Is the Physical Education National Curriculum just doing a circuit?

What does the 2014 National Curriculum for physical education involve?

 

The 2014 National Curriculum for physical education lays the aims that students should be competent to excel in a broad range of physical activities, be physically active for sustained periods of time, engaging in competitive sports and lead healthy, active lifestyles. There is a strong emphasis on competitive sports throughout the National Curriculum paper as well as an emphasis on healthy, active lifestyles to combat the obesity crisis. 

Throughout the National Curriculum many themes occur and simply develop throughout each key stage. At each key stage students should be taught how to use tactics, developing from simple attacking and defending tactics in key stage one to being able to use tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in direct competition and in competitive sports.

The development of agility, coordination and balance in activities through key stage one to then being able to use these skills in competitive sports or physical activities such as athletics and gymnastics throughout key stage three and four.

Being able to demonstrate simple dance patterns is on the curriculum for key stage one and is developed through to key stage three as compulsory but is left off the compulsory list for key stage four and is optional as a way of developing technique and performance.

From key stage two through to key stage four outdoor adventurous activities is on the curriculum, in key stage two it is simply to take part in challenges within groups and individually but develops in key stages three and four to be able to take part in physical and intellectual challenges in groups and individually and in key stage four to experience these challenges in a range of environments.

Also, from key stage two to key stage four it is essential for students to start comparing, analysing and evaluating their performances to be able to attain their personal best. 

Through either key stage one or two students must be provided with swimming lessons to ensure that they are competent and confident when swimming a distance of over twenty five metres. Students must be able to perform a range of strokes, breaststroke, back crawl and front crawl for example. During their swimming lessons, students must also be taught and become competent at safe self-rescue and lifesaving skills.

Throughout key stages three and four, students should be encouraged to take part in competitive sports and activities outside of school through community links and club links. 

There is a strong emphasis throughout each key stage that students should be competing against each other as well as themselves and analysing their own performance as to improve their skills and techniques.

(Department for Education, 2014).

 

Below, is a video by the Association for Physical Education about the 2014 National Curriculum and how it is implemented.