PE and Physical Activity
“Regular Physical activity improves health and mental well-being.”
World Health Organisation
At Mossgate, physical education and activity are at the heart of our curriculum. We believe regular physical activity supports children’s physical and mental wellbeing, helping our children thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Intent
We are committed to:
delivering a high-quality PE curriculum that inspires pupils to succeed and excel in a variety of physical activities, including competitive sport
giving all pupils opportunities to become physically confident, developing agility, balance, coordination, and healthy participation
ensuring children are active for sustained periods and meet the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of at least 60 minutes daily
helping pupils lead active and healthy lives, while building confidence, resilience, and independence
encouraging curiosity, safe risk-taking, and trying new activities
developing pupils as responsible and respectful citizens who positively contribute to their school, community, and wider world
Implementation
What does PE and Physical Activity look like at Mossgate?
From Nursery and Reception, children develop fundamental movement skills, coordination, balance, and spatial awareness through rich, active play and structured activities. These early experiences build confidence, resilience, and a lifelong love of movement.
As pupils progress through Key Stage 1 and 2, they continue to develop these skills, learning more complex, sport-specific techniques while also building teamwork, fair play, and healthy competition.
Our PE curriculum provides clear progression from EYFS to Year 6, supporting physical wellbeing, personal development, and lifelong participation in sport, while ensuring all pupils benefit from an inclusive programme that nurtures their physical, social, and emotional growth.
Active School
We ensure children engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity daily through:
daily runs for children
active playtimes with equipment and games
classroom brain breaks
a wide range of extra-curricular sports clubs
encouraging active travel to school
“Active children make strong students”
Dr William Bird
A video made in collaboration with Dr William Bird, Intelligent Health and The Youth Sport Trust.
Purpose: This film is for teachers to understand what exercise does to our cells - encouraging physical activity in schools.
Curriculum Enrichment
Pupils experience a wide variety of sports, building skills, confidence, and understanding of the values each sport promotes. Activities include balance bikes, cycling proficiency, OAA, dodgeball, golf, wheel chair basket ball, archery and judo.
Outdoor and Adventurous Activities (OAA)
OAA is delivered through lessons, activity days, and residential trips, including:
Orienteering, team building, and survival skills in KS2
Year 2 climbing, Year 3 caving, Year 4 Ghyll scrambling, Year 6 paddle boarding and kayaking
Year 5 Lakeside residential with kayaking, low ropes, orienteering, and the king swing and much more.
Swimming and Water Safety
Year 5 pupils attend weekly swimming lessons at Bay Leadership Swimming Pool, aiming to:
swim competently and confidently over 25m
use a range of strokes efficiently
perform safe self-rescue in different water situations
Year 6 pupils participate in “top-up” sessions if required.
At the end of Year 4, Pupils partake in fun taster sessions to prepare them for their year 5 swimming lessons.
Pupil Voice March 2026
"I love swimming lessons. When we first started, I couldn't swim but now I can!" Year 5 Pupil.
"Swimming lessons are great fun. At the end of our sessions we get to do aqua fit with music!" Year 5 Pupil.
Health and Wellbeing
Health and wellbeing are a priority. Each autumn, the school runs a whole-school focus, linking physical activity with DT, Science, and PSHCE to promote active, healthy lifestyles for children and families.
Competitive Sport
Pupils compete in intra- and inter-school competitions, developing skills, confidence, and Mossgate values of kindness, courage, courtesy, honesty, responsibility, and respect.
Sports include athletics, hockey, rugby, netball, korfball, handball, dodgeball, rounders, football, tri golf and gymnastics. We work closely with SSCO Tim Fletcher and The Bay Leadership Academy, who provide specialist coaching, staff training, and support for competitions.
Pupil Voice March 2026
"I loved learning skills to play handball because I like trying new sports," Year 4 Pupil.
"I really enjoyed the rugby unit we covered this half term as I got better and I went to play for school in a tournament," Year 6 pupil.
Impact
At Mossgate, our PE provision promotes physical development while contributing to pupils’ personal development, wellbeing, and readiness for life beyond school.
Pupils leave Mossgate with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to lead active, healthy lifestyles. They demonstrate improved physical competence across a range of activities and show confidence, resilience, and positive attitudes towards participation, competition, and teamwork. Through a carefully sequenced curriculum, pupils build on prior learning and apply skills effectively in increasingly complex situations. Assessment is used effectively to inform teaching and ensure progression; staff use the Lancashire Primary PE Passport App to assess, record, and evidence attainment, enabling clear tracking of pupil development over time. As a result, pupils are well-prepared for the next stage of their education and have developed a lifelong appreciation of physical activity and its importance for both physical and mental wellbeing.
Rachel Wood, Rowan Class Teacher and PE Lead, March 2026