Educational Insights: Sports at NAIS Pudong

Nord Anglia International School Pudong (NAIS Pudong) prides itself on offering a comprehensive Physical Education program and a variety of competitive sports teams to cater to the diverse interests and abilities of its students.

The Physical Education (PE) curriculum at our school is designed to promote physical fitness, skill development, teamwork, and a lifelong appreciation for sports and healthy living. From Early Years through to Key Stage 5 (ages 2 to 18), students engage in a wide range of activities that cater to them specifically, regardless of age, gender or ability.

In Early Years, PE lessons focus on fundamental movement skills, coordination, balance, and spatial awareness through fun and interactive games and activities. These sessions are designed to lay the foundation for future physical development and instill a love for physical activity from a young age.

In Key Stage 1, PE lessons are designed to be fun, engaging, and age-appropriate, with an emphasis on exploration and experimentation. The overarching goal is to instill a positive attitude towards exercise and physical movement, setting the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle.  Just some of the skills involved in this element of physical development include running, jumping, hopping, skipping, throwing, catching, and balancing.

Key Stage 2 plays a vital role in promoting physical activity, fostering teamwork, and instilling healthy habits. It is a crucial stage in a child's development where they begin to refine their motor skills, coordination, and understanding of sports and physical activities.

This is also the first opportunity students get to participate in competitive sports teams at NAIS Pudong. The school's teams, known as the NAIS Pudong Tigers, allow students in Key Stage 2 to participate in football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, swimming teams, and more. At this age the main focus is on skill development and enjoyment. The competitiveness and focus on winning progresses further as the children get older. Students are given the opportunity of participating at a young age with a target of being able to continue to participate in a variety of school teams up until graduation in Year 13.

Swimming is also a key component of the school’s PE curriculum, with students from Reception to Year 5 all swimming at least once a week in their PE classes. This allows students to build their confidence, understand water safety, and helps with their physical fitness and skill development. Introducing children to swimming at a young age increases the likelihood that they will continue to engage in aquatic activities throughout their lives.

In addition to this, swimming can complement learning in other areas of the curriculum too. Lessons on buoyancy and water resistance in science can be reinforced through practical experiences in the pool. Swimming can also tie into topics such as geography, when studying bodies of water, and mathematics when measuring and working out swimming distances.

PE in Key Stage 3 aims to build upon the foundational skills acquired thus far while introducing students to a broader range of sports, activities, and concepts. The overarching goal is to promote lifelong participation in physical activity, enhance physical fitness, develop teamwork and leadership skills, and foster a positive attitude towards health and well-being. This is also where students are introduced to some of the foundational ideas that are in the Cambridge IGCSE PE curriculum as it gives students the opportunity to explore the option of pursuing this subject as an IGCSE option.

Students from Year 6 to Year 9 who have a passion for PE can also join the China International Schools Sports Association (CISSA) sports teams. CISSA teams compete in the Shanghai sports league, with boys’ and girls’ teams in football, volleyball, and basketball. Here students get to participate in weekly sports fixtures against other international schools in the city, before competing in the end of season tournament. These teams play a key role in developing students to be ready for the school’s varsity teams, where the oldest students compete.

In addition to regular PE lessons, NAIS Pudong offers a wide range of extracurricular sports clubs and activities to further enrich students' sporting experiences and cater to their individual interests and talents. These clubs are typically run after school by experienced coaches and instructors, providing opportunities for students to further pursue their passions and hone their skills. These clubs include tennis, fitness, golf, taekwondo, and kung fu to name just a few.

NAIS Pudong is proud to have a thriving sports program with numerous competitive sports teams representing the school in various leagues and tournaments, both locally and nationally.  We are looking forward to developing these programs and teams starting in 2024/25 with our brand new and unique collaboration with IMG Academy, the world’s leading sports education brand who have been responsible for developing world leading sports stars such as tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams, Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, and many more.  

The PE program and sports teams at NAIS Pudong play a vital role in the holistic development of students, promoting physical fitness, personal growth, social skills, and lifelong values.  By providing a diverse range of sports and activities, fostering a culture of teamwork and sportsmanship, and offering opportunities for competition and achievement, NAIS Pudong empowers students to lead active, healthy, and fulfilling lives both inside and outside the classroom and helps develop students’ creativity, confidence, and consideration.