Local schools attend alternative physical education day

One hundred and fifty pupils from nine schools across East and West Sussex attended an alternative physical education day as part of the university’s widening participation programme, Compact Plus. The event took place at the School of Sport and Service Management, on the university’s Eastbourne campus, on 2 February.

Pupils worked with PGCE and School Direct trainee teachers of physical education and experienced five alternative physical activities throughout the day. They included:

• alternative team games that depart from or challenge traditional norms and are considered to be non-traditional in a UK context such as Kin-ball and ultimate frisbee
• artistic and aesethic activities that are creative and involve a combination of movements that require precision, fluency and control such as cheerleading
• athletic and aerobic activities that require physical skill, agility and stamina such as street surfing – the PE teachers secret weapon!
• adventurous activities that require precise problem solving and decision making skills such as team building exercises and trust games

The aim of the alternative activities day was to enable young people to participate in a range of activities that they may not have taken part in before, whilst developing leadership, team work and communication skills.

Physical Education PGCE trainee Karl Rowland said: “An alternative physical education curriculum offers a diverse range of activities and appeals to the widest possible number of pupils.

“A move towards alternative physical activities in schools seems to be representative of pupils and physical education teachers, at least in the UK, and would suggest that there is increasing interest amongst those who are teaching and learning physical education in schools to consider alternative as opposed to mainstrea’ activities within the formal physical education curriculum.”

School Direct PE trainee Sophie Cheesman said: “Offering pupils a choice of different and alternative physical activities can raise participation and achievement in physical education and set them on a path to lifelong activity particularly where the emphasis has been on the development and promotion of active, healthy lifestyles as opposed to competitive performance-related outcomes.”

Event organiser and Principal Lecturer Dr Gary Stidder said: “Physical education currently finds itself in a position of crisis. Many young people often misinterpret the value of physical activity due to mixed messages given to them by teachers, health professionals and even the media. This often causes confusion.

“For progress to be made in physical education the answer might be to change the ingredients and recipe in order to reflect the taste, trends and fashions of the day that has greater appeal to a wider population of pupils. Perhaps a pitta or a tortilla instead of two slices of bread? But change just for change sake is not necessarily the way forward.

“Change happens because there is a will to change amongst those who have vision and passion for their subject. As the old saying goes ‘nothing changes if you change nothing‘. In essence, however, there appears to be a groundswell of opinion and growing support for an alternative physical education curriculum that is more suited to a broader range of pupils and is in direct contrast to the government’s vision of what physical education ought to be.”