For an overview of each year groups' PE learning, please see the attached 'PE Curriculum Map' and the 'Curriculum Statement' for the schools' Intent, Implementation and Impact statement.

PE at Bessemer 

At Bessemer, we are proud to offer high-quality PE and school sport that brings joy, builds confidence, and supports every child’s physical, social, and emotional development.

We aim to create a positive sporting culture where all children are encouraged to enjoy being active, develop new skills, and take part in a wide range of physical activities. Through PE lessons, after-school clubs, and sports competitions, pupils have the chance to be active, competitive, and collaborative in a supportive environment.

Our goal is to develop physically literate children — confident, capable, and motivated to stay active for life.

Our PE Curriculum

Early Years (Nursery & Reception)

In Early Years, children begin developing key physical skills through fun, active play. Nursery focuses on fine motor skills, yoga, and early movement patterns like travelling and stopping. In Reception, children build on this with fundamental movement skills and gymnastics, alongside seasonal dance and athletics. Our goal is to build coordination, confidence, and a love for being active through imaginative and engaging activities.

Year 1

In Year 1, pupils begin to refine their fundamental movement skills and apply them in simple games. They explore basic gymnastic movements and develop coordination through object control and target games. Introduction to net/wall games and athletics helps pupils start to understand basic game rules and teamwork. This year builds the foundation for confidence and control in physical activity.

Year 2

Year 2 develops more advanced movement patterns, adding complexity to invasion games and target games. Pupils explore dance and gymnastics in more structured sequences, learning to control their bodies with balance and precision. Introduction to striking and fielding builds on object control. Swimming begins here, promoting water safety and new physical challenges.

Year 3

In Year 3, children move towards applying their physical skills in more formal games like handball, football, and netball. Tennis introduces racket skills, while gymnastics develops strength and flexibility. Swimming continues, and personal challenges help children set and achieve individual goals. There’s a growing emphasis on tactics, fair play, and resilience.

Year 4

Year 4 pupils continue to develop tactical awareness in team sports such as hockey, tag rugby, and basketball. They refine technical skills in gymnastics, dance, and athletics, while also experiencing individual sports like badminton and tri golf. Pupils deepen their understanding of teamwork, communication, and personal improvement.

Year 5

Year 5 focuses on enhancing tactical play in invasion games (e.g., handball, football) and refining key skills across a variety of sports. Gymnastics now includes partner work, and dance explores cultural themes. Pupils continue developing athletic ability and explore personal challenges and rounders. There’s a strong emphasis on collaboration, leadership, and resilience.

Year 6

Year 6 prepares pupils for secondary PE, offering greater independence and leadership opportunities. Pupils apply tactical thinking across sports like basketball, tag rugby, and volleyball. Gymnastics and dance become more expressive and complex, and outdoor adventurous activities (OAA) encourage problem-solving and teamwork. This final year ensures pupils leave with confidence, competence, and a love of physical activity.

Sports Day

Sports Day is a much-loved highlight of the year at Bessemer. It’s a chance for our whole school community to come together, enjoy the outdoors, and celebrate physical activity in a fun and supportive atmosphere.

We design the day so that every child has the opportunity to be challenged, to succeed, and to take pride in their achievements — whether through individual performance, teamwork, or personal effort.

Families are warmly invited to join us: to support, take part in the fun, and enjoy a picnic together. It’s a fantastic celebration of our school’s energy, spirit, and community.

Swimming

Each summer, we take our whole year 2 and year 3 cohorts swimming at Alleyns. There, children are split into small groups to work with the swimming instructors based on their swimming ability. We also send children who are identified as not yet having reached the national curriculum expectations from year 6.

Competitions

At Bessemer, we believe healthy competition builds confidence, teamwork, and resilience. Pupils take part in a wide range of inter- and intra-school competitions across year groups, developing skills and pride in representing their school.

Throughout the year, children can compete in tournaments such as football, netball, tennis, cricket, athletics, and swimming. We host regular intra-school events to encourage participation, alongside inter-school competitions that inspire pupils to excel.

We’re incredibly proud of our sporting achievements this year. Both our boys’ and girls’ football teams won the Southwark League — a testament to their talent and dedication. Our Year 4 cricket team also brought home the Bobby Abel Cup, showing excellent teamwork and determination.