28 per cent of primary teachers feel unqualified to teach PE, survey suggests
The study, conducted by Virgin Active and the University of Bedfordshire, surveyed 400 primary school teachers throughout the UK. 88 per cent of teachers said they recognise that PE is as important as other topics, but 25 per cent said they did not feel qualified to teach it and 53 per cent responded by saying they would welcome more opportunities for professional development in the subject.
Teachers also said they believe 39 per cent of children in the UK leave primary school disliking sport and 42 per cent do not enjoy PE lessons in school.
Professor Margaret Whitehead, an academic on physical literacy, said: “PE lessons help shape a child’s first experiences of physical activities and their attitude towards leading an active lifestyle. It is crucial that these first experiences are positive, rewarding and enjoyable.
“We must do all we can to make sure teachers are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to deliver quality PE, helping all students to make progress on their physical literacy journey. We need to enable teachers to nurture a lifelong love of physical activity among future generations.”
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