The status of physical education

The United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child recognises the right of every child to education and states that such education should develop “the child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential” (Article 29)¹. Similarly, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) declared its commitment to physical education:

Every human being has a fundamental right of access to physical education and sport, which are essential for the full development of his personality. The freedom to develop physical, intellectual and moral powers through physical education and sport must be guaranteed both within the educational system and in other aspects of social life.

Article 1 of the International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport ²

This was endorsed by the International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE) in its International Position Statement on Physical Education in 2010.³ Physical education is seen – globally – not just as important, but as a human right.

Given this status, it is ironic that there is often misunderstanding about what physical education is. In the UK, physical education, sport and physical activity are often conflated or the terms used interchangeably without the differences between them being recognised.

The Association for Physical Education (afPE), which supports schools across the UK and internationally, offers this definition:

Physical education is the planned, progressive learning that takes place in school curriculum timetabled time, and which is delivered to all pupils.

Definitions of Physical Education ⁴

In this way, physical education is clearly part of the wider education curriculum, and every pupil is entitled to take part, whatever their ability.

In the UK, each of the home nations – England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – has its own national curriculum. Each curriculum is constructed differently but physical education features in them all. Crucially, it is compulsory for all pupils aged 5-16. In that sense, physical education is a statutory subject in the same way as maths or English. It even has a recommended amount of provision – a minimum of two hours per week for each pupil.

Despite this, physical education does not have the status of maths and English in some schools. For example, in England, there is a hierarchy of subjects, with maths, English and science considered ‘core’ subjects and others considered ‘foundation’ subjects, particularly in primary schools. Generally, more time and resources are allocated to the core subjects, especially when timetables and budgets are tight. Meanwhile, over the past ten years, there has been an annual drop in the amount of time physical education is taught in secondary schools.⁵

The purpose of physical education – learning to move

A key factor in this issue is the ongoing debate about the purpose of the subject. As both afPE and ICSSPE highlight, physical education is the only school subject whose primary focus is the body and which, uniquely, addresses pupils’ physical development. It is generally agreed, therefore, that physical education is about learning to move – it enables pupils to develop their physical competence and prepares them to participate regularly in a range of physical activities. These are common aims in the four UK nations’ curricula. In this way, physical education supports children and young people to lead active lifestyles – now and in the future.

Given the current state of children’s health, this purpose alone should make physical education a priority for every school. For example, the UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children aged 5-18 should take part in an average of an hour of sport or physical activity a day, yet, in England in 2023-24, only 47.8 per cent of 5-16-year-olds did so.⁶ Globally, in 2022, 81 per cent of 11-17-year-olds spent less than one hour a day doing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.⁷ This is despite the fact that regular physical activity promotes both physical and mental health and, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) emphasises, is one of the few areas in public health where the “evidence on required action is so convincing, cost-effective and practical”. This is why UK national curricula highlight physical education’s role in promoting pupils’ health and wellbeing.

However, even physical learning is debated. National curricula ask for breadth and balance in schools’ delivery, i.e., pupils should participate in a range of activities such as games, gymnastics, dance, athletics and outdoor adventurous activities. As a life-saving skill, swimming is included too. Whilst these are presented as generic activity areas, traditionally they have resulted in sports-specific provision. For example, a typical year plan might include six sports – one for each half-term – delivered in discrete units. With this curriculum structure, it is not surprising that physical education and sport have become interchangeable in many minds.

This sports-led model has long been questioned, not least because it introduced young children to sports-specific techniques before they were ready to learn them. This led to less-competent pupils losing confidence and enjoyment, leading to longer term disengagement. It also excluded pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) as teachers struggled to adapt set sports. Within the current UK national curricula, there is now a focus on developing primary-age pupils’ fundamental skills – the skills that underpin all physical activity. Whilst terminology differs, these are the ABCs of physical learning: agility (locomotion), balance (stability) and coordination (object control). Sports or activities become the vehicles for learning these transferable skills, rather than an end in themselves.

The sports-specific approach is still typical in secondary schools, the argument being that pupils are ready to progress to more technical skills and knowledge. The challenge is selecting which sports. With physical activity levels being low and decreasing with age, many schools now recognise the need to offer more diverse activities, ones that prepare pupils to participate informally as well as through organised sport. For example, current provision might include anything from boccia (a Paralympic sport) to yoga. Consulting pupils to identify their interests and motivations is now common. This has been particularly effective in engaging the least active groups, such as teenage girls. Similarly, there is greater emphasis on the transferability of skills between sports so young people can widen their interests, both in and out of school. This also helps physical education to be more inclusive: all pupils can learn and apply the skills in different ways.

The purpose of physical education – moving to learn

Physical education has always been aligned to physical competence and its contribution to health. However, its association with other areas of learning has been inconsistent. Whilst the first national curriculum for physical education in England stressed its contribution to all aspects of children’s education, this holistic approach has since varied. The current curriculum does recognise physical education’s role in developing pupils’ character whilst the Scotland and Wales curricula highlight the development of personal and inter-personal skills. Numerous reports have also recognised the subject’s wider impact, as summarised in an afPE report:

High quality physical education has been shown to contribute to children’s confidence, self-esteem and self-worth; enhance social development by helping children to co-operate and compete and to develop a sense of fairness, justice and respect; reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression; benefit cognitive function and academic achievement; and encourage school attendance and engagement.

Association for Physical Education: The Case for PE Becoming a Core Subject ⁸

This whole child approach recognises that physical education develops pupils’ personal (affective), social, cognitive, creative and physical skills. As well as learning to move, it is also about moving to learn. Whilst, it could be argued, the subject has always been about these wider skills, many schools are now making them more explicit in their curricula and teaching. Pupils set personal and social learning goals whilst teachers adopt pedagogies that maximise skills such as cooperating, problem-solving and resilience. Highlighting these outcomes – and their relevance to children’s wider learning and lives – is another way to reinforce the importance of physical education and prioritise it in schools.

The future of physical education

Physical education is always in flux: it reflects shifting politics, priorities and professional debate. Such changes, whilst challenging at times, are essential: examining, questioning and adapting practice are what fuel improvement. The current trend in the UK is to ensure that physical education is more relevant to every young person. Sometimes perceived as for the sporty few, or as time for pupils to let off steam, physical education must reclaim its place at the core of education. As this article has outlined, it is aiming to do this by moving away from a sport-led approach to one that focuses on skills – skills that make young people fit for life as well as sport. It also seeks to be more pupil-centred – putting each child’s needs and interests at its heart and enabling them to have more ownership of their learning. In this way, physical education seeks to be a right that everybody values.

References

1. United Nations: Convention on the Rights of the Child
2. International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport
3. International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education: International Position Statement on Physical Education
4. Association for Physical Education: Definitions of Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity
5. Explore Education Statistics Service: Subjects taught in state funded secondary schools from School workforce in England 
6. Sport England: Children's activity levels hold firm but significant challenges remain
7. World Health Organisation: Global status report on physical activity 2022
8. Association for Physical Education: The Case for PE Becoming a Core Subject