At Benhall Infant School, we believe that physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives.  Physical activity is threaded throughout our provision so that children can develop the fine and gross motor skills they need for health and function.

Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout the child’s journey through our school. By creating games and providing opportunities for play and learning both indoors and outdoors, teaching staff can support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility. Gross motor skills provide the foundation for developing healthy bodies and social and emotional well-being.   Fine motor control and precision helps with hand-eye co-ordination which is later linked to early literacy. Repeated and varied opportunities to explore and play with small world activities, puzzles, arts and crafts and the practise of using small tools, with feedback and support from adults, allow children to develop proficiency, control and confidence.

Key features of promoting physical development

Features of effective PE teaching have been identified and are implemented through a range of physical activities within daily routines, provision and PE Lessons

These are:

• Developing positive learning behaviours through reliable, consistent teaching habits
• Inclusive language and learning environments that value all
• Offer appropriate levels of challenge
• Deliberately chosen activities that focus on sequences of progression
• Shifts ownership of the learning to the children
• Promotes a culture of feedback and response within a physically and emotionally safe environment

How we teach physical development

• Fine motor activities a part of continuous provision in all classrooms and within outdoor provision
• Gross motor activities a key part of continuous provision, usually located outside
• Encouraging daily physical activity through the daily mile and our play spaces on the playgrounds and field
• Fortnightly Forest school sessions with a qualified forest school-teacher
• Twice weekly, whole class PE teachers – Real PE, Real Gym or Real Dance
• Extra-curricular clubs and activities
• Fine and Gross Motor interventions
• Entering local competitions – Tennis Tournament, Feet First Dance
• Holding an inclusive sports day each summer term
• Connecting the curriculum to the teaching of using tools in writing, art and DT
• Connecting the curriculum to whole school performance

The child’s progression as a mover

At Pre-school, I am a mini mover who is developing an awareness of how I use my body to manipulate my toys and tools.  I take immense pleasure in my achievements as I master new skills and techniques.  As a mini sportsperson I am interested in new physical challenges and willing to let my trusted adults and friends to support me to take risks to improve and develop my physical performance.  I have a “have a go” attitude to new physical challenges.  I still need support when I don’t succeed immediately as I am developing the resilience I need to learn from my mistakes.

I am able to:

• Develop my pencil grip
• use snips to cut
• control my paintbrush
• use tools to make marks
• move freely and with confidence when walking, running, skipping, hopping, sliding  
• climb using alternate feet to get higher
• throw a large ball  
• catch a large ball
• run adjusting speed and direction to avoid obstacles  
• balance on one foot for a brief time
• know when I am active it is good for me
• Show I am confident in my physical movement  
• talk about how my body feels after exercise

In reception, I am an early mover who has a desire to develop my independent skills for writing, creating and activities of daily living.  I can show effective co-ordination and control when using a variety of tools and show pride in my achievements.  As an early sportsperson I am confident to take on new physical challenges and willing to take risks to improve and develop my physical performance.  I enjoy trying new physical challenges and learn new games and skills with the support of my teachers.  I am prepared to take risks and know that I won’t always succeed first time, but I shouldn’t give up. 

 I am able to:

• Use a tripod grip that is effective  
• control big and fine paintbrushes
• explore malleable materials in a variety of ways (patting, squeezing, pinching, and twisting)
• use scissors with good control cutting along a given line 
• beginning to use tools with increasing control
• form my letters and numbers correctly and with control
• hold paper in position and use my preferred hand for writing using a correct pencil grip
• experiment with movement and move in different ways  
• get on and off apparatus successfully
• travel around, under through, over equipment
• jump off an object and land safely
• negotiate space whilst playing racing and chasing games  
• have control over my body  
• move safely
• understand the importance of exercise and diet for good health  
• show control whilst moving in a variety of ways
• run successfully and skilfully negotiating space and avoiding moving obstacles
• show excellent co-ordination when throwing, catching, and kicking large scale equipment  
• show excellent control when moving in a variety of ways on and off equipment  
• begin to show tactics when playing racing and chasing games  
• hop confidently and skip in time to music
• talk about ways to stay healthy including exercise, diet, and safety
• go to the toilet independently
• know about and can make healthy choices in relation to eating and exercise
• dress and undress independently successfully managing buttons, fastenings, or laces  

In KS1, I am mover who has adopted a dynamic tripod grip that allows me to manipulate my pen effectively in my dominant hand.  I can use my supporting hand to position and support the paper in my preferred position.  I understand that my posture will have an impact on my writing.  I enjoy handwriting and can form my letters and have elevated expectations for the presentation of my work.  I will rewrite my work if it does not demonstrate those elevated expectations.   As a sportsperson I am inspired to try a broad range of physical activities.  The new experiences I have will help me to follow the type of physical activity I enjoy so that I can develop the skills and competencies to excel in those areas.  I am not afraid to move out of my comfort zone and open to a range of new or more challenging sports.  I enjoy being physically active for sustained periods of time, alone and with my friends.  I understand that some sport is competitive, but while I strive to win, I should enjoy taking part.  I demonstrate the benefits of a healthy life and being active in my day-to-day life.  I am encouraged to lead, officiate and participate within lessons to give opportunities to develop as sportsperson and leader. 

 I am able to:

• Write neatly using a pen 
• Form my letters correctly 
• Sit my letters on the line 
• Space my words and letters appropriately 
• Cross out my mistakes with a single line  
• Demonstrate the resilience needed to rewrite my work if I am not happy with the presentation 
• Perform dances using simple movement patterns. 
• Participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending. 
• Master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching.  
• Develop balance, agility and coordination and begin to apply these in a range of activities. 
• Apply what I have learnt about the importance of an active lifestyle in my day-to-day experiences.