PE at key stages 3 and 4

There are 27 units, of which a minimum of 12 could form a complete scheme of work for key stages 3 and 4.

There are three types of units for each type of activity - development, intermediate and advanced. Each is designed to be taught over 12-18 hours within a two-year period. The development units are suitable for years 7 and 8, the intermediate units are suitable for years 9 and 10, and the advanced units are suitable for years 10 and 11. There are also link units, which are suitable for use in key stage 2 and which bridge the transition between key stages 2 and 3. Each link unit is designed to be taught over 8-12 hours.

The timings do not mean that the units have to be interpreted in half-term or full-term blocks of time. Teachers may decide to introduce a unit before the end of one term, for example, and carry on work into the next. This might be particularly relevant in an activity like athletics, where work indoors in the spring term might precede outdoor work in the often short and concentrated summer term. Teachers might also decide to teach part of a unit in one year and the remainder of the unit in the following year. To achieve good continuity and progression, schools will need to consider the most effective ways of organising and distributing the time allocated to each unit and group of units.

The material within each unit could be taught as one continuous and complete module, or it could be split into a number of lessons to suit the type of activity being taught, for example blocked swimming twice a week for six to eight weeks, or gymnastic activities distributed once weekly over a term. Teachers may decide that the gymnastic units should extend into the beginning of the next term to promote continuity that will lead to effective progression. Also there may be opportunities to reinforce principles and techniques taught in one unit with work planned in another unit, for example in similar types of games, and the overall teaching time could be adjusted accordingly.

Schools need to ensure that they have sufficient evidence of pupils' learning across a range of activities. Completing a mixture of development and intermediate units by the end of key stage 3 will limit repetition of learning and allow pupils to work at an appropriate level of challenge when they are ready for it. Coverage of the requirements of the programmes of study, in terms of breadth of study, while ensuring that pupils progress in their learning, may be achieved by completing, for example, one link unit, six development units across three areas of activity, four intermediate units across two or three areas of activity, and one advanced unit.

Time allocation

Each link unit is designed to be taught in 8-12 hours. All other units in key stages 3 and 4 are expected to require 12-18 hours of teaching.

This time allocation is based on recommendations in the 1995 review of the curriculum and QCA's research on the range of times allocated by schools to PE. The times do not include changing or travelling time. They are indicative only; they do not constitute a recommended time for PE.

Teachers should note that the government believes that two hours of physical activity a week, including the national curriculum for PE and extra-curricular activities, should be an aspiration for all schools. This applies throughout all key stages. The scheme of work indicates how this aspiration might be achieved in lesson time.

Coverage of the programme of study

The units cover the programmes of study for key stages 3 and 4 PE. However, the programme sets out a minimum entitlement for PE, so schools are free to supplement the units and decide the depth and breadth of coverage. Teachers may need to adjust the units to suit pupils' needs and the time available.

Teaching and learning approaches

The units suggest a range of approaches to teaching and learning, including:

• direct teaching, through whole-class and small group sessions;
• opportunities for pupils to demonstrate, practise and apply their learning, either on their own or with others with varying degrees of support;
• opportunities for pupils to solve problems, use their imagination and be creative;
• opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own learning;
• opportunities for pupils to lead others in a variety of situations;
• opportunities for pupils to officiate.

The approaches may need to be adapted to meet pupils' needs.

Certain key words are used in the 'Possible teaching activities' of the units.

The key words are:
Ask	pupils to show what they can already do. This is achieved by revisiting tasks and activities and then exploring a wider range of possibilities
Help	pupils to improve on what they can already do and gain a better understanding of what is expected of them in the way they must carry out the core tasks and other learning activities, and in the quality of their work. They achieve this understanding by exploring possibilities, being shown new ideas and watching others, and discussing alternatives and key ideas. The result will be that pupils start to select and apply skills and tactics or compositional ideas to suit both the activity and what they do best
Teach	at those times in the lesson or unit when pupils are ready to acquire a new skill or concept, or to revise an activity they have done before but in a new way. As they explore and then select and apply new skills and ideas there will be moments when they need to be taught something new to help them to be more consistent or to operate in different ways
Talk	to a whole group or individuals to explain what, why and how they can perform and think. This will help them to consolidate their performance, enabling them to be more accurate, consistent and fluent
Listen	to what the pupils have to say about what they can and cannot do and how they feel about what they are learning. This will provide information to help the teacher adapt, modify or extend activities to suit the pupils better. It will also help to indicate when to move on and challenge the pupils with a different task or activity

As pupils progress through a unit, they will go through a series of steps in the way they learn, apply their learning and improve the quality of their performance. Teachers need to recognise which level pupils have reached and seek to move them on to the next step. The steps are set out in the table on the next page.

