Intent
At St Cuthbertâs Catholic Primary School, our Physical Education curriculum is designed to nurture confident, active and joyful learners who understand the value of movement for both body and mind. Rooted in high expectations for every child, PE provides a broad and ambitious offer that builds fundamental physical skills progressively from Early Years to Year 6. We aim to develop pupilsâ physical literacy, teamwork, resilience and curiosity, ensuring that all children succeed and thrive. Through carefully sequenced learning, pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need to enjoy sport, stay healthy and develop positive habits for life. Swimming also plays a vital role in our intent, giving pupils essential lifeâsaving skills, confidence in water and an understanding of how to stay safe. We value the role of community engagement, encouraging families to join us for Sports Day, Walk to School Day and local athletics and crossâcountry events, strengthening pupilsâ sense of belonging and pride in representing their school.
Implementation
Our curriculum is coherently planned and sequenced so that pupils revisit and deepen key knowledge and skills across a rich range of activities, including games, dance, gymnastics, athletics, OAA, mindful movement and swimming. Each unit builds incrementally, enabling pupils to know more, do more and remember more over time. Teachers model highâquality practice, present learning clearly and adapt teaching so that all pupils can access and achieve within lessons. The longâterm plan ensures progression in core skills such as balance, coordination, agility, tactical awareness and safe participation, while also developing personal qualities such as cooperation, fairness and respect.
Swimming is delivered as part of our core offer, ensuring pupils learn to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over at least 25 metres, use a range of strokes effectively and understand how to perform safe selfârescue. This provision is carefully adapted so that all pupils can participate fully and make meaningful progress.
Assessment is woven into lessons through observation, feedback and opportunities for pupils to reflect on their performance. Staff work closely with families and external specialists when needed to ensure that sport and physical activity are accessible, meaningful and appropriately challenging for all pupils. Inclusive opportunities such as LSSP Festivals and West Derby Network events enable every child to participate, succeed and enjoy representing the school.
Our extensive extraâcurricular timetable shaped through pupil voice, offers a wide range of afterâschool clubs that are inclusive and accessible to all pupils. Children also participate in LSSP and LDCSA athletics and crossâcountry competitions, developing resilience, sportsmanship and pride as they compete against schools across Liverpool. Leadership skills are strengthened through the LSSP Physical Activity Leaders programme, while initiatives such as Balance Ability and Bike Ability ensure pupils develop essential fundamental movement skills that support wider physical development.
Impact
Through this curriculum, pupils become confident, capable movers who understand how physical activity contributes to their health, wellâbeing and personal development. They demonstrate secure and progressively refined skills across a wide range of disciplines, producing work and performances that reflect depth, control and understanding. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning, collaborate effectively and respond to challenges with resilience and pride.
Swimming has a clear and lasting impact: pupils leave primary school with essential water safety knowledge, confidence in aquatic environments and the ability to swim competently over a sustained distance. These skills contribute to pupilsâ wider wellâbeing and ensure they are prepared for safe participation in future waterâbased activities.
All pupils make meaningful progress from their starting points, with barriers to participation reduced through thoughtful, inclusive practice. Pupils experience success not only within lessons but also through wider opportunities such as competitions, leadership roles, inclusion festivals and community events that strengthen their sense of belonging.
Our PE curriculum ensures that every child leaves St Cuthbertâs knowing that they belong in physical activity, that they can succeed, and that movement is a joyful and empowering part of life supported by a school community that celebrates participation, effort and achievement at every stage.