Checkendon CE (A) Primary School

Checkendon CE (A) Primary School

Respect, integrity, courage, compassion and hope

Physical Education

 

September 2023

Welcome back and what a fantastic couple of weeks of sport it's been.

Running Club came back with a bang on only our second day, well done everyone for an amazing effort!

Silver Birch and Willow were launched straight into our swimming term. 5 weeks of hour long lessons at The Oratory.  Week 1 was all about aquatic breathing and week 2 the children began working towards their certificates.

Willow are working at Beginner and Improver level and Silver Birch are working at Competent and Proficient level.  The quality of swimming so far this year has been fantastic, it is clear to see improvements all round.

 In PE lessons, Willow and Silver Birch have started the term with Netball. They have all been working on their throwing technique, pivoting and understanding the positions on the court.

 Oak Class have been enjoying working together with parachute games demonstrating great teamwork through moving the parachute across the field without dropping the ball and turning ourselves into a huge mushroom! The mushroom was also a necessity on Tuesday when we were caught in an almighty downpour!

We've also had fun playing the Bean Game, we invented the Ballerina Bean last week! We got out the scarves and ribbons too and used our bodies to make shapes in the air and on the ground.

They have also been showing our new Acorns how we warm up for our lessons by running laps. We run 4 laps at the start of every PE lesson to really get our hearts pumping and our muscles warm. The Acorns have settled in brilliantly and have all been awarded house points for great contribution and learning. Great job Acorns!

Running Break will be back week commencing 18th September. On Monday and Friday break times, every child is encouraged and supported to run just 6 laps of the field which is a kilometre. The younger children often run with a buddy if needed and our Young Leaders are always on hand to cheer everyone on.

Checkendon Primary School has been registered to become a member of the National Schools Equestrian Association. Anyone interested can enter competitions representing the school individually or as part of a team. For more details please talk to our Office. 

Sports Day

I would like to thank everyone who attended Sports Day. The atmosphere was truly magical and despite the gloomy start, the children's enthusiasm remained unwavering. There were activities for everyone, from the Toddler Dash for younger siblings to the Parents Races in the afternoon, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

 

Sports Day and Physical Education have often faced scrutiny regarding their importance and value for our children. We believe that Sports Day is an excellent opportunity to showcase the sporting talents of our students. Even those who may not excel academically can shine in a sporting environment. We want to give them the chance to demonstrate their skills, just like academic students do in the classroom. Our Sports Day was designed not only to celebrate our children's progress but also to bring the entire school community together. We carefully considered the needs of our children and created a mix of traditional and modern, competitive and inclusive events. There is no right or wrong way to celebrate Sports Day, but we hope that we have achieved our goals.

 

I would love to hear your feedback. The children have already shared their thoughts: they overwhelmingly voted to keep some activities at school, so they can practice and perfect their skills. They also voted unanimously in favour of the "increased achievement" category and showed high interest in team events. Our children are not only talented on the field but also highly articulate!  We hope that Sports Day was a fantastic opportunity for our children and families to come together and support their house. Who knows, maybe that community spirit can extend beyond our school and into the community.