Physical Education (PE)
Physical Education is a valued part of school life at Hanover. Our broad and balanced PE curriculum is designed to develop pupils’ fundamental movement skills, including agility, coordination, and balance. Beyond physical development, we place a strong emphasis on teamwork, resilience, creativity and sportsmanship. Through both PE and our Personal, Social, and Health Education programme, we help children understand the importance of regular physical activity as a key part of a healthy, active lifestyle.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, physical activity is vital in children’s all-round development, enabling them to pursue happy, healthy and active lives. Our youngest learners are encouraged to build confidence and take risks in our exceptional outdoor spaces, exploring climbing frames and a variety of equipment. Gross and fine motor experiences develop incrementally throughout early childhood. By creating games and providing opportunities for play both indoors and outdoors, adults at Hanover support children to develop their core strength, stability, balance, spatial awareness, co-ordination and agility.
This emphasis continues through to Year 6, where zoned play areas promote a wide range of activities. Students can engage in competitive sports like football and basketball, alongside skill-based pursuits such as scootering, skateboarding, circus skills, and even unicycling!
PE Lessons
Children from Year 1 to Year 6 receive weekly PE lessons that follow the Get Set curriculum. The programme aligns closely with our school values: We are Brave, Responsible and Kind. Each half-term focuses on a different sport, with lessons designed to build the key skills, knowledge, and understanding required for that sport. This structured approach ensures that all children can develop their physical abilities, confidence and enjoyment of sport in a progressive and purposeful way.
Below are the progression ladders and long-term progression map, which show how skills, knowledge, and understanding develop across the year groups.
Click here for the Hanover PE Curriculum Skills Progression Ladders
Click Here for the PE Long Term Progression Map
Swimming, Kayaking, Cricket and much, much more!
In the summer term of Year 2, children will have swimming taster sessions at Ironmonger baths to prepare them for more intensive lessons in Years 3 and 4. In both Year 3 and Year 4, children will have swimming using Islington's Intensive Model. Across 2 weeks, the children will go swimming for 1 hour every afternoon for two weeks. This has proven highly successful in helping children to learn to swim in recent years.
IIn Years 5 and 6, students participate in six weekly kayaking sessions at the nearby Islington Boat Club — a unique experience that encourages them to be brave and take on new challenges, reflecting one of our core values. We also partner with local cricket coaches to provide an additional PE lesson in Year 6, alongside a variety of other sporting initiatives that reinforce our commitment to physical development throughout every stage of a Hanover child's PE learning journey.
After School Clubs
Hanover offers a wide range of after-school activities for children in Years 2–6, providing opportunities to develop skills, stay active and compete against children from other Islington Schools.
Our Swim Squad trains once a week at Ironmonger Row Pool and competes in the Islington borough swimming galas. Children must be able to swim 25m confidently to join, and are safely escorted from school to the pool for each session.
We also run a variety of other sports clubs before and after school, including rollerskating, basketball, volleyball, karate and boys’ and girls’ football. Pupils attending these clubs regularly take part in local tournaments and termly football competitions against other schools across Islington, giving them the chance to showcase their skills and enjoy team sport in a supportive environment.
Click here for a full list of enrichment clubs currently on offer at Hanover