Why are you passionate about PE?

Imagine the scene: It’s a Year 5 primary school PE lesson, where children are participating in a basketball-focused lesson. During a game between two teams, a third team is responsible for leadership roles, such as refereeing, scorekeeping, and timekeeping.

A new child, who doesn’t speak English, has just joined the school, and this is their first experience playing basketball. In the middle of the game, the referee - a boy with autism - pauses to approach the new child. Taking his time, he physically demonstrates where they need to stand and how to pass the ball before returning to the game. The new child, learning through this simple, hands-on interaction, has a massive smile on her face for the remainder of the lesson.

Moments like this happen every day in PE, where children learn with and from each other, discovering the joys and benefits of physical activity. PE doesn’t just teach physical skills; it enriches children’s lives and creates lasting school memories.

This is what drives my passion for teaching primary PE. The subject offers so much more than just physical movement. You see children develop not only their physical abilities but also their skills as leaders, problem-solvers, and creative thinkers. Every lesson is an opportunity to inspire a child, perhaps even creating formative moments that spark a lifelong positive relationship with physical activity - all because of what they experience in PE.
 

What challenges do teachers face?

Primary school teachers who deliver PE lessons come from different backgrounds and have different experiences and were trained to teach in different ways. With so many subjects to cover, many received the least training in PE during their teacher training programmes. In many schools, PE is outsourced to coaching companies and teachers aren’t expected to deliver PE lessons. So when they are, it’s understandable that some may feel uncertain about delivering high-quality PE.

In my experience, one of the biggest challenges teachers face is knowing how to create inclusive lessons for all students, considering factors like disability, gender, race, and background, so that every child participates actively. When children sit out or spend time waiting in line, it may reflect a teacher's lack of confidence in using alternative teaching methods.

This is where Subject Coordinators and Senior Leaders play a crucial role: by providing training and support, they can help teachers gain the skills and confidence needed to deliver engaging, inclusive PE lessons. Continuous professional development and sharing best practices among staff can make a significant difference. With the right support, teachers can enjoy teaching PE, and every student can have the opportunity to shine.
 

What lessons have you learnt about delivering PE? 

In my 10 years of teaching PE, I've learned many valuable lessons. One of the most important is that we should teach children what they need to learn, rather than simply what we want to teach. This extends to how we teach: it’s essential to adapt our approach to suit the needs of the students in front of us, rather than relying solely on our preferred methods.

In England, PE curriculums are often structured around specific sports or activities, with the aim of making every child a better player in that sport—like basketball, for example. However, many children in these lessons may struggle with aspects like handling competition, managing emotions when losing, or respecting decisions. I’ve learned that focusing on these social skills, such as cooperation, respectful competition, and resilience, is often more impactful than teaching technical skills like how to perform a layup.

By designing units that prioritise cooperation and healthy competition as the main goals, using the sport as a tool rather than the focus, students can develop social skills that benefit them in future PE lessons, during playtimes, and beyond. It’s essential to offer opportunities that build their thinking skills, creativity, and independence. In my lessons, I make it a priority to let students create their own routines, invent games, or devise team tactics. This encourages them to think independently. Simply telling them to watch and copy limits these opportunities and stifles creativity.

Giving students a bit of control reveals what they are truly capable of. Every child has immense potential to succeed in PE, and I see it as my role to help them unlock that potential by focusing on the individuals in front of me, not just the class as a whole.