Primary Physical Education in Scotland: the Future in the Making

Abstract

Two themes pervade much of the contemporary PE literature: the need for change and the need to prepare pupils for lifelong physical activity (LLPA) participation. On both counts, progress has been slow. This paper proposes that PE, with some urgency, must seekto work with related professions to design, implement and evaluate programmes that help primary age children acquire the basic movement and behavioural competencies that underpin LLPA. As such, the PE experiences of primary age children must become pivotal to the development of an LLPA foundation. Recent initiatives in Scotland, The Basics Moves Programme and Developing Potential forYoung People in Sport (DPYPS), are presented as examples of programmes that are employing such an approach. The paper concludes by emphasising the need for the development of more programmes of this nature to enable the PE profession to clearly identify its way forward in the future.

KEY WORDS:

• Primary PE
• developmental
• lifelong learning
• integration
• basic movement
• behavioural consequences