The Physical Education, Swimming and Outdoor Learning (PESOL) Team focuses on the health, safety and wellbeing of young people through a broad range of activities. There is well-established research evidence proving the positive link between healthy engagement in physical activity and improved life chances.
We believe that young people involved in our activities are more likely to engage positively with other aspects of their education and learning, and hence the PESOL team contribute to improved attainment and achievement of young people.
We work in collaboration with schools and partners in Sheffield and beyond to drive forward high quality physical education in and outside schools time, national curriculum swimming lessons and outdoor learning including day and residential visits.
Physical education
As part of the national curriculum, children are entitled to high quality physical education that inspires all children to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities.
Schools should provide opportunities for children to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness, with opportunities to compete in sport and other activities that build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.
We offer advice and guidance to schools to improve their physical education provision and share good practice around the city. We collaborate closely with partners to work towards making Sheffield the most active city by 2020.
Our aim is to help schools provide a wide range of high quality physical education opportunities for your children, and give them the knowledge and skills to live a healthy and active lifestyle.
Swimming
Swimming is a compulsory part of the national curriculum, and by the end of key stage 2, every child should have been taught to swim unaided for at least 25 metres. We coordinate swimming lessons (and transport where applicable) for most Sheffield schools and offer 18 or 36 weeks of lessons.
Our aim is to ensure that every child is a successful swimmer, whether that is a child reaching 25m who could not swim before; or an advanced swimmer learning new skills and techniques. Water safety is a key part of all our lessons with one lesson entirely dedicated to this subject.
We also have several elite athletes who have represented Great Britain assisting in some of our lessons to share their experiences and inspire your children.
One question we have been asked many times is, if parents can withdraw their child from swimming lessons. As swimming is a compulsory part of the national curriculum parents do not have the right to withdraw children from swimming lessons.
Benefits of learning to swim
Swimming is a fun activity and an important skill for life, just as reading and writing are and ultimately could lead to children saving their own or others' lives. If the chance to teach children to swim is missed, they will be deprived of opportunities to participate in:
- family fun
- a form of exercise with many health advantages
- linked aquatic activities and water sports
Outdoor learning
We run and operate Thornbridge Outdoors, which is our only outdoor centre and is located in the beautiful Peak District. Recently Learning Away has been researching into what makes a brilliant residential visit, and what the benefits are for your children.
We believe that learning outside the classroom is very important and helps give children a rounded education with essential life skills. We have therefore gained the Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge for the work that we do.
Schools are able to bring their children to Thornbridge Outdoors for a day visit or a residential visit. There are many options, including indoor accommodation, staying in our Teepees or camping in tents. We focus our programmes on the schools outcomes for the visit, for example ‘to improve communication and team work’.
We have recently opened a new building called ‘Woodlands’ which has been designed to cater for groups which include those with additional needs. It has accessible features such as a ceiling mounted hoist, a mobile hoist, a single profiling bed, an en-suite accessible shower room, an outside accessible toilet and a disabled car parking space. This will allow school children, where our other accommodation is not suitable, to be able to come and stay over on a school residential visit.
We utilise our idyllic location, which is fantastic for walking, climbing/bouldering and cycling. We encourage schools to choose educational activities that take children around the Peak District, as we believe that every Sheffield child should have a Peak District experience during their school years.
We work with many partners in Sheffield and in the Peak District to give children the opportunity to explore the Peak District and encourage families to enjoy the National Park that is on Sheffield’s door step.
During the weekend and school holidays, the accommodation at Thornbridge Outdoors, including the new accommodation ‘Woodlands’ is available to hire by any other groups such as friends and families, organisations, church, scout groups etc.