Yoga and the National Curriculum
My Yoga sessions fulfil the following Early Learning Goals for EYFS and National Curriculum physical education (PE) objectives for key stages 1 and 2. They also support the programmes of study for key stages 3 and 4 in PE as well as personal, social and health education (PSHE), in particular mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Physical Development - EYFS
Development Matters
'Develop the overall body strength, co-ordination, balance and agility
needed to engage successfully with future physical education sessions
and other physical disciplines'. 'Combine different movements with ease
and fluency'.
Early Learning Goal - Gross motor skills
'Children at the expected level of development will demonstrate
strength, balance and coordination'.
Yoga strengthens physical development even for very young children. At this stage they are learning how to balance, whether lying down or bending, standing and balancing. By practicing yoga poses they are using their muscles, which makes the child aware of their function and how the body works.
PE - Key Stage 1
'Pupils should be taught to master basic movements as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination and begin to apply these to a range of activities'.
Yoga undeniably involves all of these skills. Yoga poses and flows help children explore the capabilities of their bodies and help thembuild their strength, balance, coordination, flexibility and confidence.
PE - Key Stage 2
'Pupils should be taught to develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance' and should also access 'a broad range of opportunities to extend agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others'.
Sharing poses with children is a great way to develop their fitness and yoga provides time to work alone without any competition which makes it especially valuable. Partner and group poses still provide an opportunity for collaborative learning but without the pressure of “letting the team down” which so many children worry about in team sports.
What is involved in our yoga sessions also fulfils much of the National Curriculum's statutory guidance for Physical health and mental wellbeing.
PE - Key Stage 3 & 4
Much of the National Curriculum's programmes of study for Key Stage 3 & 4 PE is primarily based around competitive sport. Yoga, therefore, provides a non-competitive alternative for young people that builds strength, balance and flexibility in the body that could enhance performance in other sports and help prevent injury.
PSHE - Key Stage 3 & 4
Teaching about mental health and emotional wellbeing is also now a requirement as part of statutory Health Education.
A lot of young people have problems with their mental health because they simply don’t know how to cope. Yoga provides powerful ways of dealing with stress in their personal, family and social lives by teaching them simple techniques to reduce tension and increase calm in all situations.
Yoga has been shown to create a greater sense of well-being, increase feelings of relaxation, improve self-confidence and body image, improve efficiency, better interpersonal relationships, increase attentiveness, lower irritability, and encourage an optimistic outlook on life. Yoga promotes personal growth, health and well-being. By acknowledging the unity of mind, body and spirit, mind-body yoga can assist young people in their pursuit of peace, calmness, and greater wholeness and integration in their lives.
