At St. John the Baptist RC Primary School, we aim to develop a love of sport and physical activity in all children and inspire them to become lifelong active people when they leave KS2.

We want all children to develop and improve the fundamental skills needed to access all physical activity such as invasion games, gymnastics or dance as well as a wider range of disciplines like lacrosse, basketball, rugby and golf.

Children will understand the importance of healthy competition against either themselves (personal best) or other children, the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle and the role that physical activity plays in achieving this. They also learn how to swim, basic survival skills in water and life skills such as independence and resilience.

Our PE values consist of 6 general areas which are passion, self-belief, determination, team work, honesty and respect. We strive for one hundred percent inclusion so that every child has the opportunity to develop.

We are proud to have been awarded the School Games PLATINUM Award.  This is the highest award that can be achieved from this government-led scheme and represents our ongoing commitment to delivering competitive school sport in a positive environment, as well as demonstrating our commitment to encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle throughout school and life beyond.

We are extremely proud of our pupils for their dedication to all aspects of physical activity and school sport, including those pupil leaders who help to make our intra-school competitions possible and staff who ensure all our pupils experience at least one competition each year.  We recognise the power physical activity and school sport can have in improving a child’s physical and mental well-being as well as their social, emotional and cognitive skills.

PE and Sport Premium

Background

In April 2013, the Government announced new funding for physical education (PE) and sport to be used to improve the quality and breadth of PE and sport provision in schools.  In 2016, it was announced that funding would be doubled from 2017 -2020, as a result of income acquired through a levy imposed on soft drink sales, known as the ‘sugar tax’. The funding is ring-fenced and is allocated directly to primary schools across England, with a lump sum being allocated to each school and a per-pupil top-up mechanism.

How is the money spent?

Schools are free to determine how best to use this funding to improve the quality, breadth and profile of PE and sport so that pupils develop healthy lifestyles and reach the performance levels they are capable of. For further information on how much PE and sport premium schools receive and advice on how it should be spent, click on the link below.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pe-and-sport-premium-for-primary-schools

In order to ensure all young people have access to high-quality PE, physical activity and school sport, schools are required to publish details of their sporting provision on their websites.

Sports at St John the Baptist

Our Sports

We participate in lots of different sports and activities which the children all enjoy.

They include:

Football    Gymnastics    Tennis    Lacrosse    Handball    Cross country    Hockey    Badminton      Cricket

Rugby League    Dodgeball    Fitness    Volleyball    Basketball    Monday Mile    Golf    Swimming

We are members of the RSGBP and pupils get to attend the inter competitions put on by them at several different venues throughout the year.

Each half term, children are chosen that have tried their hardest, had their PE kit and demonstrated effort and determination. As a reward, they receive a sporting prize!

We use our Sporting values to help choose a winner. These are:

Honesty

Respect

Passion

Determination

Self Belief

Teamwork

Swimming

On a Tuesday afternoon our year 4 children attend Castleton swimming baths for lessons. This academic year we have split the class into four groups so as to have a more intensive offering. As a school we pay for two instructors that go in the water to aid the children. Each group is made up of only 7 or 8 swimmers which has massively improved our swimming statistics.

We have recently started to provide top up sessions for some targeted pupils which has boosted the numbers of competent swimmers.

Fitness Studio

At St. John the Baptist RC we like to think of creative ways to spend the sports premium money we receive.

Our latest project saw us create a brand new Fitness Studio. There were two main reasons behind this development, the first being the battle against obesity. Not only do we want to help pupils work on their stamina and general fitness but also to help them make health an important factor in their life for years to come.

Secondly, we really want children and staff  to have the opportunity of using a facility that is linked to mindfulness and wellbeing. We strongly believe that exercise is a fantastic way of turning off your mind for a short time and having the chance to release endorphins is a brilliant way to reset your brain.

The studio has treadmills, water rowers, cross trainers, exercise bikes, trampoline, a freestyle workout area, a dance floor, a skierg machine as well as many modern technology features.

Sports Awards

For the past 21 years, we have celebrated our children’s’ achievements within sports. At the end of each year, we have an assembly hosted by our PE teacher where awards are given out. The Mayor and Mayoress attend as well as past winners that have since left High School.

The awards include:

Great effort in PE

Outstanding effort in PE

KS1 PE Person of the Year

KS2 PE Person of the year

Sportsmanship Award

Sports Leader of the Year

PE Value Awards

Most improved in PE

PE Enjoyment Award

Sports Girl of the year

Sports Boy of the year

On Friday 4th July 2025 we had our annual sports awards, attended by the Mayor, Janet Emsley. The children were delighted with their medals and trophies and many different talents were recognised, including: respect, sportsmanship and effort.

Sports Leaders

We have several groups of specific leaders at St. John the Baptist RC Primary School.

They are: Sports leaders, Sports Crew, Play leaders and Gym leaders.

They all have specific roles which include

– Helping at breaks and dinners

-Setting the example or helping in PE

-Being a good role model in the Fitness Studio

-Having input into curriculum, sports days and break/dinner times

Positive Impacts of Children Being Sports Leaders

1. Development of Leadership Skills

  • Confidence: Leading warm-ups, managing teams, and giving instructions builds self-esteem.
  • Responsibility: Being accountable for teammates’ experience or behaviour promotes maturity.
  • Decision-Making: Encourages quick thinking and problem-solving during activities or games.2. Improved Communication
  • Children learn how to give clear instructions, listen actively, and offer feedback.
  • Encourages respectful and inclusive language use.

3. Teamwork and Empathy

  • Leaders often act as role models, promoting fair play and supporting peers.
  • Develops a sense of empathy by understanding others’ needs and abilities.

4. Enhanced Organizational Skills

  • Planning drills or activities teaches time management and organisation.
  • Helps with goal setting and task delegation.

5. Boost in Physical Activity & Engagement

  • Being in leadership roles can increase commitment to physical activity.
  • Peer-led sessions are often more engaging for younger children.

6. Pathway to Future Roles

  • Lays the foundation for future leadership positions in school, sports clubs, or work.
  • Can lead to certifications in sports coaching or refereeing in teen years.

Sports Day

We have at least three Sports Days a year at St. John the Baptist RC Primary School. We have EYFS, KS1 and KS2  events with parents and guardians encouraged to attend and participate. Our sports leaders help to plan and run all the activities, groups and races.

Anderton Centre

This year we spent the day at the Anderton Centre in Chorley. Our year 6 class had a great time and made some special memories.

Activities included rafting, canoeing, climbing, abseiling and trapeze.

All the children pushed their boundaries and went away with a feeling of accomplishment.