Welcome to Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity Department (PESSPA)

PE, School Sport and Physical Activity is uniquely positioned to assist in the development of the physical wellbeing, the mental wellbeing, and the academic success of our school and wider community.

“We know what the Greeks knew, that intelligence and skill can only function at the peak of their capacity when the body is healthy and strong; that hardy spirits and tough minds usually inhabit sound bodies.”

John Kennedy

This belief is the core purpose of the PESSPA Department at Archbishop Ilsley Catholic School. To ensure all of our pupils become physically literate equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead healthy, active lives.

It is our intent that the PESSPA curriculum that our students experience will firstly inspire in all pupils a lifelong love of and participation in physical activity. Secondly, help to develop pupils who will be successful academically and in achieving physical and mental wellbeing and thirdly help to develop successful citizens who have the personal and employability skills to be influential 21st century citizens.

It is also the intent that the PESSPA curriculum in design and implementation reflects the aims of the PE National curriculum ensuring that it;

Is ambitious and designed to give all learners, particularly the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or high needs, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
Is coherently planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning and employment.
Has the same academic, technical, or vocational ambitions for almost all learners. Where this is not practical – for example, for some learners with high levels of SEND – its curriculum is designed to be ambitious and to meet their needs.
Ensures that by teaching a full range of activities our learners study the full curriculum, ‘specialising’ only when necessary.

In line with whole school character education, PESSPA is at the heart of developing and revealing the character of our students. By integrating the Ilsley SPIRIT into both the curriculum and extra-curriculum activities, PESSPA is helping to embed further the characteristics of self regulation, perseverance, integrity, resilience, industriousness and team work into all of our students.

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Welcome to Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity Department (PESSPA)

It is also the intent that the PESSPA curriculum in design and implementation reflects the aims of the PE National curriculum ensuring that it;

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