pepas excellence group report

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport Excellence Group

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport Report Summary 1. Physical education is an ideal vehicle to encourage the development of both movement and thinking skills together and in doing so impact on, contribute to, and reinforce learning across the curriculum. Securing the vision for high quality physical education depends upon confident and well qualified practitioners and scheduled, protected time within the curriculum. 2. With Curriculum for Excellence we have a real opportunity to effect transformational change in the learning and teaching of physical education. In doing so we must give a clear, inspired and motivational message to the whole school community, including community sport and beyond, about the positive contribution that physical education, physical activity and sport can together make to the development of young people’s skills for learning, life and work. 3. The challenge is to demonstrate to school leaders, teachers, early years practitioners and their partners that transformational change for physical education will lead to improved learning outcomes across the curriculum. 4. Physical education alone cannot develop positive attitudes to, and establish the pattern of, daily physical activity that will lead to sustained participation in physical activity and sport in adult life. It is therefore essential that schools develop meaningful partnerships to create pathways that link physical education with school and community based physical activity and sport. Recommendations Teachers should: Reflect on their practice and the school’s provision in the light of the definitions of physical education, physical activity and sport (paragraph 6). Schools/local authorities should: Have a clear plan to ensure that teachers, educators and their partners have access to appropriate continuing professional development opportunities (paragraph 12); Ensure that all young people, including those in S5 and S6, have an entitlement to both core and certificated physical education experiences (paragraph 17); Establish a process to recognise and value, capture and encourage the learning, coherence and progression that goes on outside the classroom, regardless of where it takes place (paragraph 23);

PEPAS Excellence Group Report, 2nd February 2011 1


Develop meaningful partnerships, led by physical education staff, to create pathways that link physical education with school and community based physical activity and sport (paragraph 25); Ensure that school leaders, teachers and educators work in partnership with Active Schools and sports development staff to develop an integrated approach to the delivery of physical education, physical activity and sport across the school and wider community (paragraph 26); Ensure that sports development staff work with active schools coordinators to support teachers and educators in developing local partnerships (paragraph 28). National Agency for Learning and Teaching should: Promote awareness of the evidence and research which demonstrates the contribution that high quality physical education can positively make to enhanced achievement, improved attendance, retention and behaviour (paragraph 6). Teacher Training Institutions should: Review their programmes, particularly for primary teachers, to ensure that newly qualified teachers possess the range of pedagogical skills necessary to deliver high quality physical education, physical activity and sport (paragraph 12). Scottish Government should: Endorse the definitions of high quality physical education, physical activity and sport in Annex A (paragraph 10); Commission examples of the range of learning that would enable schools to continue delivering progressive core physical education throughout the senior phase (paragraph 17); Invite the National Agency for Learning and Teaching to provide short term support to the physical education, physical activity and sport fraternity to establish a national professional association (paragraph 27).

Pedagogy 5. Excellent physical education, physical activity and sport will develop learners’ practical and performance skills in a range of activities and support the way that individual attitudes, values and behaviours are formed. Effective programmes need meaningful collaborative partnerships with shared understanding, planning and outcomes to ensure continuity and progression in learning. 6. School leaders should invest in high quality physical education that can positively contribute to enhanced achievement and improved attendance, retention and behaviour. To support them in this, we recommend that the National Agency for Learning and Teaching in Scotland promotes awareness of the evidence and research which demonstrate this. We also recommend that teachers reflect on their practice and the school’s provision in the light of the definitions of physical education, physical activity and sport at Annex A in order to improve, and understand the value of, the experience for all pupils. 7. Physical education lessons provide real opportunities for cross curricular learning and development of transferable skills but timetabling issues often get in the way. Transformational change for physical education will come about through improved learning outcomes across the curriculum characterised by:

o a methodology which encourages children and young people to think more about their learning;

o learning which provides opportunities for more depth by revisiting the focus of the learning;

o programmes planned and taught by confident, skilled teachers (1) leading meaningful collaborative planning partnerships with practitioners and partners;

o effective local partnerships which provide a clear pathway from school to club and across the whole community.

