This project was designed as a scoping study focusing on the provision of physical education, sport and recreation opportunities within and beyond the curriculum in the primary school sector. Provision ‘within and beyond the curriculum’ incorporates physical education, sport and recreation opportunities occurring within the formal curriculum, in co-curricular activities, and outside of school hours. The project examined:
1. The types of opportunities that are provided within and beyond the school curriculum.
2. Which students current provision is being directed towards and ‘connecting with’ - as reflected in reported participation and in the perceived appeal of opportunities.
3. The key factors influencing current provision.
4. Ways in which current provision may be enhanced, from the perspective of students, teachers and other stakeholders.
Methodology
The study adopted a qualitative-interpretive approach and multiple case study design, utilising two schools in each of three regional locations to provide demographic and institutional variations. Data collection occurred in Term 2, 2011 and involved documentary sources; individual interviews with senior school staff, lead teachers/co-ordinators for physical education and/or school sport and other staff as appropriate to the individual school context; focus group interviews with Year 6 students, and field-notes from school visits. 18 stakeholder representatives from a range of organisations and agencies variously involved in provision of physical education and sport in primary schools were also interviewed. Analysis of data was undertaken in three stages: (i) at a school level (ii) at a regional level and (iii) across the three regional case studies. Reporting reflects the culmination of the staged analysis, with collated data and individual case study summaries presented to capture commonalities and diversity across school contexts.
Key Results
1. Types of opportunities that are being provided within and beyond the school curriculum
- The extent and quality of physical education and sport opportunities being provided to students is strongly framed by situation and locality and reflects significant variation between schools.
- Provision of physical education and sport for primary aged children is invariably premised on and framed by an adult model of organised sport.
- Curriculum programmes are generally seasonally oriented and reflect a multi-activity model of physical education curriculum and historical patterns of provision.
- Co-curricular opportunities typically comprise (i) opportunities for student-led informal play/physical activity at lunch and recess times; (ii) selection-based opportunities to participate in competitive school sport and associated practices/training; (iii) occasional days for all students within a year group or syndicate to participate in particular sports; and (iii) occasional activities such as field-trips or visits to local sporting facilities.
- A wide range of opportunities for young people to participate in physical activity and sport are reported as available within communities and localities. These include organised sport and activity provision and opportunities presented by local environments. The nature and variety of out-of-school provision varies with locality.
2. Who current provision is being directed towards and ‘connecting with’
- Physical education and sport is highly valued by primary age school children, as a chance to be active, improve their skills in a range of sports, and participate in a wide variety of games and sports with their peers.
- The way in which physical education and sport is delivered is critical to maintaining engagement and sustaining participation. Current pedagogy does not always achieve this for all students.
- In co-curricular sport provision extended learning and participation opportunities are often provided for some, rather than all students, with opportunity particularly determined by ability.
- The relative appeal of particular activities, and thus, students’ participation interests and preferences also reflects the locations, communities and situations within which young people are growing up
3. Key factors influencing current provision
- The dominance of traditional, adult, and elite-oriented models of sport provision as the foundation for curriculum and co-curricular provision of physical education and sport in primary schools.
- Staff expertise; ongoing inadequacies in teacher knowledge of physical education and availability of external input and support.
- Support from school leadership.
- The low status often accorded to physical education at a school level and nationally, amidst pressures on schools to resource and prioritise national standards, literacy and numeracy, and a lack of investment in physical education from the Ministry of Education.
- Long-standing resource issues within schools relating to provision of physical education and sport, including the nature and quality of facilities, the influence of weather, and equipment available.
- Locality and situation.
4. Ways in which current provision may be enhanced
From a student perspective enhancement equates to increasing the number, quality and range of opportunities within and beyond curriculum physical education. This will require
- Significant investment in school-based and contextually relevant professional learning for teachers, addressing both the content and pedagogy of physical education.
- Investment to enhance initial teacher education.
- Enhanced links between primary schools and local secondary schools, and similarly, better linkages between the school sector and junior sport sector.
- Enhanced links and pathways for all children to extend their learning and participation, through developmentally appropriate and inclusive co-curricular, club and community sport opportunities that focus on fun, variety, and participation with friends.
- Pragmatic measures to enhance facilities, equipment, and to dedicate more time to provision of physical education and sport.