Physical Activity

Physical Activity at Chapter House

At Chapter House, physical activity is something for everyone, with dedicated sports sessions designed to build key skills and fun events to take part in all through the year.

With fantastic facilities onsite and specialist sports coaches, children are inspired to get involved in physical activity, whatever their interest or level of ability.

"Despite only being in Year 5, we have been amazed by all the sports our daughter has had the opportunity to try, the facilities she has access to, and the fixtures she has completed. These range from girls' football, cricket, and swimming, to topping it off with a trip to the National Athletics competition in Birmingham."

Year 5 Parents

Chapter House student doing physical activity.


Movement For Learning At Key Stage One

Movement for Learning is a programme designed to hone children’s motor skills and develop a greater sense of control over their bodies. The programme is an initiative that has been piloted and refined over two years in collaboration with the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University.

Our Occupational Therapist, Joanne Duston, runs 15-20 minutes sessions with Years One and Two twice a week. These activities are completed in school uniform and involve a warm-up, circuit type activities and a cool down.

Chapter House boy smiling in the pool.

Dedicated sports sessions designed to build key skills and fun events to take part in all through the year.

Swimming Lessons Every Week

Queen Ethelburga’s is fortunate to have a swimming pool onsite and only a two-minute walk from Chapter House.

Children love their weekly swimming lessons with a dedicated swimming coach and many continue their lessons after school.

Building The Foundations To Success At Key Stage Two

You would never ask a child to perform Shakespeare without learning their lines, so why do we expect a child to play football before learning to kick a ball? 

At Chapter House, children take part in three weekly PE sessions that focus on building key skills like jumping, catching and balancing, rather than individual or team sports. 

Ed Mason teaching a fencing lesson.

The Physical Education curriculum has had a real shake-up in Chapter House. Our goal is to ensure your child enjoys exercising and the programme is designed to create an engaging and positive environment for all children.

Lessons build on fundamental skills and have a holistic approach. Skills such as kicking, throwing, catching, running, jumping, coordination and hand-eye coordination are developed using different games and activities. Also, children aim to build skills in teamwork, communication and resilience to gain the PE Life Skills Award.

As well as compulsory weekly swimming lessons, Chapter House students can also access sport specific skills through our enrichment programme.”

Edd Mason, Chapter House’s PE Teacher


Compete And Play With Local And National Schools

Outside of the PE curriculum, there are ample opportunities for children to compete in external sport competitions or to train with local schools. Chapter House students enter the ISA Junior Athletics tournament and play in football and cricket tournaments with local schools.

As part of the Outreach programme, Queen Ethelburga’s hosts a variety of events with local schools for games of kwik cricket and tennis, or to improve sport skills with Chapter House students.