PA POLICY MAY 06 Template.doc A Physical Activity Policy should provide a concise outline of the whole school’s commitment to physical activity. The Policy should cover all opportunities for Physical Activity throughout the school day including :- ♣ before the school day ♣ within the Physical Education curriculum ♣ lunchtime games and activities (including supervised play) ♣ after school activities ♣ travelling activities to and from school. This template has been developed to assist you in drafting your Physical Activity Policy. It is based on the guidance produced by the British Heart Foundation in their Active School Pack. 
The template is available for you to complete electronically. Please email your Healthy School Project Officer if you would like a copy. Camden: Chrissie Dillon chrissie.Dillon@camden.gov.uk Islington: Natalie Russell natalie.russell@islingtonpct.nhs.uk SCHOOL NAME: DATE OF POLICY IMPLEMENTATION: DATE OF REVIEW:
 CONTACT NAME: JOB TITLE: 1. AIM Things to consider: This should include an overall ambition for physical activity promotion within the school – what is it that you are trying to achieve? For example: • “To increase the activity levels and wellbeing of the whole school through the provision of a supportive environment that encourages and enhances physical activity and a healthy lifestyle”. 2. OBJECTIVES - WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE? Things to consider: Your objectives should focus on the specific actions that are going to be taken to support and achieve the aim and must be realistic! You may wish to consider objectives for each for the following areas: before the school day For example: • introduce structured physical activity sessions at our breakfast club within the Physical Education curriculum For example: • increase the amount of high quality physical activity to two hours per week for all pupils • provide a curricular physical education programme which meets statutory National Curriculum requirements • to provide consistent messages in school about physical activity both within and outside the taught curriculum. lunchtime games and activities (including supervised play) For example: • train x lunchtime supervisors in playground games • make facilities and equipment available for pupils to use at lunchtime and breaktimes • hold weekly structured exercise classes in school hall at lunchtimes • establish lunchtime football competition after school activities and training opportunities For example: • increase participation by x in x afterschool club • set up x new sports clubs • Opportunities are provided for staff, TA’s, AOTTs and volunteers to receive appropriate in service training travelling activities to and from school For example: • set up a walking bus scheme • provide cycling training for pupils and staff • Implement Camden’s “Walk on Wednesday” scheme 3. OUTLINE OF FACILITIES AVAILABLE FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Things to consider List on-site facilities available for physical activity (including playground facilities) and any off-site facilities which are used 4. STAFFING LEVELS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Things to consider: ♣ identify the person with overall responsibility for the Physical Activity Policy and outline his/her responsibilities ♣ identify the PE co-ordinator and/or Primary Link Teacher and outline his/her responsibilities ♣ highlight any other member(s) of staff with a responsibility for a specific aspect of activity provision eg School Sports Coordinator , PSHE Co-ordinator, Senior Management Team (specify who) etc ♣ identify AOTTs involved in physical activity provision and outline their contribution NAME OF STAFF MEMBER/AOTT RESPONSIBILITIES 5. CURRICULUM PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMME This should: ♣ identify the time allocation to physical education ♣ provide an outline of the content of curricular provision for each Key Stage – specifying the length of each lesson and showing how many lessons there are each term for each activity area ♣ indicate how schemes of work outline a planned a planned approach to health-related activity to ensure that National Curriculum requirements are met ♣ identify cross-curricular links, skills and themes 6. OUT OF HOURS LEARNING PROGRAMME This should provide an outline of: ♣ when out-of –hours learning activities are offered ♣ approximately how many different opportunities are provided each term ♣ to which year groups they are offered and whether sessions are for boys only, girls only or mixed ♣ whether the focus in on teams and taking part in fixtures or is participation-based with all pupils encouraged to attend ♣ who leads out-of-hours learning activities ♣ who pays for OSHL activities – staffing, equipment, venue hire 7. ENCOURAGING PUPILS, PARENTS/CARERS AND STAFF TO WALK OR CYCLE TO SCHOOL UNDER SAFE CONDITIONS Things to consider: ♣ who leads on encouraging the school community to walk and cycle? ♣ how is this encouraged? Do you have a school travel plan or implement walk-to-school week for example? 8. TRAINING Please identify: ♣ who is responsible for INSET/ professional development ♣ identify the budget that has been put aside for training related to physical activity ♣ provide a statement on the school’s level of commitment to staff training related to physical activity ♣ please identify the number of staff INSET slots committed to physical activity each year 9. RESOURCE PROVISION Please identify: ♣ who is responsible for co-ordinating the purchase of resources ♣ identify the annual school budget that has been put aside for resourcing physical activity ♣ identify non school funders for resources (grants, SSCO OSHL, A4A etc) 10. INVOLVING PARENTS AND CARERS How will parents be involved? You may wish to consider: • inviting parents to be involved in the delivery of Physical Education at before or after school clubs • offering before, during or after-school opportunities and support for parents to exercise • providing training opportunities for parents through the School Sports Coordinator Program to enable parents to facilitate PE. • involving parents in sports days, walk-to-school week and health week events • ensuring parents are consulted in the development of a school