SPORTS

Our sports curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to develop and apply their skills in a range of physical activities, including expressive movement, gymnastics and games. Pupils collaborate together in team activities, which helps them to develop self-confidence and an awareness of each other. Pupils benefit from at least two hours of sports and physical activities each week.  We work in partnership with Pro Active Sports who provide extra-curricular sports clubs for our pupils.

Our pupils benefit from excellent sports facilities, including a gymnasium, traversing wall, changing and shower rooms and a large football field.

We encourage all our pupils to take up sports in order to increase motivation, self-confidence, stamina, fitness, spatial awareness and creative thinking.

Pupils can further enhance their skills by taking on extra-curricular sports through our Leadership Academies, which include dance, multi-sports, athletics and tag rugby.

The variety of clubs and sports on offer reflect the breadth and talents of our pupils and ensure that all pupils have an opportunity to participate in sports they enjoy and excel in.

Through our school’s sports programmes, our pupils learn teamwork, leadership, self-discipline, focus and competitiveness – all of which will stand them in good stead for the future. They also learn important lessons in humility, such as how to lose graciously and the importance of striving for continuous improvement.

Sports Captain

All of our Academy’s sports teams have a Sports Captain, a member of the team who is elected to a leadership role by their peers because of their ability to motivate others. The Sports Captain is chosen on the strength of their performance, their ability to strategize and assess the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents, and the level of their enthusiasm and commitment. Sports Captains help to lead their teammates to success because they can be relied upon to perform consistently and remain calm under pressure. As with all good leaders, they keep their team’s spirits high, even when things are not going well.

Swimming

Swimming is part of the national curriculum and is widely regarded as one of the most effective forms of exercise. Swimming helps to tone muscle, build strength and endurance, and improve cardiovascular fitness, without putting unnecessary strain on the body. We aim to ensure that all of our Year 6 pupils leave school as strong and confident swimmers, with an in-depth understanding of water safety. The information below sets out the progress we have made in teaching our pupils how to swim and stay safe in water-based environments.

 

Statutory Information Statistics
Total number of pupils in Year 6 cohort 51
Number of pupils who can swim a distance of at least 25 metres competently, confidently and proficiently 26
Number of pupils who can use a range of different strokes effectively 20
Number of pupils who can perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations 20
OPAL (Outdoor Play and Lunchtimes)

As part of our commitment to developing our pupil’s leadership skills and to increase their levels of physical activity we have developed a unique approach to play and lunchtimes. Children spend on average 20% or 1.4 years of school attendance in play so we understand the importance of ensuring that this time is enjoyable, inclusive and full of rich opportunities for our pupils.

Research has shown that play contributes to children’s physical and emotional health; wellbeing; approach and attitude to learning and enjoyment of school. Given the importance of play in children’s lives and current concerns about children’s health and opportunity to access time and space to initiate their own play outdoors, there are considerable benefits to our participation in this approach.

Our lunchtime provision contributes to our pupils’ personal development and allows them to develop on our STAR values of service, teamwork, ambition and respect. The playground is a hive of activity and everyone is included with pupils supporting one another. Pupil’s at High Crags now have the opportunity to access the full school site each day and participate in a rich range of activities:

– A mud kitchen

– An outdoor digging area

– A scooter track

– A multi-use games area (MUGA)

– An outdoor gym

– Tree climbing

– Loose parts area including tyres and crates to build and play

– Podoly construction

To learn more about our lunchtimes please follow us on twitter at: @HighCragsPLA (7) High Crags Primary Leadership Academy (@HighCragsPLA) / Twitter