________________________ Physical Education
Riverside Bridge School is committed to promoting the health and well-being of all pupils and staff through physical activity. The aspiration in developing physical activity is to influence the whole school community to establish and maintain lifelong physical activity habits.
Riverside Bridge School strives to maximise opportunities for children, young people and all associated with the school to be physically active by promoting all avenues for activity. This includes the curriculum, environment and wider community.
The promotion of physical activity is delivered through:
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Physical Education lessons led by members of staff and /or our PE specialist teachers;
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cross curricular links in our curriculum – programme, PE, PSHE and science;
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extra-curricular clubs run through our after-school activities;
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playtime activities.
We want our pupils to become physically confident and independent in a way which supports their health and fitness. Through sports participation, we also enable our pupils to build character and embed values such as fairness and respect. From learning how to develop fundamental motor skills to become increasingly more confident and competent, we offer our pupils a broad range of opportunities such as swimming lessons to extend their water-based skills, agility, balance and coordination individually or within a team setting. Our pupils are able to take part in competitive and co-operative physical activities in a range of challenging situations and context such as Borough Panathlon competition and Rock Climbing at the YMCA Leisure Centre.
Through the WJEC Healthy Living and Fitness Award, our pupils learn ways in which they can contribute to a healthy lifestyle and are encouraged to demonstrate activities which will improve their own lifestyle. They learn to become active contributors when working with others on group activities and to be able to review their own progress and skills development and how to identify and work towards goals appropriately. They are provided with the opportunities to develop decision making skills which will enable them to make appropriate choices in their own lives and to develop an understanding of the link between food and health. They are also able to acquire a knowledge and understanding of safety and hygiene when preparing, cooking and serving food.
KS4 & 5 pupils will be offered the OCR Life and Living Skills Entry 1 to 3. This course prepare our pupils for adulthood. The course covers areas such as Literacy, Numeracy and ICT, Employment, Independent Living, Good Health and Community Inclusion. Pupils are assessed in a range of areas suited to their personal level of skill and exposed to a range of out of school learning opportunities. These courses have been developed for learners with a wide range of learning needs and abilities and provide meaningful outcomes through a person-centred approach that prepares learners for adult life. All qualifications are approved by Ofqual qualifications.
The school also promotes physical activity within their AQA Award program i.e. accreditation towards gaining different sports and sporting skills awards.
In addition to curriculum time allocated specifically to physical activity, all pupils are provided with opportunities to be physically active through out-of-class time via a wide range of activities including both individual and team/group and non-competitive and competitive.
The emphasis is on participation and enjoyment and the opportunities are open to all pupils, regardless of ability.
Unstructured Playtime
Riverside Bridge School has invested in a new playground facility, designed and installed by Outdoor Play UK, to promote Outdoor Adventurous Activities (OAA) and active play. The playground now offers a multi-focus on many aspects of the OAA curriculum, with apparatus that allows pupils to climb, tunnel, swing, and bounce during both structured and unstructured playtimes. Alongside these new features, playground markings and class-based equipment continue to support free play, with staff actively engaging and encouraging pupils in physical activity. The variety of equipment provides pupils with opportunities to develop balance, coordination, agility, and strength, while also fostering teamwork, resilience, and problem-solving skills through play. Pupils are further encouraged to make use of the dedicated Biking Area, supported by new bikes purchased in the past year to increase availability. The inclusive design of the playground ensures that all pupils, regardless of ability, can participate in meaningful physical activity, benefiting not only their physical development but also their social interaction, sensory experiences, and overall well-being.
Extra-Curricular Physical Activities
We aim to encourage all pupils to take part in a range of extra-curricular activities, and involve them in deciding the activities we put on offer. Registers of extra-curricular clubs are kept to identify those who do not take part in (extra) regular exercise.
In our after-school club timetable pupils have a diverse choice of activities in which they can participate. The PE department run 3 clubs per week in school, with a diverse range of sports and activities being offered. Clubs are focused around different sports each half term in P.E. offering competitive, non-competitive, structured extra-curricular opportunities for all. Combining with Science, Art & Cooking and Nutrition clubs on offer, the P.E. ideals of living a healthy and active lifestyle is becoming fundamentally embedded in the school’s ethos.
All activities are supervised by school members of staff and if applicable by qualified coaches who may or may not be teachers. A school member of school staff will always be available in case support is required -e.g. an accident.
Competitions
Specific events are organised throughout the year to promote physical activity and raise its profile across the whole school community:
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whole school summer sports day;
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whole school winter sports day;
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intra-school panathlon, boccia
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inter-school football, rounders, boccia, athletics and basketball tournaments.
School Trips
Our pupils enjoy many educational visits to the local area or to place of interest in London or further afield such as London Aquatic Centre, West Ham’s London Stadium, Horse Riding, Stubbers Outdoor Adventure Centre both for day and residential visits, Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre, plus our annual residential trip to Trewern in Wales for our KS4 pupils, the ideal place to stay for our young people whether they want to walk in the mountains of the Brecon Beacons National Park, explore rivers by canoe, or simply enjoy a local walk.
Active Travel
This policy links closely with the school’s Travel Plan and pupils are encouraged to walk, bike and scoot to school.
Pupils are offered ‘Bikeability’ Training. We have trained over a dozen pupils in gaining their Level 1 Bikeability in the past 12 months alone.
Resource Provision
For the teaching of games, there is a fully equipped Sports Hall with basketball hoops, a full-sized badminton court, indoor futsal/handball goals, table tennis tables and 2 full size trampolines. In addition, Riverside Bridge School has large playground with 4 outdoor basketball hoops, 2 outdoor table tennis tables and 4 outdoor football goals, combined with a variety of markings and activities to take part in.
Riverside Bridge School will have a new PE sensory gym in November 2025, which will be equipped with a range of activities focusing on sensory integration i.e. balance beams, tunnels, an interactive sports projector and climbing apparatus, to following more sport specific with reference to the National Curriculum and the school’s “Flow” curriculum framework (i.e. invasion games, net and wall, striking and fielding).
In May 2025 Riverside Bridge School invested heavily in the installation of a mobile swimming pool. The swimming pool, along with 2 full-time teachers was put in place to promote the life skill that is swimming for all. The contract for this pool has been extended beyond the previous academic year. The curriculum now has a specific slot for all classes within the school to go swimming for one whole term.
PE and Sport Premium
Riverside Bridge School receives every year a PE and Sport Premium, which is a grant given to schools by the Government every year. It must be used to fund additional and sustainable improvements to the provision of PE and sport, for the benefit of primary-aged pupils, to encourage the development of healthy, active lifestyles.
In 2023/24, this grant has been used to increase pupils’ activity levels at playtime and experience a range of sports outside the curriculum including experience events.
In 2024/2025, this grant was primarily used to boost the sports experiences for all pupils over the academic year. It was also used to subsidise all pupils’ access to swimming lessons through the installation of said mobile swimming pool.
Achieving Healthy School Status
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The Bronze Healthy School Status Award was achieved in June 2021.
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The Silver Healthy School Status Award was achieved in June 2022.
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The Gold Healthy School Status Award was achieved in June 2023.
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The Bronze Healthy School Status Award was re-awarded in June 2025.
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The School Games Gold Award was achieved in June 2023, June 2024 and June 2025.
