Physical Education

Our Vision

At Hilltop Primary Academy, PE is about far more than sport. It is a vital part of every child’s development. It is about building confidence, resilience, cooperation and healthy habits for life. Through a carefully planned, inclusive and inspiring curriculum, we aim to ensure that every child leaves us with the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm to lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

Our PE curriculum is designed to be progressive in both skills and knowledge, while remaining fun, inclusive and engaging for all pupils — including those in our Nursery and our Enhanced Resource. We are committed to helping every child foster a lifelong love of being physically active.

Our curriculum has been carefully developed to ensure full coverage of the National Curriculum, following guidance from the Department for Education. PE is taught through well-planned and sequenced units that build on prior learning and enable children to deepen their understanding over time.

A Progressive and Inclusive Curriculum

At Hilltop, we follow a two-year rolling cycle to ensure:

• Clear progression in skills and knowledge.
• Full coverage of a broad range of sports and physical activities.
• No repetition of content for children in mixed-age classes.

This structure ensures that all pupils, regardless of their year group or starting point, experience a varied and carefully mapped PE journey.

We use the Complete PE scheme to support the delivery of high-quality lessons. Complete PE provides:

• Clearly sequenced units with progressive skill development.
• Adaptive teaching cards for a range of special, educational needs.
• A strong focus on both physical competence and personal development.
• Engaging lesson structures that build confidence and enjoyment.
• A values-based approach, promoting teamwork, resilience and respect.

Broader Opportunities and Specialist Teaching

Every Wednesday, pupils are taught by specialist coaches from Primary Stars. These sessions broaden children’s experiences through a wide range of activities — including fencing, boccia and archery — helping them discover an activity they enjoy and may pursue beyond primary school.

Children in EYFS and Key Stage 1 attend sporting events through Primary Stars, building confidence and introducing them to competition. In Key Stage 2, pupils take part in a range of competitive events at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School (QEGS), linked to our two-year cycle. This ensures a strong balance of participation and competition, while promoting sportsmanship, teamwork and respect.

In Year 5, pupils can join the Active Leaders programme, delivered by Primary Stars during a weekly lunchtime session. Through a progressive scheme, they develop leadership skills such as communication, organisation and responsibility before applying them by leading activities for younger pupils and earning their Leadership in Sport badges.

Swimming and Water Safety

During their time at Hilltop, children take part in swimming lessons for a total of three terms (equivalent to a full academic year). This extended provision supports pupils in developing essential swimming techniques and vital water safety skills, ensuring they meet national expectations and feel confident in the water.

Parent overview of PE across the year, with a breakdown of skills from each unit:

National curriculum for PE: