National Curriculum Introduced by the Govt in 1990s

National Curriculum Introduced by the Govt. in 1990’s. All state schools are expected to follow the guidelines set Physical Education is a core subject = compulsory.

Aims of N. C. P. E. • • • Achieve physical competence & confidence. Perform in a range of activities. Achieve physical skillfulness. Gain knowledge of the body in action. Become a ‘Critical Performer’. Learn competitiveness, creativity, face up to challenges. • Learn how to plan, perform & evaluate. • Discover their abilities, aptitudes &make choices for lifelong learning.

Intended • To make children aware of the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. • Enable them to choose suitable & a selection of activities. • Develop imagination, creativity, problem solving • Raise awareness of other roles within sport; officiating, spectating, coaching & leadership roles

N. C. P. E six activity groupings • Games – invasion, striking & fielding, net/wall. • Athletic Activities • Swimming • Gymnastics • Dance • Outdoor & adventururous activities.

Key stages of a child’s learning K. S. 1 = Years 1 & 2 (infants) PP 1 + PP 2 • Dance, gymnastics & games. • Developing simple skills & movement sequences individually & in a group. K. S. 2 = Years 3 to 6 (Juniors) PP 3 to 10’s • Follow all 6 activity areas. • Skill level & understanding should increase. • Complete sustained periods of exercise. Great in theory but not in practice – Primary teachers are not specialist PE teachers. Aim = Child Centred, participation & play

Key stages of a child’s learning K. S. 3 = Years 7 to 9 (Lower Secondary school) 11’s to 13’s • Refining motor skills & developing complexity of movements. • Involved in smaller versions of adult activities. • Learning rules & tactics. K. S. 4 = Years 10 to 11 (upper Secondary school) 14’s & 15’s. • Follow games + 1 other • Plan, follow & evaluate an exercise programe Aim = Competitive, tactics & awareness of the benefits of exercise All to adopt a Healthy Lifestyle post school education & onwards.

Assessment • Teachers complete after each K. S. in all 6 areas. • Provides goals & motivation for students. • Public debate to the value of these assessments. • Does it take away from the fun & participation element of PE?

Extra - Curricular • • School sport – teams. Different to PE. Huge decline from the 1990’s onwards Teachers are not paid for their time & commitment. • Additional costs of running fixtures has increased – facilities, kit, refs, health & safety.

Conclusion • The N. C. P. E provides a broad framework for schools to follow. • Parents judge the quality of the PE programme on the facilities available. • Depending on the school, the pressure to be strong at a specific sport may be reflected in the time allocation for that activity.

Level of enjoyment… Many factors influence students enjoyment & success in this subject. Facilities is a key factor to this, leading to Dual use were education & the local community share facilities.

Negatives of Dual Use • Overuse of the facility = constant repair. • Little time for maintence. • Poor management of the facilities during school holidays. • Can’t target groups (unemployed, pre school children, OAP’s) because facilities in use during th day.

Teachers • Make or break a students enjoyment in the subject. • Amount & quality of teachers vary hugely from school to school.