Introduction
In this episode, Nathan Walker is in conversation with Sam Horton, PE and swimming lead at a primary school in England. Sam champions PE and swimming as essential for children’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. His leadership prioritises creating engaging environments, fostering teacher excellence, and embedding fun alongside purposeful learning outcomes.
Sam’s journey into PE
With a passion for physical activity from a young age, Sam’s journey began with football and later transitioned into coaching and teaching. Initially volunteering in sports coaching, Sam worked his way up, becoming PE coordinator and swimming lead over seven years. His approach focuses on engaging pupils, building staff competency, and embedding structured systems to ensure high-quality PE and swimming provision.
Sam’s philosophy on PE
Sam emphasises a holistic view of PE, encompassing physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. His teaching aims to foster engagement and enjoyment while delivering purposeful lessons. Sam uses scaffolding techniques to build skills progressively while avoiding cognitive overload. His lessons blend fun with clear learning objectives, offering challenges to encourage independent learning and reinforce skills. Sam also uses displays across the school to reinforce learning, celebrate achievements, and promote engagement. Topics like teamwork and sportsmanship are integrated conceptually into the curriculum alongside skill development.
Swimming Provision and Practice
Sam oversees swimming provision using a structured system modelled on PE teaching. His school is fortunate to have an on-site pool, allowing for consistent weekly swimming lessons for Years 3 and 4. Classes of 15 ensure high teacher-pupil ratios, promoting individualised attention and skill development. Swimming lessons follow a clear progression of purposeful warm-ups and active, focused lessons that minimise downtime and emphasise peer support, targeted praise, and clear communication.
Challenges of Incorporating Swimming in PE Curriculums
The discussion highlights the logistical and financial challenges schools face in offering swimming as part of their PE curriculum. Travel time to leisure centres, budget constraints, and inconsistent access to quality swimming instruction often hinder efforts. Sam reflects on the privilege of having an on-site pool. Innovations like mobile swimming programmes (e.g. Swim Ed) are helping bridge gaps but cannot fully resolve these systemic obstacles.
Curriculum Design and Personalised Approaches
Sam emphasises the importance of designing a tailored PE curriculum. By creating highly detailed lesson plans with precise instructions, assessment grids, and probing questions, they ensure lessons are accessible and effective. His goal is to develop a system that can be universally understood and executed, even by non-specialist staff. His unique ‘big stamp’ on resources revolves around high expectations, promoting structure, and ensuring all children succeed. Sam aims to instil a lifelong passion for physical activity while fostering values such as sportsmanship and fair play.
Key takeaways for PE Teachers
- Create the right environment: Establish clear rules and positive reinforcement to maintain focus and safety. This is particularly crucial during activities like swimming, where a calm atmosphere ensures safety and learning.
- Collaborate and network: Work with neighbouring schools and attend conferences to share best practices and learn from experienced PE leaders.
- Prioritise CPD: Invest in ongoing training for staff through mentoring and coaching to enhance teaching quality.
- Put your stamp on it: Customise resources and systems to reflect your vision and values, ensuring they meet your school’s unique needs.
About the Guest
Today’s episode is a conversation with Sam Horton, PE and Swim Lead at a primary school in England.
Listen and Connect
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