Physical Education (PE)
Physical Education is an important part of school life at Hanover. We offer a broad and balanced PE curriculum aimed at developing fundamental movement skills including agility, coordination and balance. In addition to the physical skills developed through PE lessons, there is a focus on developing children’s teamwork, resilience, creativity and sportsmanship through Learning Themes as well as instilling the importance of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle as part of our Personal, Social and Health Education.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Our youngest learners are encouraged to build confidence and take risks in our exceptional outdoor spaces, exploring climbing frames and a variety of equipment. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults at Hanover support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility.
This emphasis continues through to Year 6, where zoned play areas promote a wide range of activities. Students can engage in competitive sports like football and basketball, alongside skill-based pursuits such as scootering, skateboarding, circus skills, and even unicycling!
PE Lessons
Children from Year 1-Year 6 receive weekly PE lessons which follow the curriculum designed by our coaches from Team Kickstart. Team Kick Start's PE curriculum aligns with our school values: We are Brave, Responsible and Kind. Rather than focusing on specific sports, each half-term has a central theme based around a set of skills to learn. These central themes are from the ‘head’ and ‘heart’, knowing that the ‘hand’ element will always happen with good content. This encourages lessons to meet the needs of all children and not just teach the sport.
Click here for the Hanover PE Curriculum Skills Progression Map
Click Here for the PE Curriculum Overview for Y3-6 (including Learning Themes)
Curriculum overview for Reception, Y1 and Y2 coming soon!
Swimming, Kayaking, Cricket and much, much more!
Children in KS1 and KS2 also have the opportunity to work with the Arsenal Hub, a group of coaches that visit our school once a week. They lead a PE lesson alongside teachers, support positive play on the rooftop playground, and also lead a wellbeing and physical activity workshop after school.
In the summer term of Year 2, children will have swimming taster sessions at Ironmonger baths to prepare them for more intensive lessons in Years 3 and 4. In both Year 3 and Year 4, children will have swimming using Islington's Intensive Model. Across 2 weeks, the children will go swimming for 1 hour every afternoon for two weeks. This has proven highly successful in helping children to learn to swim in recent years.
IIn Years 5 and 6, students participate in six weekly kayaking sessions at the nearby Islington Boat Club — a unique experience that encourages them to be brave and take on new challenges, reflecting one of our core values. We also partner with local cricket coaches to provide an additional PE lesson in Year 6, alongside a variety of other sporting initiatives that reinforce our commitment to physical development throughout every stage of a Hanover child's PE learning journey.
After School Clubs
Hanover has a number of after school activities open to all children in Years 3-6.
‘Swim Squad’ which meets for training at Ironmonger Row Pool once a week, and competes in the Islington borough swimming galas. (Children need to be able to swim 25m confidently to join Swim Squad) Children are escorted from school to the pool for each training session.
A varety of other sports clubs run before and after school including netball, volleyball, karate, boys football and girls football. We have collaborated with The Weetabix Wildcats programme; this is a FA funded programme lead by a FA coach, who attends once a week after school to coach girls in football with a fun and interactive approach. It is an opportunity to build new friendships, gain confidence whilst learning football skills.
Click here for a full list of enrichment clubs currently on offer at Hanover