Physical Education at the ESS

The objectives of the European programmes

Physical Education helps to open the way to personal fulfilment, a significant issue as far as general education is concerned. Its educational effect goes much further than the development of physical and motor skills.

Physical Education always assumes social relations, feelings and knowledge. As such, the teaching of sport should have a positive influence on lifestyle and encourage social integration. Physical Education should build bridges into the world of sport and culture in the local environment.

The main task of teaching sport is to promote development potential through exercise, play, performance and health in a safe and structured environment conducive to work. All of this is put to work and guaranteed through the experience gained in the various sports.

The objectives of the school programme

With the help of this structure, a positive attitude becomes possible, as do practical actions regarding sports activities and sport in general. This objective should be put into practice through basic motor dexterity, social skills, ease with games, performance and health-giving skills, working on the principles acquired in Elementary School.

Dexterity and skills

Basics of motor dexterity – taught in Elementary School and in reference to the Elementary School syllabus

Running – different directions, speed, techniques, tempo

Jumping and landing – Jumping on one or two feet, length, height, moving forwards on the left foot and the right foot, on and off different surfaces

Throwing and catching – in different ways, different balls and different objects, different sizes and materials

Rolling, balancing, climbing, swinging and sliding

Social skills

• Taking part according to the principles of fair play: respecting others / obeying the rules
• Being part of a team and having team spirit
• Developing a sense of responsibility for yourself, for others, for the material / the equipment
• Working with others towards a common goal
• Being responsible for the safety of others
• Being capable of being independent
• Supporting the teaching staff
• When faced with problems or conflict, knowing how to react constructively
• Being relatively flexible when dealing with different roles (assistant, adviser, team mate) and being able to recognise your own role

Skills at play

• Accepting the rules and the referee’s decisions
• Learning different techniques
• Learning tactics
• Developing team spirit
• Developing enthusiasm for a game and understanding the idea behind it
• Understanding the importance of safety
• Being adaptable

Skills in competition

• Developing positive thinking
• Developing the ability to see things through to the end
• Strengthening concentration and putting in greater effort
• Developing intrinsic motivation
• Promoting motivation and positive thinking
• Learning how to assess yourself
• Setting yourself goals
• Taking part in competitions
• Organising competitions
• Accepting individual roles within a team

Skills on health matters

• Understanding the importance of exercise and physical activity to personal, social and mental well-being
• Paying attention to the basic rules on hygiene
• Recognising the positive aspects of training and physical exercise
• Understanding the link between health and fitness to feel good about your body
• Improving physical abilities though outdoor activities
• Having an understanding of nutrition
• Learning first aid training

Skills in terms of fitness (strength - stamina - speed - coordination)

• Developing everyday activities for better quality of life
• Understanding the positive consequences of the correct movements during training sessions
• Using appropriate equipment and wearing suitable clothing
• Knowing the safety rules and paying attention to them
• Learning relaxation exercises

The specific objectives of the European School of Strasbourg

At the European School, we want to offer pupils a physical education different from what they might learn at sports clubs to develop the practice of reflective thinking through the acquisition of social, play and competition skills as well as a health education which is meaningful to the pupils as they learn how to live together. Therefore, our objectives are:

• Objective No. 1: To develop the practice of reflective thinking while refining and enriching motor skills;
• Objective No. 2: To give all pupils a taste for physical activity and exertion to help with the acquisition of good health;
• Objective No. 3: To live together and respect each other to make our differences a strength;
• Objective No.4: To animate the European School by devising and taking part in common projects.

From S1 to S3, grading out of 10 points focuses on participation, improvement, effort made, performance and behaviour. In team sports, grading focuses on game situations which may be complemented by technical demonstrations. For individual sports, grading focuses on technical demonstrations, using performance classifications for swimming and athletics.

In S4 and S5, grading is expressed by one A grade and one B grade of the same value (10 points). The A grade assesses attendance, participation, effort and behaviour. The B grade assesses the game situations, which may be complemented by technical demonstrations. For individual sports, grading focuses on the technical demonstrations, using performance classifications for athletics.

In S6 and S7, grading is expressed by one A grade and one B grade of the same value (10 points). The A grade assesses attendance, participation, effort, social behaviour and the ability to be independent. The B grade assesses team sports on game situations, which may be complemented by technical demonstrations. For individual sports, grading focuses on the technical demonstrations, using performance classifications for athletics.

