Physical Education

Our PE programme enables pupils of any ability to enjoy sports.  We strongly encourage everybody to perform to the best of their ability and better their own personal performances.  Pupils are rewarded for their attitude, awareness of others and their appliance to the codes of conduct of the sport and of the school.  Through PE we hope to promote communication skills, application of number, working with others, problem solving and enable pupils to develop skills to improve learning and performance.

The Government believes that every child should receive two hours of quality physical activity a week, including lesson time and extra-curricular clubs.  We embrace these standards and every pupil is able to take advantage of more than this entitlement.

Dove House is one of the best equipped schools of its size in Basingstoke:  we have our own floodlit astro turf pitch, a purpose-built cricket strip, a new fully equipped fitness suite, sports hall and a number of basketball and mini tennis courts.

We have five fully trained PE staff, with several other members of staff holding PE qualifications.  We pride ourselves on ensuring that everybody has a positive experience in PE, with activities that are adapted to suit individual needs.  We strongly believe in fairness and encourage pupils to develop the essential skills required to work successfully with others.  Through these enjoyable opportunities, we hope that all pupils will choose to adopt a healthy lifestyle when they leave us in Year 11.

Pupils throughout the school will participate in the following:

• Invasion games – basketball, hockey, football, tag rugby.
• Net games – volleyball, tennis, badminton.
• Striking and fielding fames – cricket, rounders.
• Healthy lifestyle – HRF, Fitness for Life and Olympic values.
• Athletics and cross-country.
• Gymnastics and trampolining.
• Swimming – to learn and improve skills.
• Mountain biking – to learn and improve skills.

In addition to these core activities, pupils may also have the opportunity to try netball, table tennis, new age kurling, boccia, badminton, tennis, rugby, dodgeball and dance as part of options time on Friday afternoons.

During their time in KS4 pupils will work towards at least one form of recognised accreditation. Accreditations may include:

• Sports Leaders Award Level One.
• NCFE Level 1 Award or Certificate in Sport
• NCFE Level 1 Award in Health, Fitness and Exercise

We work with our feeder school, Maple Ridge, in delivering several annual sports festivals which enable our Key Stage 4 pupils to practise their leadership skills.  These festivals are always very successful and assist pupils with the transition to our school.

All pupils are put into a House team within their first term at Dove House.  They are based on major sporting venues in our region of the country; Ascot, Wimbledon, Wembley, Silverstone, Oval and Twickenham.

House Captains are selected by interview in KS4, and approximately two captains per team are selected based on their commitment in lessons, leadership skills and their interest in the responsibilities the job entails.  House Captains are responsible for both organising as a group an inter house competition each half term and managing their teams.  Ordinarily the competitions follow whatever the activity is during core PE lesson time.  The competitions run during lunch breaks so that every pupil is able to access the opportunity.  The school hosts both a Rounders Day and an ‘all inclusive’ Sports Day during the last week of the summer term and all pupils participate for their house team.

A typical lunch time sports programme, excluding any inter house activities:

After School Clubs are offered to all pupils from Tuesday to Thursday.  Typically in term time, there are at least two sports clubs per day.  We sometimes work with local community clubs or local college students to deliver these.  Examples of our regular clubs include:          

• Football
• Futsal – Academica
• Athletics (at Down Grange track) – Basingstoke and Mid Hants Athletics Club
• Mountain Biking (on and off site) – British Cycling
• Swimming (at Basinstoke Aquadrome)
• Fitness
• Multi-sports
• Climbing (at Alton Sports Centre)
• Fishing (off site at various locations)
• Trampolining
• Martial Arts – Shin Gi Tai Martial Arts Academy
• Rugby – Basingstoke Rugby Club

The PE Department target primarily vulnerable pupils and those that often don’t engage in traditional competitive team sports to attend off site clubs as part of the ‘Active Pupil’ programme. Fixtures and Festivals The school are regularly involved in friendly matches against local mainstream schools and other special schools.  We enter teams into Hampshire School Games Inclusive Competitive Opportunities Programme in football, netball, basketball, athletics, cricket, dodgeball, multi-ball skills, dodgeball, Kurling, Boccia and racket sports.

Our aim through the Personal Challenge programme is to help pupils develop their confidence and self-esteem through experiencing a range of outdoor and adventurous activities.  They also gain important life-skills and knowledge about living active, healthy lives.

Personal Challenge:

Through Personal Challenge we aim to help pupils cope with anxiety in challenging situations leaving them better equipped to deal with their own anxieties in the classroom and beyond school.

Pupils are encouraged to use positive strategies to communicate effectively with peers and be an active member of a small team. Pupils will also have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills in a supportive environment.

In Personal Challenge pupils will experience a range of adventurous activities on the school site including Archery, and Orienteering, as well as Team Building, and problem solving challenges that focus on Teamwork, Communication, Creativity and Reflection.

Mountain biking:

Mountain biking lessons cater for beginners up to experienced riders.  Riders learn about the components of a bike, speed management, gear selection, effective breaking and safety and maintenance.  There are opportunities to practice on a range of gradients and terrain on our school site.  An all-weather cycle track allows students to enjoy mountain biking all year round.  We also have a single track section in our nature trail which offers pupils opportunities to practise advanced skills.  Experienced rides are given the opportunity to use local cycle routes and trails off site.

Swimming:

Swimming sessions take place at Basingstoke Aquadrome.  Further information is available here.

Fitness for Life:

Fitness for Life lessons are delivered in the fitness gym which includes cardio vascular and resistance based stations.  Students learn to use a gym safely and independently.

Lessons focus on nutrition, anatomy and components of fitness. Pupils also visit gym facilities which they could use in the local community.  Many have become members at local sports centres.

In Key Stage 4 pupils will build on their Key Stage 3 experiences a number of adventurous activities both on and off the school site including Climbing, Kayaking, Sailing, Raft Building, Caving, High Ropes, Cycling, problem solving challenges and team building activities