The steps start by asking pupils to show what they already know and can do. Most units and lessons begin with an introduction that links the work to what has previously been learnt and experienced, and which helps pupils to understand what they need to learn and do next. Pupils then explore ideas and activities to discover the range of possibilities that exist. The process of exploring will help pupils to identify what new skills and knowledge they need to develop, and what is expected of them in terms of the quality of their work. Exploration will lead pupils to make decisions about how to select and apply skills and tactics or compositional ideas in the most appropriate manner to meet the demands of the core tasks. Feedback and opportunities for focused practice will enable pupils to consolidate and refine their performance skills, as well as ensuring that they develop the confidence to take the initiative in making decisions about how they adapt and vary the way they perform.

Step	Pupils:
Introduction	need to be shown and told what they must do so that they are clear about what is expected of them
Exploration	try out what they can already do, experiment with new skills and ideas they are shown or taught, and focus on important areas that will contribute to them performing well in the core tasks
Selection and application	make decisions about the skills and ideas that are most appropriate to the task. They start to use them consistently in the tasks set. Often, they will need to be taught which skills and ideas are the best to select
Consolidation and refinement	practise their skills and ideas in the context of the activity. They become more secure and confident with what they do. They vary their approach little but improve the slickness and fluency of their performance
Adaptation and extension	need to be challenged to find alternative ways of performing. They begin to make use of a wider range of skills and ideas in the tasks and start to vary their approach as the need arises and the situation changes
Change of context/environment	need to restructure their thinking by being moved on to a similar task with new parameters, or in a new environment or context

Long-term plans

The table below describes how the units relate to and build on each other, and how they can be organised into a scheme of work. It is up to schools to decide whether they wish to use this model in full, or to customise individual units or combinations of units to suit their own circumstances.

There are four types of units in the PE scheme of work:

• link (only provided for dance activities, games activities - including invasion games, net/wall games, striking and fielding games - and gymnastic activities);
• development;
• intermediate;
• advanced.

The level and focus of the units

	Year group	Level	Focus
Link	challenging unit for year 6 consolidates knowledge in year 7	4	consolidating knowledge and skills learnt in key stage 2 challenging pupils to adapt and extend their performance
Development	for the majority of pupils in year 7 and 8	4 to 5	developing competency developing activity-specific technique securing knowledge and understanding of the key principles associated with the activity helping pupils to evaluate their experiences and come to decisions about their preferences and aptitudes providing breadth of experience across activities
Intermediate	for year 8 pupils of exceptional ability requiring an additional challenge for year 9 pupils who have demonstrated work characteristic of level 5 and are ready to progress for year 10 pupils who are consolidating some elements of their key stage 4 work	5 to 6	providing greater depth of study across activities providing opportunities for leading and officiating in chosen activities designing and implementing training and activity programmes extending the work to 'reach into' the key stage 4 programme of study
Advanced	for year 10 pupils who have demonstrated work characteristic of levels 6 and 7; and are ready to progress year 11 pupils who are ready to progress beyond level 7; these pupils may be studying GCSE PE year 12 pupils who are extending their studies to include accredited courses in physical education	6 to 8 and exceptional achievement	providing opportunities for leading an activity providing opportunities to devise and organise competitions, performances and festivals providing opportunities for further development of officiating skills implementing, monitoring and evaluating training and activity programmes analysing their own and others' work and taking the initiative to develop and improve it enabling pupils to make their own decisions providing extension activities to promote exceptional performance providing links to GCSE, courses such as Junior Sports Leader Award, coaching qualifications and other relevant courses linking key stage 4 with post-16 opportunities for study and involvement

Units in one area of activity, or specific game type, build on each other. The core tasks identified in each unit grow in demand from unit to unit. Teachers could, for example, organise their classes so that some are working on tasks from the development unit while others are working on tasks from the intermediate unit. The level of demand made on individual pupils will relate to the rate at which each pupil progresses.

The learning objectives are the same for units of the same level. This enables teachers to revisit aspects of knowledge and skill and to teach pupils to apply them in different activities where they are realised in different ways. Pupils will show progress as they adapt their knowledge and skills to meet the different intentions of the various areas of activity.