Highlights and Projects Undertaken

• School Sports Day, 27 September 2017, within the framework of the UNSS [National Union of School Sport]
  We called on the services of the Aviron Strasbourg 1880 rowing club which, from 10.55 am to 12.30 pm, introduced 37 pupils from S6 to the basics of rowing in the main hall (with a PowerPoint presentation, an introduction to the culture of rowing, the techniques and scientific and physiological explanations of the sport). The pupils had the opportunity to take part in competitions on indoor rowing machines. Until 3.00 pm, we took part in sports activities in the main hall (which all the pupils were able to see), which were open to every pupil in the school. The indoor rowing machines had been left out so that all the pupils could try them out.
• Participation in the Lingolsheim cross-country within the framework of the UNSS
  On 15 November 2017, we took part in the Lingolsheim cross-country event, a qualifying round for the departmental competitions in Bischwiller on 29 November.
• Participation in an Ultimate Frisbee Competition within the framework of the UNSS
  On 4 April 2018, Mr Shaw travelled to Arbouans with two teams of five girls and seven boys. Each team played three matches in two pools. The weather was miserable but the pupils competed in a friendly spirit of fair play. Mr Shaw’s report: “We entered two teams consisting of five girls and seven boys in each team. Each team played three games each in two different pools. The weather was miserable with driving rain, a blustery wind and mud-covered pitches. But despite the miserable conditions for playing, spirits remained high, with our teams singing and dancing on the sidelines throughout. We were all happy to be back on the warm bus to travel back to Strasbourg.”
• Participation in a Circus Arts outing within the framework of the UNSS
  On 23 May 2018, Mr Shaw took a group of pupils from the Circus Club on an outing and here’s his report: “Our budding clowns and acrobats met with their counterparts from seven other schools in Alsace in Génération Cirque, Achenheim. The morning consisted of several 45-min-long workshops where they had a chance to try dance, tight-rope walking, knife-throwing, German wheel and aerial silks. After a picnic lunch we presented our show and got to see the output of the other schools.”
• Participation in and organisation of Volleyball Competitions within the framework of the UNSS
  As Mrs Simon is the District Coordinator for Volleyball at high schools in Strasbourg, we have taken part in and organised a lot of competitions in the ESS gymnasium. This has also given us the opportunity to get to know each other better and welcome other schools from the district to our own school. We have been taking part in competitions since October 2017. A few landmarks:
  • On 24 January 2018, we qualified for and organised the Departmental Junior Boys Volleyball Finals (S7);
  • On 31 January 2018, we qualified for and organised the Departmental Girls High School Volleyball Finals (S/S7);
  • On 21 March 2018, we qualified for and organised the Departmental Minor Boys Volleyball Finals (S5/S6);
  • On 11 April 2018, organisation of the education authority Volleyball finals at the ESS gymnasium, for which we had qualified.
• Organisation of a sports tournament at Bad Vilbel from 19 to 22 March 2018 with the European Schools of Bad Vilbel and Frankfurt
  From 19 to 22 March, we organised sports events with the European School RheinMain with twenty-four pupils (twelve boys and twelve girls from S4) selected on sports abilities and criteria and their school conduct mark (decided at meetings with the Chief Educational Advisers). We held an Ultimate Frisbee tournament with mixed teams from all three schools and then, on the following days, the competition began in earnest with a Badminton tournament (boys and girls in pairs from each school), a Futsal tournament and a Volleyball tournament. These matches were held in the context of our “International Openness” objective as part of our Physical Education and School Project. This linguistic, friendly and sporting exchange was intended to encourage pupils at schools in the European Schools system to discuss their respective lifestyles, compete with each other on the sports field and explore the cultural wealth of Bad Vilbel. It also gave pupils an opportunity to prepare for Eurosport type competitions and to witness the physical and psychological complexity that these events entail. Here is the programme for these meets:
  • Monday 19 March: Meeting at 11.00 am at ESRM School parking lot for all participating S3/S4 students who will greet the students from European School Strasbourg and European School Frankfurt. There will be an explanation of activities, organization of groups for bowling and sports competitions. Students will then eat lunch at the canteen (11.45 am). After lunch there will be friendly ultimate Frisbee matches (1.00 pm - 4.00 pm) at the sports hall and outside on the playing fields. Return with host families between 6.00 pm and 7.00 pm after eating a meal at the school (TBD).
  • Tuesday 20 March: 8.30 am - 4.45 pm: Sports competitions will be held at the ESRM sport hall and outside on the playing fields. Badminton, volleyball and a soccer tournament will take place all day long. Students return to their host families between 4.45 pm and 5.00 pm.
  • Wednesday 21 March: Meeting at 8.30 am in front of the ESRM flagpole for those students who need to be chaperoned with the teachers to head downtown to Börse Frankfurt, Börsenpl. 4, 60313 Frankfurt am Main. We are meeting in front of the building at 10.00 am. Scavenger hunt/rally 10.00 am -1.30 pm and then the students are allowed to eat lunch in a group of three students minimum for an hour and a half (1.30 pm - 3.00 pm).
  • Thursday 22 March: Departure of European School Strasbourg students, who will meet at the school at 8.40 am and will then leave for Strasbourg.
• Organisation of Races against Famine on 30 May 2018
  In tandem with the Chief Educational Advisers, we organised the race for "Action against Famine" at the Jardin des Deux Rives. Thus, after marking out two race areas, all pupils from S1 to S4 ran on behalf of the charity and raised a total of 7,000 euro.

Projects for 2018/2019

• Repeat of the Sail Trip for S6 in June 2019
  We did, indeed, undertake a Sailing and Windsurfing Trip at the UCPA on the Presqu’île de Giens from 25 to 30 June 2017. This Sailing and Windsurfing Trip also focused on sustainable development, raising awareness on ecology and the need to protect the marine environment. The activities programme was as follows:

• The timetable for sports activities was from 9 am to 11.30 am and from 1.30 to 4.30 pm;
• The pupils took an intensive windsurfing and catamaran course (2½ hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon), a stand-up paddle session and a bike outing;
• The activity groups and rooms were organised in such a way as to mix the language groups for S6 pupils at the European School.

• Trip to Varese in Italy from 2 to 6 April 2019 within the framework of Eurosport
  Organisation of training sessions to select and prepare the best thirty pupils, according to sports criteria and school conduct:

• Volleyball and Table Tennis training on Tuesday from 5 to 6 pm;
• Futsal training on Thursday from 5 to 6 pm (S4-S7);
• Running and Swimming training when called upon.