Physical Education |

PE and healthy lifestyles

We believe sport is an integral part of a child’s education at Alfred Sutton. There is strong evidence that children who re active on a regular basis attain better grades, report feeling better mentally and physically and are more likely to carry on exercise in later life.

Our children are provided with a high quality, rich and varied diet of sporting opportunities throughout their time at school.

All children from Years 1-6 are timetabled 2.5 hours of PE a week. Children participate in:

• PE lessons including gymnastics, dance and outdoor games

• Daily Active Fit sessions

Swimming provision in KS2 is timetabled with the aim of pupils reaching the National Curriculum requirement of swimming a length of 25m unaided. Swimming lessons take place at South Reading Leisure Centre, with whom we have a strong working relationship. Each lesson is delivered by a highly skilled team of specialist instructors.

Chris Neate: Sports Development and Provision Lead

Mr Neate has worked for over ten years in the primary sector, delivering high quality PE at over twenty schools in the south of England. At the age of twenty, he achieved his UEFA B licence in football, which allowed him to work at professional academies, including a year in California, and for Aldershot Town. Most recently, Mr Neate has been involved with the semi-professional Fleet Town Football Club, where he is the first team coach.

Mr Neate has a keen interest in contact sports, including rugby and American football (for which he as a national champion at the age of eighteen). He also holds qualifications in teaching gymnastics, rugby and cricket.

Reading School Sports Partnership

In addition to in-school provision, we have a strong programme of outside sporting opportunities through our membership of the Reading School Sports Partnership. This gives our children the chance to compete against other schools in events such as football, netball, basketball, athletics, gymnastics, cricket, cross-country, tennis and inclusive events such as the Change for Life Festival of Sport and New Age Kurling. In school, we offer inter-sporting opportunities for each year group, as well as whole school events, such as Cross-Country, The Horner Cup (football) and Sports Days for all years.

Club Provision

We value a broad and balanced approach to a healthy and active lifestyle and, along with our creative clubs, we offer a growing range of sporting activities after school. These are delivered by specialist school staff, in addition to external providers and professional clubs. Furthermore, we provide pupils with opportunities to access extra sporting activities through our Active Lunchtime programme. Additionally, our Year 6 Sports Leaders help to play games and organise activities for younger children during break times.

School Games Mark

Since joining the School Games Mark scheme in 2017, Alfred Sutton has been awarded the Bronze School Games Sports Mark award for 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 and we are currently working towards the Silver Award.

Obesity, Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

At Alfred Sutton our curriculum gives children the knowledge necessary to achieve a healthy lifestyle. Children learn how our bodies work, why physical health is important and how to prepare food. They grow in competence in sport and physical pursuits and are encouraged to lead as active a life as possible. We particularly prioritise these opportunities at lunchtimes. We also have continual access to cold drinking water stations around the school building and within the classrooms.

The government has published an obesity strategy which Ofsted report on.

PE kit requirements

For health and safety, we have a strict PE kit requirement

Children with long hair should have it tied back on PE days.

Please send your child to school wearing their PE kit on their PE / PE club day(s).

On PE days, tape must be brought to cover earrings or, ideally, they should be taken out – either at school or preferably at home. Pupils who forget to bring their own tape, will be provided with tape at school.