Physical Education plays a vital role in the health, wellbeing and personal development of our students. Through a broad range of sports and activities, students build fitness, coordination and confidence, alongside the teamwork, resilience, leadership and fair play that serve them well beyond the sports hall.
At FIC, our aim is for every student to enjoy being active, understand how their body works, and leave with the habits for a healthy, active life. Each unit follows a clear progression – from core techniques, through applying skills in small-sided and conditioned practices, to full competitive or performance situations – so that every student, whatever their starting point, can see their skills, fitness and understanding grow.
Units of Study
A programme that builds muscular endurance, core strength and cardiovascular fitness. The circuit rotates through six stations – plank, wall throw, seated bicep curls, sit-ups, shuttle runs and wall sit – and students learn which muscles each exercise targets and how to perform it with safe, correct technique. By tracking their own performance across the six weeks, students see their fitness improve and learn how to train effectively on their own.
A fast-paced invasion game that develops passing, catching, dribbling and shooting. Students begin with accurate short passing and footwork rules, progress to jump shots and one-on-one attacking and defending, and finish by applying team tactics – creating space, supporting the ball carrier and organising a defence – in full matches. Quick decision-making, communication and cardiovascular fitness improve throughout.
Students learn correct grip, ready position and footwork before building a range of shots – serves, clears, drops, drives and, as confidence grows, the smash. Rallies become longer and more controlled as accuracy improves, and students then learn to outwit opponents by varying shot length and direction in singles and doubles play. The unit sharpens reaction time, agility and hand-eye coordination.
Starting with ball handling, dribbling with either hand and chest and bounce passing, students progress to the set shot, lay-up and pivoting. These skills are then combined in small-sided games before students learn attacking principles such as the give-and-go, and defensive systems such as player-to-player marking. Teamwork, spatial awareness and fair play are developed alongside speed and endurance.
Students explore the components of fitness – including stamina, strength, flexibility, speed and agility – and how the body responds to exercise. They take part in a variety of training methods, such as circuit and interval training, measure their own fitness through recognised tests, and use the results to set personal targets. Over the unit, students learn to warm up and cool down independently and to plan safe, effective sessions of their own.
A striking and fielding game that develops throwing, catching, bowling and batting. Students build consistent technique in each skill, then learn when and where to hit the ball, how to back up team-mates and how to make fast fielding decisions to stop runs. As the unit progresses, they take on different fielding positions and apply tactics in competitive games, improving accuracy, reaction speed and teamwork.
Students learn grip, stance and the basic forehand and backhand push and drive, before adding legal serves and simple spin. Control is developed through cooperative rallies, then students progress to placing the ball deliberately and varying pace and spin to create winning opportunities in singles and doubles. The unit develops precision, concentration and fast reactions.
Beginning with grip, ready position and movement around the court, students develop the forehand and backhand groundstrokes, the volley and the serve. Modified equipment and court sizes help students build consistent rallies early on, before moving to full scoring and game play. As skills grow, students learn to use court position and shot selection tactically, improving coordination, footwork and resilience under pressure.
Students refine passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting and tackling, first in unopposed drills and then under increasing pressure from opponents. Small-sided games develop an understanding of width, support and movement off the ball, leading to larger team games where students apply formations and set plays. Leadership opportunities, such as captaining and refereeing, build communication and respect for the rules.
Through orienteering, problem-solving challenges and team-building tasks, students learn to read maps, follow directions and work together to overcome obstacles. Tasks increase in complexity over the unit, requiring clearer planning, communication and leadership. Students develop trust, resilience and the ability to reflect on and improve their team’s performance.
A non-contact, fitness-based unit that uses boxing techniques – jabs, crosses, hooks, uppercuts and footwork – set to high-energy workouts. Students first learn safe, correct technique on pads, then combine punches into longer sequences and build intensity through timed rounds. The unit develops cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, coordination and self-confidence.
Students develop accurate throwing, safe catching and quick dodging, ducking and blocking. As the unit progresses, they learn team strategies such as coordinated throws, protecting team-mates and managing space on court, applying these in competitive games. Dodgeball builds agility, reaction time, communication and good sportsmanship.
