Physical Education

At the Marchant-Holliday school, our aim is to engage students in a healthy and active lifestyle in a range of sports and activities so that both physical and personal life skills are developed with a lifelong exercise habit being established. We regularly observe the relationship between physical activity and improved mental well-being. Through PE, we see the development of problem solving skills; increased concentration; improved social skills; and growth in confidence and academic achievement among our pupils with SEMH.

Within each class, we encourage the pupils to do additional physical activity, we promote class yoga, mindfulness, and ‘quick burst fitness’ which is a series of 5-minute fun fitness routines. These classroom based routines, increase physical activity levels, are aimed at getting pupils up, active, and ready for learning. 

Pupils who have specific co-ordination difficulties are seen by an occupational therapist and their exercise programmes are delivered daily within the classroom setting. This enables them to develop core strength and improve their motor skills.

The school employs two specialist PE coaches from In2Sport, who deliver a high quality, broad and balanced PE curriculum, which inspires all pupils through well-structured, fun and engaging lessons.

All Year Groups do weekly swimming lessons. We have an indoor pool on site and our swim trained members of staff deliver a programme of swimming skills, pool safety and lifeguarding. There are opportunities for children to engage in a wide variety of extra- curricular sporting activities, clubs, fixtures and competitive sporting events. We have well-established links with the local secondary school and our pupils benefit from joining other primary schools, from the locality, in top links festivals, multiskills days, and inter –school tournaments. Specialist coaches attend the school to deliver archery lessons and the KS1 classes benefit from having sports coaching days from Team Bath at Bath University. As part of our trips, hooks and visitors programme, pupils are taken to see various sporting fixtures such as the Somerset cricket in Taunton.