Physical Education
St Peter’s has a full-time physical education teacher within the Junior Prep department. During lessons, pupils are taught gross motor skills, ball skills and swimming.
The aim is to enable each pupil to perform basic gross motor skills at the level of their ability, to help each pupil use these skills in play and daily living activities, and to maximise their health, growth and development. The programme is designed to promote each pupil’s enjoyment and to enhance feelings of self-worth and self-confidence, while moving to learn and learning to move.
An integrated day forms part of the Junior Prep timetable. Grade 1 and Grade 2 boys attend two-hourly sessions a week to develop the basic skills required for the sports on offer at St Peter's. During the Summer months the boys will attend swimming sessions and in Winter this is replaced by tennis. There is am emphasis on developing physical fitness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Grade 2 boys are exposed to fun and informal mini-cricket and mini-football matches in preparation for the competitve sporting arena they will enter in Grade 3.
In the interests of safety, all children arriving in Grade 0 are expected to be water-safe, i.e. able to swim. We understand that not all families have swimming pools, but this is a vital life-skill. Children who arrive at school, who are unable to swim, are not only at a huge disadvantage during weekly PhysEd lessons in summer, but also have their self-esteem negatively impacted.
The teaching and learning of sportsmanship and good behaviour on and off the field remain top priority and the importance of learning to win graciously, as well as to lose graciously, is stressed. To win at all costs is strongly discouraged, even though the will to win in a competitive situation is regarded as part of the game. Ultimately, there should be a high level of enjoyment derived from playing sport and with it a realisation that sporting contact is, without doubt, an easy means of establishing new, and sometimes lasting, friendships.
