Best Free Physical Education Courses Online

Calling all PGCE trainee teachers and teachers seeking free professional development opportunities! We have put together a list of free online courses provided by leading universities and organisations that cover all physical education topics, including pastoral management, SEN, leadership and research skills.

Why is PE so important?

Physical activity has been linked with improved brain function, better sleep, reduced stress levels and a stronger immune system; it also helps to reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The Department for Education (DfE) recommends that all children aged 5-16 participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily; however, recent surveys have found that only around a third of children in England, and many countries, meet this target.

Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for well-educated, motivated physical education teachers who can inspire the next generation to lead active, healthy lives and address physical inactivity. They can be especially effective if you are a PGCE student wanting to get a head start on your teacher training year, this will give you a perfect summer professional development project. A free online course could be perfect if you want to address children’s lack of physical fitness and teach PE. Or, if you want to help fellow teachers develop their knowledge or update your skills, these free online physical education courses could be ideal.

We also offer free PE-specific courses for PE Scholar members – check out our online bitesize courses here.

If you’re looking to deliver outstanding physical education lessons or simply want to learn more about the subject, then take a look at our list below:

We hope this list is useful and if you know of any others please do comment below and add to the list.