Key Stage 1 Physical Education Research Project .1

The Key Stage 1 PE Project, which was sponsored and led by the TOP Foundation (Youth Sport Trust), took place during 2010 and the early part of 2011. The project aimed to examine the challenges faced by schools in providing high quality PE for pupils aged 4–7 years in Key Stage 1 (KS1) and as a result to make proposals for improving the quality of experience and outcomes for children at this stage of their development. The result of this research informed the development of the Start to Move approach.

The project was divided into three phrases

• Research phase, which produced an overview of the current context and the challenges faced by teachers in delivering high quality PE lessons for their pupils;

• Consultation phase, through which initial proposals were tested and discussed; and

• Outcomes phase in which the proposals for supporting KS1 teachers and improving practice were discussed in depth by a panel of experts. As a result, a plan focusing on the curriculum, a subject support community and promotion of the actions needed to improve KS1 PE has been produced.

Why is this project important? For some time there have been criticisms about the ineffective delivery of primary PE and while there is some evidence of improvement, pupils’ achievement in PE remains a concern. There are also broader concerns about obesity in young children and low levels of physical activity. This is a global issue and international writers agree that there is a need to support teachers to improve subject knowledge and consequently increase competence and confidence in order to address these concerns.

www.starttomovezone.com

Key Stage 1 Physical Education Research Project .1

The Key Stage 1 PE Project, which was sponsored and led by the TOP Foundation (Youth Sport Trust), took place during 2010 and the early part of 2011. The project aimed to examine the challenges faced by schools in providing high quality PE for pupils aged 4–7 years in Key Stage 1 (KS1) and as a result to make proposals for improving the quality of experience and outcomes for children at this stage of their development. The result of this research informed the development of the Start to Move approach.

The project was divided into three phrases

• Research phase, which produced an overview of the current context and the challenges faced by teachers in delivering high quality PE lessons for their pupils;

• Consultation phase, through which initial proposals were tested and discussed; and

• Outcomes phase in which the proposals for supporting KS1 teachers and improving practice were discussed in depth by a panel of experts. As a result, a plan focusing on the curriculum, a subject support community and promotion of the actions needed to improve KS1 PE has been produced.

Why is this project important? For some time there have been criticisms about the ineffective delivery of primary PE and while there is some evidence of improvement, pupils’ achievement in PE remains a concern. There are also broader concerns about obesity in young children and low levels of physical activity. This is a global issue and international writers agree that there is a need to support teachers to improve subject knowledge and consequently increase competence and confidence in order to address these concerns.

www.starttomovezone.com

The Investigation Through a range of research activities, focusing specifically on KS1, the child, the teacher and the curriculum were considered in order to examine existing barriers to achieving high-quality PE. The investigations focused on:

• Child development and the UK childhood environment.

• Children’s activity patterns.

• Teachers’ perceptions of PE.

• Resources available for use by teachers.

• Global policy and practice.

• Latest thinking and programmes in PE.

• Best practice in PE.

Each investigation raised issues about supporting teachers to help children achieve their potential and they can be summarised through the following questions:

• Would a different approach to the KS1 PE curriculum help teachers to challenge children to achieve their potential?

• How can we empower class teachers and make better use of specialist support?

• How can we overcome barriers to professional development and increase teachers’ professional knowledge in order to improve the expertise of the workforce?

• Would developing and extending subject communities help to support teachers in KS1?

All our evidence suggests that the class teacher is the most important element in improving KS1 PE and supporting him/her to become confident and competent in teaching PE is key to achieving high-quality PE outcomes in KS1. Therefore, professional development opportunities, resources and professional support are the main vehicles for achieving improved practice within a revised curriculum.

However, the success and sustainability of these proposals relies on a concerted effort by all involved in the PE subject community to achieve agreed outcomes.

Key Stage 1 Physical Education Research Project .2

Consultation Phase 2 of the project presented the questions and possible solutions to seven focus groups — Headteachers, School Sport Partnership staff, parents, children, teachers, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) providers and movement experts. The views of focus group participants were developed to produce a framework, which is outlined below, to address the challenges with the child at the core of the proposals and the three main contributors to high quality PE are identified as parents, teachers and headteachers.

Outcomes The recommendations aim to influence systemic change and build on the good work and developments already achieved in some schools; they have the potential to make a huge impact on the teaching and curriculum in KS1. However, the developments must be sustainable, with agreed outcomes and commitment from the subject community, and driven by what children need rather than what schools and teachers want.

Stage 1: Vision, Concept and Curriculum (May–August 2011)A clear vision with key messages and a new approach to delivering the KS1 PE curriculum through a focus on movement.

Stage 2: Influencing and supporting teachers, parents and headteachers (September 2011–July 2012)An advocacy plan; piloting the new curriculum approach and identifying Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and resource gaps; and developing subject support network networks.

Stage 3: Putting the Support Framework in place (September 2012 onwards)Extending the use of the new curriculum and subject support network and developing the CPD and resources identified in Stage 2.

www.starttomovezone.com

Guiding Principles The following principles will guide the development of the vision and curriculum, any professional development or resources and the support framework.

• Children must be at the heart of this development A developmentally appropriate approach, which is ambitious for all children’s learning and has higher expectations of their achievement.

• ClarityOutcomes and intentions must be understood by all (children, parents, teachers, subject community).

• Commitment Parents, schools and the subject community will need to commit to this new curriculum through a partnership approach.

• SustainabilityThe project must lead to systemic change within KS1 PE. The curriculum must be sufficiently flexible to be used in different educational contexts and must be adopted within ITE.

• CoherenceIt is essential that the approach has coherence with other stages of PE (e.g. Early Years, KS2).

• Reflective approach to evaluationThis must be ongoing in order to progressively develop this curriculum and support teaching and learning.

Key Stage 1 Physical Education Research Project .3

www.starttomovezone.com