travel plan • providing information leaflets on the importance of physical activity and tips for increasing children’s time spent exercising 11. SCHOOL POLICIES ON SPECIFIC ISSUES, EG EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES, SAFETY This should include an outline of the school’s policies on five key areas: 1 STATEMENT ON ENTITLEMENT AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES All pupils in the school including those with special needs, are entitled to a comprehensive programme of physical activity which: • fulfils the statutory national curriculum requirements • takes into account their individual needs and interests • provides them with opportunities to pursue activity beyond the school The Physical Activity opportunities offered both within and outside of curriculum time: • Provide all pupils with EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES to participate and to achieve in different activities • Ensure that all children have ACCESS to a varied programme which allows children the opportunity to meet the national expectations as outlined in the PE National Curriculum 2 DIFFERENTIATION For example: Physical activity provision within this school is developmentally appropriate and a variety of teaching and learning approaches and organisational management are adopted to ensure that: • Tasks are matched to pupils of different abilities, needs and interests by balancing challenge with the likelihood of success • Pupils at different starting points all make progress 3 INCLUSION OF THOSE WITH SPECIFIC DISABILITIES AND/OR HEALTH CONDITIONS For example: • The school assists pupils with specific disabilities/health conditions and provides effective learning opportunities as appropriate. Activities are adapted to suit individual requirements as appropriate, this may include modifying a task, offering a parallel or separate activity. 4 ASSESSMENT/RECORDING/REPORTING This should: Specify how pupils’ progress and achievement will be assessed, recorded and reported and how frequently this will be carried out. Assessment should be identified in short and medium term plans which ensure progressions between year groups. Teachers should check whether their LEA has assessment policy guidelines Examples of methods of monitoring pupil improvement include: • Assessment criteria in lesson plans • Teacher observation of pupil performance in lessons – looking at both effort and achievement and cross referencing the level of achievement to QCA outcomes • Questions pupils – to find out what they did/did not enjoy • Record pupil involvement in an and achievement of national governing body awards or develop specific school schemes to enable pupils to be involved in self assessment • Pupil records of participation in physical activity (via a physical activity diary) 5 HEALTH AND SAFETY This should: Outline the steps taken to ensure the safety of pupils participating in physical activity A safety policy should specify steps taken to ensure staff teaching PE take necessary precautions to minimise risk For example: • Pupils are taught the procedures and information relating to minimising accidents during PE lessons. Staff involved in physical activity lessons/clubs are trained in order that they are fully aware of the risks arising and potential health and safety liabilities eg equipment, clothing and jewellery. All staff are referred to the BALPE document “Safe Practice in PE” 12. CONSULTATION AND DISSEMINATION To ensure your policy and the provision of physical activity is relevant to your school, you must consult the school community. In this section, refer to the consultation that you have carried out and/or intend to carry out. Things to consider: • how will you consult with pupils about the types of physical activity opportunities offered to them by the school? • have you consulted widely on the development of the policy ? • how have you promoted the policy? (eg school newsletter, letter to parents?) • will you launch the new policy? • how do new parents, pupils and staff find out about the policy? 13. PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING & EVALUATING THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY POLICY Monitoring and evaluating procedures need to be considered and put in place at the planning stage and there should be commitment to this process. Measures that could be used include: ♣ teacher, governors/staff, pupil feedback ♣ increased % of pupils achieving two hours participation each week in high quality PE ♣ number of pupils walking or cycling to school ♣ pupil participation in our-of-hours learning activities ♣ how broad and balanced the curriculum is 14. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN Healthy School Programme CRITERIA ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE THE CRITERIA 1.Provides clear leadership and management to develop and monitor its physical activity policy 2. Has a whole school physical activity policy – developed through wide consultation, implementation, monitored and evaluated for impact 3. Ensures a minimum 2 hours of structured physical activity each week to all of its pupils in or outside the school curriculum 4. Provides opportunities for all pupils to participate in a broad range of extra curriculum activities that promote physical activity 5. Consults with pupils about the physical activity opportunities offered by the school, identifies barriers to participation and seeks to remove them 6. Involves Schools Sports Coordinators and other community resources in provision of activities 7. Encourages pupils, parents/carers and staff to walk or cycle to school under safe conditions, utilising the school travel plan 8. Gives parents/carers the opportunity to be involved in the planning and delivery of physical activity opportunities and helps them to understand the benefits of physical activity for themselves and their children 9. Ensures that there is appropriate training provided for those involved in providing physical activities 10. Encourages all staff to undertake physical activity Physical Activity Policy_files/PA%20POLICY%20MAY%2006%20Template.docmailto:chrissie.Dillon@camden.gov.ukmailto:natalie.russell@islingtonpct.nhs.ukshapeimage_1_link_0shapeimage_1_link_1shapeimage_1_link_2