The Physical Education Faculty
“All our students – regardless of background, ability or interest – will be offered the widest possible opportunities to develop physical skills, a lifelong commitment to physical activity and health and personal qualities exemplified by sport at its best.”
Oldfield School has a Sports Specialism with a faculty of experienced physical education and dance specialists. They are supported by numerous specialist coaches who visit the site to coach on a part time basis.
Curriculum and Assessment
A balanced curriculum of games, physical education and dance is taught from KS3 to Sixth Form. Dance is taught as a separate subject within the faculty. High expectations of all students have already produced some impressive indicators of broad based excellence.
Every KS3 student learns games, gymnastics and dance in sufficient depth to permit the achievement of end of key stage National Curriculum levels. All students at KS4 have 2 hours of core PE a week. GCSE Dance and GCSE PE are taught as options. AS and A2 in Physical Education and Dance are taught. There are detailed schemes of work for each teaching group.
Teaching and Learning
At KS3 all classes are taught as mixed ability tutor groups in Year 7, setting in half year groups is established in Years 8 and 9. This allows “fast track” groups in Year 9 to begin GCSE work. At KS4 students come to Physical Education as a half year group. KS3 Dance is taught in mixed ability tutor groups.
Accommodation and Resources
The Faculty has two indoor spaces, a gymnasium and hall. The gymnasium is very well equipped for gymnastics. There are facilities for teaching four disciplines of Olympic Gymnastics including a twelve metre floor. There is extensive equipment for educational gymnastics. There are also two trampolines in this area.
A new Dance Studio was opened September 2006. There is a large floor area and stage with lighting in the hall. There is a TV and video available at all times. The Gym area has two competition level trampolines and two table tennis tables. It is also used for badminton. There is a Physical Education Office with two computers linked to the school network. There are 5 tennis/netball courts. In addition to the courts there are two grass pitches, a 200 metre athletics track, jumping pits and throwing areas. A small fitness suite has been established which contains a treadmill, three rowing machines, three exercise bikes, a cross trainer, a stepper and free weights. The faculty has two physical education classrooms.
ICT
The faculty is keen to ensure students’ ICT skills are enhanced by their constructive and effective use in Physical Education. An ICT room is situated next to the gym. The faculty has an impressive amount of fitness testing equipment that can be used with the computers to enhance its Sports Science provision. The faculty makes extensive use of video camera etc to enhance teaching and learning. Both Physical Education classrooms have interactive boards and projectors. Students use Kandle to help peer and self assess their work.
Extra Curricular Programme
A large number of students participate in 15 different extra curricular Sport or Physical Education activities. All students in Years 7 and 8 are now expected to take part in at least one activity. Inter-school fixtures are undertaken. Outstanding performances have been achieved at National, County and District level in Gymnastics, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Netball, Athletics, Fencing, Table Tennis, Rugby, Tennis, Rowing and Judo.
In addition to the extra curricular programmes, we are very proud of our young leaders in all years. Each year group from Year 7-10 follow a leadership module in lessons which enables them to assist coach in school clubs alongside teaching staff. The Young Leaders students regularly work with local primary schools planning and delivering festivals and events. Some of our senior students have achieved coaching qualifications and run practical clubs in and out of school time. Year 10 students apply to become Sports Prefects at the start of the year. The Sports Prefects are used to promote clubs and help run extra curricular activities.
Oldfield Sixth Form
Students have opportunities to take part in recreational activities and inter school competitive opportunities.
Sports Specialism: PE and Dance
We have had a specialism in Sport since 1997.
The following targets are our current focus for developments:
- To investigate the possible range of options pre and post 16 from the Learning Pathways.
- To enrich the Specialism by the use of community and external partners.
- To develop long term plan for raising the profile of PE and therefore the uptake.
- To link with MFL and PSHE, including the healthy schools’ initiative, in order to have a positive impact on learning.
- To offer curriculum provision in partner primary schools.
- To undertake Dance activity in the local primary schools.
- To provide INSET to start in partner schools to improve teaching and learning opportunities.
- To plan and deliver a family learning programme in PE.
- To contribute to local curriculum innovation.
Most members of the PE Faculty are involved in this work, with specific targets collaboratively devised. Each year will see developments with different faculties / departments at Oldfield School, as well as projects with local primary schools.
The funding allows an additional ICT technician to assist with ICT related activities in the faculty. One of the PE teachers works as a SSCO for two days a week undertaking community outreach work.
Examination Results 2010
KS3 100% Level 5 or above in Dance
KS3 100% Level 5 or above in PE
GCSE PE 37% A* - C
GCSE Dance 91% A* - C
AS PE 46 Average pts score (UCAS)
A2 PE 120 Average pts score (UCAS)
AS Dance 30 Average pts score (UCAS)
A2 Dance 75 Average pts score (UCAS)
Ofsted, November 2007:
"The key to the school’s success is the superb quality of leadership and management”.
“Throughout the school students make excellent progress in their personal development”.
“Teaching and learning take place with a curriculum which is excellent overall”.
“The quality of the school’s monitoring and self evaluation is exemplary”.
March 2011
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