PE at KS1 and physical impairment

The National Curriculum for Physical Education is statutory in all maintained, mainstream schools up to and including key stage 4. An appropriate version of the curriculum is used in maintained special schools. Key Stage 1 (KS1) covers years 1-2, children aged 5-7 years.

PE is often an area of concern for teachers working with wheelchair users and children with other physical impairments. But it’s an important part of the curriculum and with the right planning and support it can be as accessible as it is to the rest of the class.

You can:

• Use the Paralympics as inspiration to find ideas for sports that can be played by the whole class, for example sitting volleyball, floor hockey, boccia and table cricket
• Visit the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) website or Top Sportsability 
• Develop individual plans for disabled pupils, in conjunct with a physiotherapist, so their activities can be inclusive but also support their on-going development. Involve the pupil in this planning
• Think about the resources that could help, for example soft textured balls which travel more slowly, giving a longer reaction time and stopwatches that allow the pupil to compete against their own personal best
• Look at activities such as pilates, yoga and tai chi
• Also read the dyspraxia section for more

Read in conjunction with the main challenges for physically impaired children across subject areas, which has further suggestions. 

Now you might like to look at

• PE and physical impairment at P level 8
• PE and physical impairment at KS2