Head of Department: Dave White

Members of department:

• Andrew Cotterill
• Kathleen D'Arcy
• Sam Jones
• Tina Patel
• Jonathan Signore
• Grant Solder

The PE Department currently has 6 full time members of staff, 1 part time teacher and 1 department teaching assistant, all of whom teach within and beyond the framework laid down by the National Curriculum for PE. We teach a broad and balanced programme of physical activities where differentiated work is set as appropriate. Pupils are challenged at their own level and relative success is recognised.

The current Physical Education department is very strong, supportive and committed to working together as an effective team, one that is determined to build on recent successes and to develop other areas of the curriculum presently offered to Morpeth pupils. It is our intention to set realistic goals and ensure positive feedback so that each pupil is aware of his/her own progress and gains the confidence to achieve a higher level. All pupils are assessed at the end of each practical six week unit of work.

Through learning different sets of physical and organisational skills, pupils will acquire essential social skills and work through many different emotions including the concept of ‘winning and losing’. The ability to offer and accept constructive criticism is emphasised. Maximum involvement and a high level of achievement is expected of every pupil. We strive to ensure that all examination candidates have the best conditions under which to complete practical and written work.

All lessons in Year 7 are mixed gender/ability and they receive one core lesson each week that lasts one hour and fifty minutes. In Year 8 and Year 9 pupils are taught in single sex groups, the exception being one gifted and talented mixed gender group due to cohort numbers. The activities that are taught include:

Athletics,

Net games - Badminton, Table Tennis or Volleyball

Dance,

Invasion Games - Football, Netball or Basketball

Gymnastics,

Trampolining,

Health Related Fitness

Striking and Fielding Games – Rounders or Cricket

Rock Climbing

These activities are mainly carried out on site making use of the new sports hall, a gymnasium, a dance studio, a purpose built table tennis hall and a multi fitness weights room. We also have our own theory classroom. We are expecting a MUGA (Multi Use Games Area) to be completed on site by 2012.

Health Related Fitness is taught in year 8 and 9 and there is an expectation that pupils learn terminology connected with GCSE theory. At Key Stage 4 pupils currently follow a set programme during year 10 that incorporates the Sports Leadership Award Level 1. All year 10’s study: Badminton, Climbing, Football, Mini games, Table Tennis and Weight Training as part of the course. These activities are done on and off site and introduce the pupils to facilities available in the local community. Year 11’s participate in three 10 week programmes selecting from the above options. The main emphasis is on participation and enjoyment.

There are two GCSE classes following the EDEXCEL course and since 2003 there has been a significant improvement in the results. There is also one BTEC Sport Level 2 class in Key stage 4 and a BTEC Sport LEVEL 3 course class in Key Stage 5.

The department has developed an extensive extra-curricular programme to meet the demands of the pupils. It offers a wide range of activities and is actively involved in events run by Tower Hamlets. Fixtures are arranged with many of the local schools and extra curricular activities receive support not only in a physical sense, but also financially. Over the last three years Morpeth table tennis programme has become a centre of excellence with the school regularly reaching the English Schools finals. Many of the pupils on the programme are highly ranked in London, Essex and England. Our Girls U16 team has twice been selected to represent England at the World Schools Championships and we are hoping Ashley Facey-Thompson will represent Great Britain in the Paralympics in London 2012.

We currently run clubs for girls and boys in the following activities: athletics, badminton, basketball, cricket, cycling, dance, football, gymnastics, netball, table tennis, weight training and trampolining. The school also competed in the Panathlon multi sport event and has regularly reached the London final, and in 2004 managed to reach the national final at Crystal Palace.

In general terms our aim is to equip all pupils at Morpeth with the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to participate in and enjoy sport. It is our aim that these skills are developed to empower them for life, creating an interest in sport and health that promotes future participation in physical activity beyond their school education.