Physical Education
Lower School Curriculum
In Years 3 and 4 children have 2 P.E. lessons and a Games afternoon each week. In Year 5 they have 2 P.E. lessons and 2 games afternoons.
- Gymnastics and Fitness
- running; jumping; climbing; skipping; vaulting; balance; co-ordination; bleep fitness test; partner work; group sequences.
- Dance
- the aim of dance in the curriculum is to encourage students to be creative and enjoy their movement opportunities. In Lower School pupils develop their movement vocabulary, giving them the confidence to link movements together and create their own dance sequences based on themed work. Dance is included in the PE curriculum for both boys and girls.
- Basketball
- catching; passing, pivoting, shooting. Practice with one ball each and small group work, building up to 5-a-side (House competitions).
- Tennis
- co-ordination skills; stroke technique. Year 3 and 4 children use short rackets and low-bounce balls. Year 5 children use larger rackets and tennis balls. Half court practice matches and tournaments.
- Athletics
- 75, 200, 300, 800 metres, hurdles, relays, javelin, long jump and high jump. Practice and trials, everyone takes part on Sports Day.
- Cross-Country
- fun runs and the House cross-country competitions take place through the Belmont Woods on the "Oti" Course.
- Swimming
- lessons are taught in a block during the year, the timing varies according to the year group. Two classes use the pool each session and these are divided into three ability groups. Water confidence and the enjoyment of swimming are vital factors. Non-swimmers are kept in the shallow end, building up their confidence using floats and other swimming aids. Treading water, survival exercises and timed swims are used for the better swimmers while working on stroke technique. Front crawl and backstroke are taught first. Breaststroke is introduced later, followed by butterfly. All age groups take part in the House Swimming Gala.
Upper School Curriculum
Autumn Term
- Gymnastics and Fitness
- Aim: to improve stamina, flexibility and body control. "Bleep" tests, assault courses and circuit training. Individual, partner and group sequences are practised and performed on mats, wallbars and ropes. Vaulting off and over boxes and bucks. Somersaults.
The House Gym competition, in December for years 7 and 8, is the climax of the gymnastics syllabus. - Dance
- The aim of dance in the curriculum is to encourage students to be creative and enjoy their movement opportunities.
The upper school curriculum aims to provide students with a variety of dance styles and the opportunity to both choreograph and perform.
Dance is included in the PE curriculum for both boys and girls.
Spring Term
- Basketball
- A Spring Term activity. Much co-ordination work done with a ball each on the skills of passing, catching, dribbling and shooting. With 5 baskets in the gym we do mini-matches of 2 v 2 and build up to 5 v 5 games for the house competitions.
- Cross-Country
- Fitness and stamina training is done on the Oti course (1400 metres).
2 laps of the course are used for the House Cross-Country races.
Summer Term
- Tennis
- With 6 courts at Belmont, tennis is a fast-growing Summer Term activity.
Forehand and backhand drives, volleys and half-volleys are taught along with an overarm service. The lob and smash are introduced for the more-advanced players. Everyone in the upper school gets the opportunity to play in the Belmont tournaments. - Athletics
- A Summer Term activity climaxing on Sports Day. Upper school pupils practise and get timed/measured at 100m, 200m, 800m, 1500m (for the better middle-distance runners), hurdles, relays, long jump, high jump and shot put.
