"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity."

John F Kennedy

Intent

At Manea, we are committed to inspiring all children to develop a lifelong love of physical activity and sport through high-quality weekly PE lessons, daily physical activity, sports clubs, and participation in cluster competitions. We are dedicated to promoting healthy minds as well as healthy bodies, working to educate both our children and their families on the importance of living active, healthy lifestyles and making informed, positive choices.

Our PE curriculum is designed to ensure that all children leave primary school equipped with the skills, knowledge, and mindset needed to embrace sporting challenges and maintain active lifestyles throughout secondary school and beyond. Through the teaching of high-quality physical education, the embedding of our whole-school values, and a whole-child approach, we nurture confident, resilient learners who consistently strive for their personal best and demonstrate strong sportsmanship.

We aim to instil in our pupils the values and skills needed to celebrate and respect the achievements of others, while modestly recognising their own successes. Children are taught the importance of teamwork, communication, and collaboration, and are given opportunities to develop these skills across a range of sporting contexts.

We actively listen to our pupils’ interests and needs, offering a wide variety of active experiences and extra-curricular clubs to broaden their participation. We have established strong links with local clubs and community partnerships to ensure that both children and their families have access to the support, opportunities, and knowledge they need to thrive.

Additionally, we promote spiritual development by encouraging children to express themselves freely through movement, fostering creativity, self-awareness, and joy in physical activity.

Implementation 

A Rich Curriculum:
We invest in high-quality sporting equipment to offer a broad range of sporting opportunities, ensuring there is sufficient equipment to encourage full participation and engagement for all pupils.

Competition:
All children are provided with the opportunity to participate in competitive activities throughout the academic year, including cluster sports events, sports day, intra- and inter-school competitions, and wider community events.

Inclusion:
We invest in inclusive equipment to ensure that every pupil can fully participate in every lesson. Staff also receive training on the effective use of the STEP principle (Space, Task, Equipment, People) to adapt activities and meet the needs of all learners.

Daily Physical Activity:
We make the most of our extended school day by incorporating additional physical activities such as yoga, short fitness sessions, and active maths and literacy lessons, promoting daily movement and well-being across the curriculum.

How do we teach PE?

EYFS

In the EYFS, through the physical development strand of the curriculum, we plan in physical activity which enables the children to develop early gross and fine skills within continuous provision. An additional structured PE lesson is timetable each week for Reception: the children will develop strength, coordination and positional awareness through planned activities, games, and play.  

KS1/2

In KS1 and KS2 we use the Get Set 4 PE curriculum to plan and teach our lessons. These cover all areas of the curriculum and more. We promote outdoor and indoor PE and activity.  The aim of our PE programme is to develop children's basic physical competencies, build confidence in their ability and build the foundations for a lifelong love of sport, physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. PE lessons encourage children to compete against themselves and others whilst being challenged to improve their physical, social, emotional and thinking skills. These skills are embedded in the heart of our planning.

Swimming

In Year 3-6 the children will learn to swim, or improve their swimming, at March leisure centre. This is taught by qualified swimming teachers supplied at the centre.

Competitive sports

At Manea we take part in school sports games competitions that are held at Wisbech Grammar or at another location. The children take part in a morning or afternoon of skills and matches to participate in.