ABSTRACT
At Mountbatten School and Language College all students experience athletic activities throughout key stage 3. At key stage 3 Year 7 and 8 students have two lessons of athletic activities during a two week period (a total of two hours). Year 9 have one lesson of athletic activities during a two week period. In Year 7 students receive an introduction to the principles of running, jumping and throwing and are taught the basic skills required in order to perform successfully in athletic activities. Initially the command teaching style is used. Reciprocal teaching is used as students develop their basic knowledge. Year 8 is their first opportunity to experience specific athletic events, learn specific techniques and use these techniques in the context of competition. As explained in Chapter 10, in Year 9 students are taught in ability groups of various sizes, with some of these being mixed gender and some single gender groups. A common programme of athletic activities is followed across the ability groups but the types of challenges are differentiated according to ability.