8. Transformational change for physical education will come from shifting the focus from delivery of movement skills to a pedagogy that embraces the need to deliver movement (and the concepts that sit underneath) and thinking together. If we embrace this idea, there is more likely to be active engagement on the part of the learner because they see value in what they are doing i.e. developing a physical competence and confidence that then allows them, when they are ready, to access physical activity and sport within and beyond the school and the wider community. 9. Educators should be encouraged to focus on the nature of the learning as opposed to the nature of the activities being undertaken. More about the why of learning and performance rather than simply the how. To achieve excellence in physical education, it is essential that local authorities and schools embrace a pedagogy that provides opportunities for more depth in young people’s learning by revisiting the focus of the learning and investing time in planning to ensure that prior learning is built upon. Planning must be creative (resources and timetable), take account of what children want to learn and motivate young people to take more responsibility and independence for their learning. (1) GTC registered teachers and early years practitioners



10. The definitions of high quality physical education, physical activity and sport at Annex A are designed to make a positive impact on children and young people’s learning and achievement. We recommend that the Scottish Government endorses these definitions and encourages all local authorities and schools to adopt them in the planning, development and implementation of their programmes and local partnerships for physical education, physical activity and sport. Professional engagement 11. Excellence in physical education, physical activity and sport requires confident, knowledgeable teachers who use a range of innovative and relevant teaching methods. It is essential that teachers, educators and their partners know where to access advice and opportunities to support their own professional development. 12. We recommend that teacher training institutions review their programmes, particularly for primary teachers, to ensure that newly qualified teachers: possess the range of pedagogical skills necessary to deliver high quality physical education, physical activity and sport; and understand the value of physical education in the development of the whole child. We also recommend that individual local authorities have a clear plan to ensure that teachers, educators and their partners have access to appropriate continuing professional development that will support the delivery of transformational change and the creation of teaching and learning communities as a forum for sharing and discussing good practice. This should include opportunities to discuss and reflect upon their provision and practice. The essential knowledge 13. Children and young people need to understand the positive contribution that physical education, physical activity and sport make to:

o wider achievement and the development of skills for learning, life and work; o mental, emotional, social and physical health and wellbeing.

14. Teachers, educators and their partners need to understand the basic principles and key aspects of high quality physical education and how physical education, physical activity and sport make a positive impact on pupils’ learning and achievement. 15. There is a need to protect an entitlement to a core physical education experience for young people which should not be replaced by the certification only route. 16. The Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes for physical education, physical activity and sport apply from ages 3 to 15. There is a void in terms of experiences and outcomes for core physical education for the senior phase. Certificated physical education has understandably led to a predominance of skill development/analysis of performance within physical education but such courses will not be the personal choice of all young people.

17. Core and certificated physical education are both essential but there is a need to make a clear distinction between the two. We recommend that the Scottish Government commissions examples of the range of learning that would enable schools to continue delivering progressive core physical education throughout the senior phase and that Education Authorities ensure that all young people, including those in S5 and S6, have an entitlement to both core and certificated physical education experiences. Progression and Assessment 18. The Scottish Government aspires to all children and young people establishing the pattern of daily physical activity that will lead to sustained participation in physical activity and sport in adult life. This means embracing the formation of quality programmes which provide meaningful experiences, with a focus on relevance and understanding, and attract young people to the joy and pleasure of physical activity thereby fostering an active lifestyle. 19. Health reasons alone are not going to be sufficient to encourage regular physical or sporting activity. In promoting physical activity and sport, more needs to be done to demonstrate the leisure, cultural, social and inclusion benefits so that all those involved in education are more aware of the modern role and educational value that physical activity and sport can play in developing skills for learning, life and work. 20. To support this, it is essential that schools provide the national expected entitlement to at least 2 hours of quality physical education each week at all stages for all children and young people. Schools must also build closer links between the transitions from pre school to primary and from primary to secondary physical education, active schools and sport to develop better pathways for children and young people. This needs to be driven locally. 21. Effective, high quality, physical education needs appropriately qualified staff who: understand and know well how children and young people learn; recognise with the learner what they have achieved; and are confident in supporting children and young people’s achievement and skills development through their next steps in learning. Curriculum for excellence, building the curriculum 5, a framework for assessment: recognising achievement, profiling and reporting provides advice which will help teachers, educators and their partners to reflect on, assess, describe and record each learner’s progress and achievements. 22. As mentioned earlier in this report, core and certificated physical education are both essential but there is a need to make a clear distinction between the two. In doing so it is essential to ensure that the content of National Qualifications 4 and 5 for physical education is capable of being delivered in its entirety in an experiential way.


