The national curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:

•  develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
•  are physically active for sustained periods of time
•  engage in competitive sports and activities
•  lead healthy, active lives. 

Pupils should continue to apply and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They should enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils should be taught to:

• use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination
•  play competitive games, modified where appropriate [for example, badminton, basketball, cricket, football, hockey, netball, rounders and tennis], and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending
•  develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]
•  perform dances using a range of movement patterns
• take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team
•  compare their performances with previous ones and demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best.

Swimming and water safety

Pupils should be taught to:

•  swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres
• use a range of strokes effectively [for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke]
•  perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.