Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity

Inspiring Healthy, Active Lifestyles at St James’

At St James’ Church of England Primary School, we recognise the important role that Physical Education (PE), school sport and physical activity play in supporting the health, happiness and overall development of our children.

We believe that every child should have the opportunity to enjoy being active, develop physical confidence and experience the many benefits of sport. Through a broad, balanced and inclusive PE curriculum, alongside a range of extracurricular activities and sporting opportunities, we aim to inspire a lifelong love of physical activity.

Physical education and sport are about much more than developing physical skills. They help children build resilience, teamwork, determination, self-confidence and positive relationships. They also make an important contribution to children's physical and mental wellbeing.

We are committed to ensuring that all pupils, regardless of their ability or background, have opportunities to participate, achieve and flourish.

Our School Sport Partnership

We are proud to be part of the Blackburn with Darwen School Sport Partnership (BwD SSP), which provides valuable opportunities to enhance physical education, school sport and physical activity across our school. Through this partnership, our children benefit from access to a wider range of sporting competitions, festivals and inclusive events, giving them opportunities to develop new skills, represent St James’ and experience the enjoyment of participating in sport. Our involvement in the partnership also supports staff professional development, helping us to continually improve the quality of PE teaching and the sporting opportunities available to our pupils. We actively encourage participation in both competitive and non-competitive activities, recognising that every child's sporting journey is different and that personal achievement, enjoyment and participation are equally important.

PE and Sport Premium Funding

The Primary PE and Sport Premium is additional government funding provided to eligible primary schools to improve the quality of physical education, physical activity and school sport. This funding enables schools to provide additional opportunities, strengthen staff expertise and make sustainable improvements that benefit both current and future pupils. At St James’, we are committed to using our PE and Sport Premium funding effectively to enhance our provision, remove barriers to participation and ensure that all children have access to high-quality physical education and sporting experiences.

How We Use Our Funding

Our funding supports the following priorities:

1. Increasing participation in physical activity: Encouraging all children to lead active, healthy lifestyles through high-quality PE lessons, active playtimes, lunchtime activities and extracurricular opportunities.

2. Raising the profile of PE and sport: Celebrating sporting achievements, promoting the importance of physical and mental wellbeing and recognising the positive contribution of physical activity to school life.

3. Developing staff confidence and expertise: Providing professional development, training and support to ensure that staff have the knowledge, skills and confidence to deliver high-quality PE.

4. Broadening sporting opportunities: Introducing children to a diverse range of sports and physical activities, including opportunities they may not otherwise experience.

5. Increasing participation in sporting events and competitions: Working with our School Sport Partnership to provide inclusive festivals, competitions and opportunities for children to represent their school.

Making a Lasting Difference

We recognise that the impact of PE and Sport Premium funding should extend beyond a single academic year. Our focus is on making sustainable improvements that strengthen our PE curriculum, develop staff expertise and establish positive attitudes towards physical activity. We regularly review our provision and evaluate the impact of our funding to ensure that it is making a meaningful difference to pupils' participation, confidence, physical development and wellbeing.

Our PE and Sport Premium Reports

Schools are required to publish information about how they use their PE and Sport Premium funding and the impact it has on pupils. Please see the documents below for details of our funding allocation, expenditure, key priorities and the impact of our PE and sport provision.

PE and Sport Premium Funding Reports

Our annual reports provide further information about how we use the funding to support high-quality PE, physical activity and school sport at St James’. We are proud of the sporting opportunities we provide and remain committed to helping every child discover the enjoyment, confidence and wellbeing that come from being active.