23. Learning through physical education, physical activity and sport takes place in and beyond the school by, for example, participation in festivals and dance. Teachers, educators and their partners need to broaden their understanding of all learning that takes place after school in the wider community. We recommend that all schools establish a process to recognise and value, capture and encourage the learning, coherence and progression that goes on outside the classroom, regardless of where it takes place. Subject challenges 24. Inadequate facilities and teacher confidence are often portrayed as reasons for poor provision of physical education, physical activity and sport. Teacher confidence is addressed earlier in this report. Many schools have developed programmes that make creative and imaginative use of school and community facilities. Schools that place high value on the contribution that high quality physical education can make to the development of young people’s skills for learning, life and work find ways to overcome the challenges. All schools to aspire to this model. Partnership, External Insights and Support 25. Through meaningful partnerships we can foster the role of physical education, physical activity and sport in encouraging inclusiveness, engagement and a sense of belonging within the school and wider community. Local partnerships could provide much needed support for transition in, and between, physical education, physical activity and sport. Schools have a responsibility to introduce all children and young people to local physical activity and sport. We recommend that all schools develop meaningful partnerships, led by physical education staff, to create pathways that link physical education with school and community based physical activity and sport. 26. It is essential that partners, who will include active schools and sports development, understand Curriculum for Excellence and the role that physical education, physical activity and sport can play in enhancing learning. It will be vital to the success of local partnerships that clear processes are developed for a shared understanding and the planning and delivery of outcomes to ensure continuity and progression in young people’s learning. We recommend that school leaders, teachers and educators work in partnership with Active Schools and sports development staff to develop an integrated approach to the planning and delivery of physical education, physical activity and sport across the school and wider community and to ensure that volunteers, teachers, coaches and leaders are supported to deliver high quality opportunities. 27. We recommend that the Scottish Government and the National Agency for Learning and Teaching provide short term support to the physical education, physical activity and sport fraternity to establish a new single national professional association which will support schools and communities in driving forward transformational change.


28. Teachers and educators need to know who the key players are across physical education, physical activity and sport in order to be able to develop/adapt school structures to nurture effective local partnership (2). We recommend that local authority sports development staff work with active schools coordinators to support teachers and educators in developing local partnerships and promote a positive coaching climate to which all of the partners subscribe. 29. School leaders, teachers and educators need to understand that the value of visiting specialists in supporting delivery of at least 2 hours good quality physical education goes beyond delivering a lesson to pupils. Such sessions also provide continuing professional development opportunities for class teachers. Each Education Authority should have a clear strategy for how they are going to continue to support class teachers in the delivery of consistently high quality physical education experiences. Illustration of Excellence 30. In order to determine whether physical education, physical activity and sport programmes deliver excellence, schools should reflect on their practice and provision in the light of the definitions at Annex A. (2) Partners will include school staff, sports development, active schools, parents and other volunteers.


Annex A

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport Excellence Group There remains some confusion and ambiguity between the 3 distinct areas that make up physical education, physical activity and sport. It is therefore important to make clear the differences and define each. There is an expectation that children and young people are entitled to 2 hours high quality physical education per week, in addition to physical activity and sport, in order to meet the expectations set out in the experiences and outcomes for health and wellbeing. Schools should however be encouraged to exceed the recommended entitlement. It is also important to recognise that meaningful partnerships between the three areas will allow for a planned approach to enhance learning and a shared understanding of the roles and the benefits each can bring. Only when the three areas work together can transformational change in learning take place. Definition of High Quality Physical Education Introduction Physical Education is the only subject that focuses children and young people’s efforts and learning on their body and its physical development. It develops physical competence and confidence so that all children and young people are able to move efficiently, effectively, creatively and safely. It improves aspects of fitness and develops personal and interpersonal skills and attributes. It enables learners to develop the concepts and skills necessary for an active life. Securing the vision for high quality physical education depends upon confident and well qualified practitioners and scheduled protected time within the curriculum.


