Primary Physical Education External Provision: "I'm a Better Teacher, but She Is Better in Basketball"

• In Event: 25.084 - MTCC Roundtable Session Seven
  In Roundtable Session: 25.084-5 - Physical Activity in Alternative Spaces and With Alternative Instructors

Abstract

The presence of Physical Education (PE) external provision in primary schools is a growing trend globally. Some suggest it has been used as a strategy to cover the skill shortlist (Blair & Capel, 2011) and lack of confidence of generalist teachers (Kinchin, et al., 2012) in teaching the subject. This trend seems to be related to the growing privatisation of services in PE (Powell, 2015). The aim of this study was to analyse primary school teacher’s understanding of PE external provision and how they experience this process in their schools. The main data collection instrument was ten one to one semi-structured interviews. Results highlight the presence of three main themes regarding teachers’ understanding of PE external provision in primary schools.

Authors

• Jessica Mangione, University of Limerick

• Melissa Parker, University of Limerick

• Mary O'Sullivan, University of limerick