Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

At Looe Primary School, we shared the objectives of the Cornwall Partnership. We wanted to increase pupils’ engagement in PESS and encourage them to be more focused in PE lessons. We also wanted to improve pupils’ concentration levels throughout the day and prepare them better for learning in subjects across the curriculum.

What did we do?

We started a Wake and Shake session each day in the form of a ten-minute workout to music. This takes place outside and is led by the pupils themselves. We also introduced brain gym sessions to keep the pupils focused and used story tapes to help with concentration while they relaxed and did the exercises.

We started to provide a range of Huff n’ Puff equipment at playtime, which is organised by the pupils themselves. There is an ongoing fund-raising effort for more resources.

In PE, we recognised dance as a particular problem area. We tried be more flexible with learning time for the subject and timetabled dance lessons for both morning and afternoon sessions. We decided that dance lessons should not just take place in the school hall and started to use corridors, the library and the playground as additional performance areas. We ran a cross-curricular year 4 Greek history/literacy/dance project, for which we abandoned our traditional timetable for one day a week. Our year 6 teachers organised a dance project inspired by the Boscastle flood and performed at a charity event in aid of the Asian tsunami. As a result of this, pupils were invited to perform at a dance showcase.

We brought in a professional male dancer to run a boys’ dance club after school. This led to collaboration with some older students from Looe Community School, strengthening the pupils’ understanding of the possibilities for dance at key stage 3 and GCSE level.

In dance and other areas of PE, we recorded video footage to show pupils’ progress. Hi-tech blue screening, digital recording and animation demonstrated the creativity of dance to the pupils. Web links for dance and PE encouraged them to research their performances and source ideas. As a result of the success of using ICT in PE, the school invested in a lighting box system for the school hall that we use in dance and other PE lessons, as well as for performances.

What difference did we make?

Before we began this work, our pupils had low self-esteem in PE lessons. They were unwilling to try new things, were uninterested and seemed to feel that PE offered them few opportunities. Dance lessons were a particular flashpoint for disruptive behaviour, with unenthusiastic boys causing the most trouble.

In general, we had a problem with intolerance and lack of respect between the pupils. Many found it difficult to cooperate with teachers or peers in any constructive way.

The pupil-led Wake and Shake sessions and Huff n’ Puff activities proved very successful. The pupils’ leadership and social skills improved, and they returned to the classroom focused for learning. They started to work better alongside both peers and teachers, and their concentration levels and listening skills have improved throughout the day.

The focus on dance has had a profound effect on pupils, particularly boys. The after-school dance club is well attended and pupils’ motivation and enthusiasm has exceeded all our expectations. They are now showing a real commitment to the subject. One of the boys, with low self-esteem who had had confidence issues for several years, entered a dance competition while on holiday with his family. His parents were amazed, as this was totally out of character. He went on to win the competition.

The year 4 cross-curricular project was such a success that the whole school is now thinking along themed cross-curricular approaches within the teaching of dance, PE and other subjects.

Using ICT in PE has encouraged pupils to become fully involved in activities. They are now much more willing to give feedback and plan routines. Seeing the investment that the school made in equipment for PE increased their interest and raised the status of the subject.

How did we collect information?

We collected information to show the success of this work by:

• interviewing pupils
• carrying out teacher observation and assessments, discussed at regular staff meetings
• tracking individual pupil success stories
• collecting feedback from parents.