Curriculum Information for PE
Our Curriculum Journey at Key Stage 3
At Tottington High School, our fully inclusive PE curriculum is designed to support all pupils in becoming educated, active, and healthy citizens. Through a carefully sequenced programme, we aim to develop the core and advanced skills that will prepare learners for competitive sport, an active lifestyle, further education, and careers within the sporting sector.
Curriculum Progression Across Key Stage 3
Year 7 – Skill Development in Isolation
The focus is on building foundational physical skills through isolated practices, helping pupils become confident in movement, control, coordination, and technique. This creates a solid platform for future learning and application.
Year 8 – Applying Skills in Game Scenarios
Students begin to transfer their isolated skills into small-sided and full game contexts, learning to apply techniques in realistic scenarios while developing teamwork, communication, and decision-making.
Year 9 – Tactics and Strategy to Outwit Opponents
Pupils focus on tactical awareness and strategic thinking, aiming to outwit opponents through advanced application of skills. This includes analysing gameplay, understanding systems of play, and adapting to different roles and responsibilities.
Our sport selection is aligned with:
· The Bury Schools Competition Calendar
· Seasonal weather conditions
· Pupil voice to ensure relevance, motivation, and engagement
You will see happy pupils taking part in active lessons. Barriers are removed to promote engagement and inclusivity. This is done by offering a varied and flexible curriculum and by adapting sports and activities when required. The focus is to ‘strive for progress and not perfection’ where each pupil is encouraged to achieve their personal best. We want to see our students arrive to PE with happy faces and leave with red, sweaty and smiley faces.
Each PE teacher will show relentless optimism and positivity to all pupils. They will be their biggest cheerleader and encourage them to achieve their personal goals. The PE department’s positivity will spread contagiously amongst each class and the school community.
You will see happy and self-confident pupils who enjoy and look forward to PE lessons and understand the mental and social benefits of PE in addition to the physical benefits. These benefits will be seen across the whole school curriculum.
In PE, I am assessed as a whole person using a hybrid model called Thinking Me, Physical Me and Social Me.
This approach supports my cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development, recognising that who I am in PE is shaped by my character as much as my physical ability.
Throughout the year, I will take part in twelve different activities and will be assessed across three key areas:
Thinking Me – Knowledge, understanding, ability to analyse performance, give and receive feedback, take responsibility, and apply rules will be assessed through six written assessments out of twenty across the year.
Social Me – Communication, leadership, respect for others, resilience, teamwork, and confidence will be assessed each lesson and scored out of ten at the end of each academic term.
Physical Me – Physical ability, fitness, competitiveness, technical skills, tactical awareness, and problem-solving will be assessed each topic using our practical assessment grids. I will receive a score out of 10 for each sport.
Assessment is spiralled throughout the academic year, meaning key knowledge, skills, and concepts are revisited, applied, and assessed in multiple contexts. This ensures learning is embedded and retained, supporting long-term progression.
End of Year Grades will be calculated using a combination of:
Top 3 Practical Scores achieved across the year (Physical Me)
End of Year Written Assessment score (Thinking Me)
Average of 3 Social Me Scores, reflecting communication, leadership, respect, resilience, effort, and confidence (Social Me)
This balanced approach ensures that students are assessed not only on their performance and progress in physical activities, but also on the character strengths and social skills that are central to long-term success in sport and life.
As a department, we aim to prepare pupils for active, healthy lives beyond school. Our one-week extracurricular programme offers accessible and engaging sports that pupils are most likely to continue with after leaving school. Activities are regularly reviewed through pupil voice, adapted to seasonal conditions, and designed to support broad participation for all students.
To support and extend learning beyond the physical environment, students are set regular homework tasks that focus on:
Comprehension and Application: Reading and answering questions on sport-specific rules, regulations, scoring systems, and tactical elements.
Healthy Active Lifestyles: Tasks exploring topics such as nutrition, sleep, mental well-being, and fitness components, helping students make informed choices for their own health.
These tasks support the Thinking Me strand of assessment, helping pupils gain a deeper understanding of sport and healthy living, reinforcing the connection between practical and academic progress.
Physical education lends itself to a range of careers in sports and fitness as well as other industries that you may not have considered before. Nutritionists, physical therapists and chiropractors are a few examples of jobs where the professional could benefit from having a agree in PE. Some careers that you could consider doing with PE include:
- Sports science
- PE teacher
- Sports Physiotherapy
- Professional sportsperson
- Sports coach/consultant
- Sports policy at local and national level
- Diet and fitness instructor
- Personal trainer
A range of further education opportunities exist that allow students to focus their education into their chosen career path. BTEC Sport level 3 and A level qualifications at further education institutes can lead onto degree level study. Whilst studying for a degree students can tailor their studies towards their desired profession with Sports Science and Sports Business and Management being just two examples.