Surf’s Up!

Physical Education PGCE trainee teachers were introduced to the new craze sweeping across the UK when they took part in a street surfing workshop as part of the induction programme.

Many young people are physically active out of school and engaged physical activity on wheels such as mountain biking, BMX biking, skateboarding, in-line skating, street surfing and micro-scootering and yet very few schools have recognised this as a means to increase pupils activity levels and tend to ignore the potential of introducing these activities into their physical education lessons.

PGCE and School Direct PE route leader Dr. Gary Stidder said: “Young people are participating in very different physical activities outside of school compared to the types of activities they are taught as part of the formal physical education curriculum. If we want young people to be more active we have to offer them choice and voice when it comes to curriculum decisions in physical education and find out what their activity preferences are.

“Many young people take part in physical activities on wheels in their leisure time and street surfing is just one example of how the physical education curriculum can be more appealing to a broader population of pupils in schools. Indeed, it is claimed that street surfing is the physical education teacher’s secret weapon.”