Definition High quality physical education engages all children and young people in a wide range of experiences, activities, and disciplines which promote life long learning. It allows for progression and provides opportunities for children and young people to listen, think, create, investigate, and problem solve. It plays a key role in supporting children and young people’s mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing. It should contain: competitive, collaborative and cooperative, group and individual, indoor, outdoor and aquatic, creative, adaptable and technical, high energy and relaxing activities. There should be opportunities for choice, negotiation and specialisation. It should provide a pathway to life long participation in physical activity and sport. The basic principles of high quality physical education are:

o focus on learning and thinking skills o enable all children and young people, whatever their circumstances or ability,

to take part in and enjoy physical education, physical activity and sport; o enable all children and young people to improve and achieve in line with their

stage of development and potential. o promote children and young people's health, safety and well being;

A high quality physical education programme will include learning to move (learning the skills, techniques and understanding required for participation in physical activities and sport) and moving to learn (physical activity as a context and means for learning). To make a positive impact on pupils' learning and achievement, a high quality physical education programme needs to:

o have a clear plan that sets out steps towards meeting the Curriculum for Excellence vision and expectations for physical education;

o recognise all that physical education can achieve for each child and young person and the whole school;

o set high expectations of what each individual child and young person and the whole school can achieve in and through physical education and school sport;

o share with children and young people what they are expected to achieve in a way that they can understand;

o children and young people should be involved in the planning process; o when planning, take prior learning within and beyond school into account; o identify the next steps in progression and communicate these to children,

young people and their parents/carers; o give each child and young person relevant learning activities and authentic

contexts that interest, challenge and motivate them; o provide opportunities for children and young people to analyse, evaluate, and

create in lessons; o give children and young people time to think, reflect and make decisions and

choices for themselves;



o allow children and young people time to problem solve, while giving appropriate feedback and support to learning;

o ensure that time, staff, equipment and resources are used in ways that keep children and young people engaged and learning.

Definition of Physical Activity Physical Activity is a generic term referring to all bodily movement that uses energy. Physical activity may include planned activity such as sports or jogging but it also includes other daily activities such as housework or gardening. It is recommended that adults accumulate at least 30 minutes and children accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

Definition of Sport and School Sport

Sport is both broad and inclusive. It includes planned physical activity, whether organised or casual, which is aimed at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental wellbeing, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competitions at any level.

School Sport is the planned learning that takes place across the learning community in the extended school curriculum. School Sport is accessible to all young people who wish to experience or compete irrespective of their ability. Through the leadership and support of teachers and volunteers, every young person will have the opportunity for personal achievement through sport and help enhance the ethos and life of their school.

School sport has the potential to develop and broaden learning that takes place in school physical education and also form a strong link with physical activity and sport within the local community.

Annex B

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport Excellence Group Remit The Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport (PEPAS) Excellence Group was asked to:

o Consider why PEPAS is important and who it is for; o Advise on what transformational change in the teaching, learning and

assessment of PEPAS should look like, identify the key components, offer advice on how they can be incorporated into practice and define quality PE;

o Consider the elements of learning which teachers should recognise and encourage within PEPAS;

o Consider the important role of other practitioners and partners and how they can support excellence;

o Identify what makes effective partnership working; o Consider the high level messages about excellence within PE, Physical

Activity and Sport that need to be conveyed to teachers and other practitioners.

Acknowledgements The Chair of the Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport Excellence Group and the Scottish Government would like to thank organisations for releasing the following staff to participate in meetings and discussions: Kay Gibson (Chair), Education Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Colin Thomson, Head of Community Rugby, Scottish Rugby Donald MacLeod, HM Inspector of Schools, HMIE Iain Stanger, Deputy Headteacher, Ellon Academy Jacqueline Lynn, Head of School and Community Sport, sportscotland Kareen Niven, Primary PE, Dumfries and Galloway Council Lorraine Finnie, Principal Teacher, Health and Wellbeing, Ellon Academy Lorrie McCusker, Qualifications Development Consultant for Curriculum for Excellence, Scottish Qualifications Agency Suzanne Hargreaves, Development Officer for Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport, Health and wellbeing Team, Learning and Teaching Scotland (seconded from St John’s Academy, Perth, Principal Teacher of Physical Education) Tammy McKinlay, Active Schools Manager, Perth and Kinross Council Theresa Campbell, Senior Lecturer in PE, University of Glasgow Secretariat: Pat Morrison, Gordon Currie and Jeannie Hunter, Scottish Government Thanks also to Leith Academy, Braidhurst Community High School and Calderglen High School for hosting meetings.


pepas excellence group report

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