DfE Call for Evidence Summary

In response to the DfE’s call for evidence, the team here at PE Scholar submitted an extensive reply in relation to PE – here is a shortened summary of our full response:

Headlines at a glance

Our submission covered many areas and points but we have selected the following as our headline themes. 

Curriculum Purpose

Physical education needs to reshape and relaunch its curriculum purpose. A contemporary offer should have physical literacy as its foundation, promoting holistic development and striving for wider inclusivity nurturing the foundations of a physically active life for all.  

Qualifications

Qualifications need an overhaul! A delineation of sport science/sport studies and sports performance from physical education needs to be made with vocational and academic routes being distinct and equally valued.

Professional Training and Ongoing Education

Primary Initial Teacher Education needs more time for generalists to prepare to teach PE and all routes need support to refocus attention on the why, how and what of physical education. Ongoing professional learning by high quality educational experts is also required to improve the quality of teaching and learning in physical education. 

1. General Views on Curriculum, Assessment, and Qualifications

• Strengths: Flexibility for schools to adapt curriculum to local needs; innovative leaders have created quality physical education (PE) offerings despite challenges.
• Weaknesses:
  • Lack of clarity, sequencing, and developmental focus in the National Curriculum for PE.
  • Over-reliance on summative assessments; misalignment between PE and examination-focused sport science.
  • Inequities in qualification pathways, favoring elite performers and students with external opportunities.

2. Social Justice and Inclusion

• PE is often exclusionary, particularly for disadvantaged, SEND, and minority groups.
• Barriers include elitist performance cultures, insufficient training for teachers, inadequate facilities, and expensive extracurricular activities.
• Recommendations:
  • Make PE more inclusive by reducing traditional sports dominance.
  • Increase access to facilities and free extracurricular activities.
  • Promote physical literacy as a core framework.

3. Foundation in Maths and English

• While these subjects are crucial, their prioritisation sometimes negatively impacts other subjects such as the arts, including PE.
• Suggested changes include integrating literacy, numeracy and the importance of health and wellbeing across all subjects without reducing the emphasis on broader educational goals.

4. Curriculum and Qualification Content

• The current PE curriculum lacks sufficient detail and research alignment, especially when compared to other subjects. The advantage of this freedom is that some curriculum leaders have created an amazing offer that is fit for purpose for their context but that is not the norm across the country. Many head teachers expect key stage 3 PE to provide a flight path into key stage 4 GCSE PE success but the current format of that qualification does not align with the ambitions of core PE (i.e. it is too sports performance focused and could come at the expense of enjoyment, raised confidence and hence improved healthy, active habits for many young people).
• Recommendations:
  • Broaden activity options beyond traditional sports.
  • Encourage co-constructed learning tailored to student needs and interests.
  • Update vocational qualifications to align better with industry and employability demands.

5. Breadth and Balance in Curriculum

• PE is undervalued compared to core subjects, with limited curriculum time.
• Challenges in delivering a broad and engaging curriculum due to focus on academic performance indicators like the E-Bacc.
• Recommendations:
  • Elevate PE’s status to being a core subject.
  • Offer a more diverse and progressive curriculum – including pathways and a wider range of activities to help support, develop and nurture physical literacy. 

6. Assessment and Accountability

• Current PE assessments focus too heavily on physical ability, ignoring holistic development.
• Recommendations:
  • Use formative assessments to celebrate progress and individual growth.
  • Overhaul GCSE PE to reflect contemporary trends and interests.

7. Qualification Pathways (16-19 Education)

• Vocational pathways lack clear identity and focus, often mimicking academic routes.
• Recommendations:
  • Increase apprenticeship opportunities.
  • Enhance partnerships between education and industry.

8. Transitions

• Poor planning and support for transitions between key stages impact learning continuity.
• Recommendations:
  • Focus on developmental stages, that prioritise individualised learning journeys and understand the impacts of puberty and adolescence.
  • Provide targeted support for students at transitional stages.

9. Role of Technology

• Explore opportunities to incorporate virtual and augmented reality and AI into PE to track health metrics and personalise learning experiences. Technology can also be used to document physical literacy journeys and gain insight into motivation, confidence and current habits as part of understanding PE, school sport, physical activity and health and wellbeing. 

10. General Recommendations

• Training and development for PE teachers should prioritise inclusivity and physical literacy.
• Support holistic, meaningful educational experiences through a systems approach involving extracurricular and community engagement.
• Examine the current provision of initial teacher education and in service professional learning especially supporting non specialist primary generalists in becoming more confident and competent in the delivery of physical education.