Physical Education is a valued aspect of the curriculum at St. Andrews Sathorn, and one which allows children to flourish in a multitude of ways – physically, socially, mentally and emotionally. This holistic approach to developing our learners prepares them for the future by equipping them with a range of important skills and values.

Physical Education and Swimming lessons are delivered by knowledgeable and passionate teachers, and are characterised by challenge and enjoyment. We firmly believe in the benefits of children and adults engaging in active lifestyles, and our aim is for learners to autonomously pursue an active lifestyle through the initial experience of having fun as they learn. As a result, we have formed a culture in the school which highly values the opportunities to play and to be active.

In our Early Years Physical Education Curriculum, children learn to explore the capabilities of their bodies through a range of experiences which develop fundamental, basic movement skills. These include whole-body, gross motor skills – such as climbing, crawling, balancing and jumping -, which may be explored through the use of carefully considered Gymnastics apparatus which the learners traverse and explore with increasing independence – thus developing their physical abilities to move, and to keep themselves safe.

Additionally, children develop their abilities to navigate space through a selection of running and evading games and activities – developing their movement and spatial awareness in relation to the world around them. In early years, we also carefully help the learners to develop their fine motor skills through the use of a range of equipment, improving coordination which can be applied to a range of tasks across their lives, inside and outside of school.

Further to their movement skills, the children develop an ability to follow routines and structure, to follow rules to different games and activities, to absorb and respond to different stimuli, to be creative, to interact with their peers and develop socially, and to navigate the various emotions associated with playing games. Early Years lessons are fun and engaging, and the children develop an appreciation for being active early at St. Andrews Sathorn.

In KS1, the activities which comprise the P.E. curriculum begin to reflect a range of sports and activities, and the aim begins to develop the physical skills associated with those activities. These include team invasion games, and where we learn ‘Chair ball’ to develop the necessary skills for basketball later, basic Racket Sports, Gymnastics, Athletics etc. Additional to these physical skills, children continue to develop their social, emotional and mental capacities also. Important team-work and leadership skills begin to forge, as do the abilities to manage one’s emotions within competitive scenarios. Children develop their ability to self-motivate, and to maintain their focus and concentration.

By the time children reach Key Stage 2 i.e. Year 3 to Year 6, children have a foundation of important skills which allow us to explore sport specific units in greater depth. The activities we focus on include team invasion games, such as Basketball, Football, Rugby, as well as individual activities like Table-Tennis, Badminton and Athletics. Children explore the creative and aesthetic concepts, also, within Gymnastics and Dance units.

At St. Andrews Sathorn, we are proud to produce children which are well rounded, active, contributing members of the school community through the values, skills and lessons experienced and attained within Physical Education lessons.

Another important aspect of our Physical Education program is our Swimming and Aquatics program. Each child participates in a weekly swimming lesson, initially to develop their confidence around water – alongside the skills to keep themselves safe in aquatic environments – and then to develop their knowledge and skills of swimming stroke technique.

From KG to Year 6, our children participate with enthusiasm and enjoyment in their swimming lessons. Our annual Swimming Gala week is a well celebrated time when the entire school descends to the pool, along with parents and Sathorn community members, to cheer on their houses as they exhibit the amazing skills they have been developing over the year.

Our TISAC and Extra-Curricular Activity program also offers children a range of opportunities out with their standard curricular time in P.E. or Swimming. We have clubs available to all ina number of different activities, from Swimming to Gymnastics, Tennis to Outdoor Ed. Activities. The school is a hub of activity long after the final lessons of the timetable have concluded.

As a school, we are a part of the Thailand International School Activities Committee (TISAC). This conglomerate of schools organise and offer a variety of sporting competitions, festivals and events for select children to participate in and represent the school. These opportunities are offered to the children who demonstrate particular talent and ability in an activity, and are an opportunity for them to extend their learning and their experiences in their given activity. The U11 TISAC year includes Football, Basketball, Swimming, Badminton and Table-Tennis seasons, of which we are represented at each by our passionate and hardworking young athletes.

At. St. Andrews Sathorn, our culture of valuing and engaging in active lifestyles allows our children to reap the benefits – continually backed by research – of taking part in varied physically active experiences. Our children are developing into pro-social young people, with foundational skills to become contributing members of society in their futures, through much of the work done during their time in Physical Education and Swimming at St. Andrews Sathorn.

Mr. Alex Zaldua,

Head of PE,

St. Andrews International School Sathorn.

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