Education | ED06 | Summer 2019
A Wealden Times & Surrey Homes Magazine
A Wealden Times & Surrey Homes Magazine
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On their marks…<br />
A lifelong love of exercise can be inspired by the right<br />
approach to teaching sport at the earliest stage<br />
Ashford Prep School<br />
Harrison Straw – Head of Pre-Prep PE<br />
I believe it is very important for children to take part in<br />
physical activities right from the start in Reception because<br />
it teaches them about healthy lifestyle and exercise. It also<br />
embeds a culture of teamwork, the feeling of working to<br />
achieve something and the joy of succeeding, as well as<br />
motivation and courage to step outside comfort zones.<br />
Exercise allows children to escape the pressures of the<br />
classroom and stimulates the mind ready for learning<br />
when going back. We find they are able to return to<br />
their lessons with a fresh mind and settle down more<br />
easily after having a break from working their minds.<br />
From Reception to Year 2 children take part in two<br />
hours of PE a week and their activities change every few<br />
weeks, so they get to do gymnastics, tennis, swimming,<br />
multi skills, football, hockey, netball, cricket and rugby.<br />
We start off with multi skills, during which they learn<br />
the key basics of each sport. This prepares them for<br />
competitive sports which they first experience in Year 3.<br />
Dance is also taught to all children at this stage,<br />
which allows the children to be more creative than some<br />
of the other sporting activities. All year groups also<br />
spend an additional hour swimming once a week.<br />
From Year 3 it goes up to four and a half hours<br />
a week, including games sessions with matches. PE<br />
sessions include learning and playing different sports,<br />
including cricket, hockey, netball and football, plus<br />
gymnastics, dance, athletics and water polo.<br />
Occasionally there are children who are unmotivated to<br />
participate and as they get older it is common for them to<br />
dislike a sport if they feel they are not good at it. So we make<br />
sure each lesson is different, with a range of activities so all<br />
children can join in, finding new ways in which children<br />
learn and will get the most out of each session. It is essential<br />
that all PE lessons are fun and engaging for every child.<br />
Ashford School, Ashford, Kent<br />
01233 625171 ashfordschool.co.uk<br />
<br />
23 wealdentimes.co.uk
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