a range of sports and exercise, improving knowledge, understanding, confidence and skills.

The development of people, communication, planning, organisation, leadership and team working skills ready to apply in working life are cultivated throughout the course.

Foundational Literacy and Numeracy:

Core P.E

The PE curriculum not only promotes physical well-being, but also places a strong emphasis on developing key academic skills. Communication skills are enhanced as students engage in teamwork, give and receive feedback and participate in discussions or strategy planning. Specialist words are used in context to explain, describe and instruct. Mathematical skills are reinforced through tasks involving measurement, timing, scoring and statistical analysis. This integrated approach ensures that PE contributes meaningfully to students’ overall academic development.

NCFE Sports Studies

Within our NCFE Sport Studies lessons there is a strong focus on communication skills to work cooperatively on tasks showing compromise, empathy and support for each other while completing the assessment tasks. Practically, students are looking at how to develop their communication skills to be able to lead a younger year group through a full session on a sport of their choice. Theoretically, the students are taught to be able to read and use key terminology from the world of sport and leisure in order to successfully complete the NEA and exam questions.

Through activities like reading and interpreting game rules, understanding sport-related texts and analysing performance data, students strengthen their reading comprehension and critical thinking abilities.

Ambitious and Sequenced Learning:

Core P.E

In Y7 and Y8 there is a balanced coverage of sporting activities aimed to develop skills and tactics in invasion, net and racket, striking and fielding games. Choreographic devices and performance skills are developed in creative activities. The basic principles of fitness and teamwork and problem solving are used in outdoor and adventurous activities. Tasks are sequenced with an adapted approach to each group to ensure every student progresses across the range of activities.

In Y9 and 10 the students are able to choose a ‘Pathway’ in mixed or single sex groups. This allows the student to choose the right group to be able to feel comfortable and confident to perform. The curriculum is balanced and the programmes of study are more in-depth and adapted to the needs of each group.

In Y11 ‘options’ are chosen allowing students to partake in their preferred activities. An emphasis is placed on enjoyment, activity and stress relief from exam pressure.

Overall, the curriculum is inclusive and sequenced to build confidence so that students are able to carry on with an active lifestyle after leaving school.

NCFE Sport Studies

The students will transfer their knowledge and performance of rules, skills, tactics from Y7 and Y8 from the different sporting activities they have covered. They will have the knowledge and confidence in a sport of their choice to be able to plan and deliver a session to a younger year group.

They will develop the knowledge and understanding of the skills and attributes needed to be successful in the sport and leisure industry building confidence in their own communication, planning and leadership skills to be successful beyond Oakwood High School.

Cultivating Independent Learners:

Core P.E

Our PE curriculum plays a vital role in developing students into resilient, reflective and resourceful individuals who confidently take ownership of their learning. This is through structured in-class activities that emphasise students’ progression of skills, reflection on their performance, adaptation of strategies and resilience to work through physical and mental challenges. Team-based games and individual tasks encourage problem-solving and resilience by pushing students to overcome setbacks and learn from mistakes. Out of class, expectations, such as, participating in extracurricular sports, setting personal fitness goals and engaging in active lifestyles further reinforce these attributes.

NCFE Sports Studies

The NEA encourages resilience in building communication and leadership skills. It develops confidence when leading and reflection on their own practice. Students have to be independent when completing their NEA and overcome any challenges they may face. Guided revision supports the NCFE curriculum and interleaves learning while creating independence and resilience.

The Sports Studies groups are provided with the opportunity to embrace different challenges and build confidence in an outdoor experience with white water rafting, Gorge scrambling and Via Ferrata offered. They also have the opportunity to experience wheelchair rugby when studying sports adapted for people with disability.

Holistic Personal Development:

Core P.E

The Physical Education curriculum extends well beyond the boundaries of the national curriculum or examination specification. It is designed not only to develop students’ physical competence and understanding of health, fitness and skills and tactics of different sporting activities, but also to nurture well-rounded individuals equipped with the personal, social and emotional skills essential for success in life. Through a broad range of inclusive and engaging physical activities, students are encouraged to develop qualities such as resilience, teamwork, leadership and empathy. These experiences foster strong character and help students to build confidence, self-regulation and effective communication skills. Additionally, PE provides rich opportunities for promoting a sense of responsibility and active citizenship. By participating in collaborative tasks, leading peers, engaging in discussions in sport and contributing to school extra curricular activities (where this opportunity is taken), students begin to understand the importance of fairness, respect and social contribution. In this way, the PE curriculum plays a vital role in shaping individuals who are not only physically literate, but also emotionally intelligent and socially responsible citizens.

NCFE Sports Studies

The NCFE Sport Studies course offers students a dynamic and enriching learning experience that extends beyond physical performance. Through a combination of theoretical and practical modules, learners develop a wide array of transferable skills essential for both academic progression and future careers. Leadership is a key focus, with students taking on roles that require them to motivate and guide peers in various sporting and team-based scenarios. The course also emphasises effective planning and organisational skills, as students learn to design training sessions, manage events and evaluate outcomes critically. There are clear links to careers and sport in the real world.

Public speaking and communication are integrated throughout the curriculum, enabling students to present ideas with clarity and confidence; these skills are invaluable in any professional setting. In addition, the course encourages an appreciation of the aesthetic and expressive elements of sport, helping students to understand how movement can be used as a form of artistic and personal expression. This holistic approach not only nurtures physical competence but also supports the development of well-rounded, confident individuals ready to take on leadership roles both within and beyond the world of sport.