The Primary 1 Physical and Health Education (PHE) First Term Scheme of Work lays the foundation for structured physical education in Nigerian primary schools. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) developed this curriculum to help schools teach essential skills like motor development, physical fitness, safety awareness, and health-conscious behavior. Each weekly lesson introduces pupils to basic physical movement, athletics, manipulative skills, and health rules in sports, key components for building lifelong fitness and well-being.
For pupils, this scheme of work creates an enjoyable and interactive learning experience. Many Primary 1 students find Physical and Health Education the most exciting subject because it involves play, movement, and physical expression. Through these activities, pupils build confidence, improve body coordination, develop teamwork, and learn skills that support both academic and social development.
The NERDC-approved curriculum aligns with national education standards and ensures a smooth learning transition from early primary to upper classes. By introducing children early to structured physical education, the scheme helps them perform better in upper primary and junior secondary school. It also prepares them for standardized assessments and sports-related extracurricular opportunities.
This PHE scheme also promotes long-term health consciousness. Teachers use it to help children understand personal hygiene, safety in sports, responsible equipment use, and healthy habits. As a result, pupils become more aware of their well-being and begin to adopt physical activity as a part of their everyday lives. This early awareness can reduce childhood obesity and prevent lifestyle-related health issues.
Public and private schools across Nigeria that follow the national curriculum will find this guide useful. Teachers can use it to plan and deliver effective weekly lessons, while parents can track their child’s learning progress. With its clear weekly objectives, emphasis on movement, and integration of moral values through physical discipline, the Primary 1 PHE First Term Scheme of Work remains an essential resource for every classroom.
First Term Scheme of Work Table – Primary 1 PHE
| Week | Topic | Learning Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Movement: Movement of our body parts | Pupils should be able to demonstrate leaping, hopping, running, and stepping; perform manipulative movements like catching and throwing; identify safety rules. |
| Week 2 | Moving Our Body Parts | Pupils should describe and demonstrate movement patterns like leaping, hopping, running, stepping, and state basic movement patterns. |
| Week 3 | Movement: Throwing | Pupils should demonstrate correct object throwing and identify safety rules for throwing activities. |
| Week 4 | Movement: Catching | Pupils should correctly catch thrown objects (e.g., balls), describe and demonstrate manipulative catching patterns. |
| Week 5 | Safety | Pupils should explain movement safety rules, describe manipulative rules (e.g., catching, throwing), and identify playground safety measures. |
| Week 6 | Sports and Games: Athletics (Short Distance) | Pupils should explain athletics, describe and demonstrate 50m dash, and state health benefits of short races. |
| Week 7 | Continuous Assessment / Midterm Break | Midterm assessment to test understanding of Weeks 1–6. |
| Week 8 | Sports and Games: Athletics (Long Distance) | Pupils should state types of long-distance races, demonstrate a race, describe long-distance activities, and identify safety rules. |
| Week 9 | Athletics Jump | Pupils should define jumping, perform simple athletics jumps, and state safety rules in jumping. |
| Week 10 | Revision | General revision of topics covered so far. |
| Week 11 | Revision | Continued review and practice for examinations. |
| Week 12 | Examination | End-of-term exam covering all PHE topics taught. |
Importance of the scheme
In addition to its structured weekly objectives, the Primary 1 Physical and Health Education scheme builds physical strength, discipline, and sportsmanship in pupils. It encourages motor skills development through fun, age-appropriate, and guided physical exercises that keep children engaged and active. By reinforcing classroom learning with real-life movement, interactive games, and outdoor play, the curriculum helps learners connect academic concepts with physical expression.
The scheme fully aligns with the NERDC national curriculum. Pupils follow standardized educational benchmarks recognized across Nigerian schools. This alignment supports continuous development and ensures an easy transition to higher classes, where they will explore more complex physical and health education topics. It also prepares learners for standardized assessments, school-based sports competitions, and inter-house athletic activities.
Moreover, the curriculum integrates safety awareness by teaching rules that prevent injuries during school play, physical drills, and team games. Pupils learn to warm up properly, follow instructions, handle sports equipment carefully, and respect others’ space. These habits foster safe and respectful physical activities. The NERDC-aligned scheme ensures children receive age-appropriate instruction that supports academic and physical growth. Teachers deliver engaging, movement-based lessons, and parents reinforce these activities at home. When everyone uses this guide consistently, pupils build fitness, discipline, and lifelong health habits that prepare them for future classes and active living.
How to Use the Scheme of Work
Teachers deliver the Primary 1 Physical and Health Education scheme effectively by using each week’s topic as a structured guide for planning daily lessons. They bring topics to life through games, colorful visual aids, and physical demonstrations that pupils can relate to. These tools make learning fun and reinforce motor skills and body coordination. Teachers conduct regular formative assessments before the midterm and final term examinations to track pupils’ progress and adjust instruction where needed.
Parents support classroom learning by introducing physical activities at home such as throwing and catching soft balls, jogging, skipping, or jumping. They ensure a safe space for movement so the child can practice comfortably. They establish daily routines with light exercises or interactive games that reinforce school learning and promote a healthy lifestyle.
Pupils actively participate in their learning through hands-on physical activities that enhance both their body and mind. Every day, they engage in movement-based exercises such as hopping, running, jumping, and leaping, each designed to build strength, improve coordination, and boost overall physical fitness. These practical sessions not only help them develop better motor skills but also promote teamwork, discipline, and a positive attitude towards staying active. Through regular practice, learners begin to understand how their bodies move, respond to instructions more effectively, and gain confidence in physical tasks, laying a solid foundation for lifelong health and well-being.
Final Thoughts
The Primary 1 Physical and Health Education First Term Scheme of Work offers young learners a strong foundation in physical development, fitness, and safety awareness. It covers essential topics such as body movement, athletics, health habits, and basic sports skills. The curriculum introduces pupils to the importance of regular physical activity and healthy living from an early age. Each weekly lesson equips children with the skills they need for body coordination, strength building, and safe participation in school-based activities. The NERDC-aligned scheme ensures children receive age-appropriate instruction that supports both academic and physical growth. Teachers deliver engaging, movement-based lessons, and parents reinforce these lessons at home. When everyone uses this guide consistently, pupils develop fitness, discipline, and lifelong health habits that prepare them for future classes and active living.
