The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible choices and decisions throughout their lives: as individuals, as contributors to society and as contributors to the economy and the environment.

Physical Education has a significant role to play in this. It is essential that pupils have opportunities to participate in regular and frequent physical activities and that they are encouraged to make informed and responsible choices about the role of physical activity in their lives both in and out of school.

Physical Education is an Area of Learning within the Northern Ireland Curriculum and is a statutory entitlement of every pupil from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 4. At Key Stage 4, Physical Education is much more than a replication of the knowledge, skills and understanding that pupils have gained at Key Stage 3. Pupils should take increasing responsibility for their own learning and actively demonstrate the skills and capabilities that they will have acquired in order to deepen and widen their experiences and understanding of the key concepts of Physical Education.

This guidance document helps you to interpret the statutory requirements, plan for progression, audit current provision and plan for future development. It also emphasises the importance of healthy and active lifestyles and highlights key issues in relation to learning and teaching.