A comparative analysis of the aims of school sport in Spain and France from the point of view of the organization and its actors

ABSTRACT

School sport structure is different in each European Union country according to in-school physical education and federated sport connections. This study compares the perceptions of the actors about the aims of two school sport programmes in France and Spain. Based on the theory of organised action, it clarifies the educational action logic taking into account the actors and systems involved from an international social approach using a qualitative methodology.

Results show that the actors of school sport perceive it differently, and are part of the predominant educational action logic of each country, in coherence with the national normative framework. In Spain there is a strong link with the sport system, while in France it is with the education system, and the different perceptions of the school are very revealing. In conclusion, transnational implications are highlighted that may contribute to conceiving new school sport policies in the framework of the European Union.

KEYWORDS:

• Action logics
• educational system
• federated sport
• physical education
• sport system
• European Union

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Some examples can be found in: Revised International Charter of Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport of UNESCO (2015); White Paper on sport of European Commission (2007); Sport Code of France (2018); Sports Law of Spain (1990).

2. Consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – Consolidated version of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union – Protocols – Annexes – Declarations annexed to the Final Act of the Intergovernmental Conference which adopted the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 – Tables of equivalences.

3. European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2013. Physical Education and Sport at School in Europe Eurydice Report. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union.

4. République Française. (1986) Decree of 13 March 1986 of the French Republic.

5. Decree n° 2015–784 of 29 June 2015 of the French Republic and Circular n° 2013–144 of 6-9-2013 of the MEN.

6. Circular nº 2010–125 of 18-8-2010 of the MEN.

7. Circular n° 2007–115 of 13-7-2007 of the MEN.

8. Order 1969/2004 of 26th May of the Community of Madrid, preamble.

9. Decree nº 23/2012, of 27th September of the Community of Madrid.

10. Resolution of 8 March 2011 by the CSD.

11. Sport Law 15/1994 of 28th December of the Community of Madrid (updated on 26 January 2012).

12. Sport Law 10/1990 of 15th October of the Spanish Government, article 42.

13. Referring here to the PE subject in France (EPS).

14. For Dubet (2010) the word sacred does not in this case have a religious connotation but is linked to science and reason configuring national representations that the French Republican school has been transmitting to train its citizens since the 19th century.

Additional information

Funding

YH was supported by a PhD fellowship granted by the Technical University of Madrid (UPM).