Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2005 > Committee on Education and Science > Report No. 03 - The Status of Physical Education

Tithe an Oireachtais

An Comhchoiste Um Oideachas agus Eolaíocht

An Triú Tuarascáil

Stádas an Chorpoideachais

Meitheamh 2005

Houses of the Oireachtas

Joint Committee on Education and Science

Third Report

The Status of Physical Education

June 2005

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

This Report, on the Status of Physical Education, is a constructive and timely contribution, by the Joint Committee on Education and Science, to the debate on the current status of and the future development of Physical Education in the Irish Education System. It discusses in detail, the current situation with regard to Physical Education in Ireland and lists eighteen recommendations for the future development of this very important aspect of the education provided to all the children in our education system.

This report will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and a copy given to the Minister for Education and Science and the Committee urges that an account is taken of its views in the development of policy in this area.

The Committee is indebted to its rapporteur on this project, Deputy Olwyn Enright for the time and effort which she has devoted to producing this report. The Committee also thanks all those individuals and organisations (for a full list see Chapter 9) whose contributions were invaluable.

____________________

Michael Moynihan T.D.,

Chairman,

Joint Committee on Education and Science

15 June 2005

“Physical education is an integral part of the education process, without which the education of the child is incomplete”

—Primary School Curriculum Physical Education.

1. The Present Status and Delivery of Physical Education

1.1This chapter endeavours to incorporate the introduction and set the context for the rest of the report. Much of the chapters dealing with the level and quality of participation, the purpose and role of physical education, the role and status of physical education teachers and the adequacy of the curriculum deal with the present status and delivery of PE as well.

1.2The primary curriculum aims to provide a range of experiences providing regular, challenging physical activity, the balanced and harmonious development and foster the general well being of the child. It is supposed to meet the physical needs of the child and the need for movement experiences, challenges and play. It aims to develop a desire for daily physical activity and encourage constructive use of free time and participation in physical activities in adult life. The system claims to be built on the principles of variety and diversity not of specialisation. (This issue will be further expanded in Chapter 4 and 6).

1.3There is a general belief that PE in Irish schools is far too game-based making it competitive with the emphasis being on winning. There are many reasons for this. Class size dictates that operating this type of model is more convenient with large numbers as it is more controlled. The available facilities are not conducive to other forms of physical activity, with schools lacking indoor facilities or necessary equipment. There is also an issue of teacher confidence in teaching the curriculum.

1.4It comes as little surprise that the issue of funding and the provision of suitable equipment and facilities is seen as the most significant block to the creation of a world class PE infrastructure. Almost every submission cited a lack of funding either in their particular area of delivery or in some other area, which was inhibiting the development of PE in this country. Apart from direct investment in schools, there were calls for investment in further research, increased resources to the NCCA, greater provision for PE in adult education programmes (which does not form part of this report), improved in service training, more inspectors, greater funding for the aquatics model and so on.

1.5The simple fact is that there does not appear to have been a period of significant funding in the area of PE. It has never been given any great concentration of resources nor has it really ever been singled out as worthy of serious investment or concentration either in terms of resources or planning. Facilities such as gyms, even when they are present are all too inadequate.

1.6The primary sector has been particularly neglected and massive investment is urgently needed before much of the curriculum can be fully implemented. Many primary schools do not have access to a gym. Many primary schools do not even have a general-purpose room, which could be used in place of a gym. Indeed there are instances where general-purpose rooms have been provided but have been re-converted into classrooms because of pressure for space to teach the non-PE element of the primary curriculum.

1.7Even where schools have access to a gym or have a general-purpose room they rarely have sufficient equipment to allow all sections of the curriculum to be taught.

1.8It also appears clear that there are huge variances in the delivery of PE. This can depend not only on the school, but on the individual teacher or even region. It can be given greater emphasis in some schools than in others.

2. The Changing Societal context within which Physical Education is provided.

2.1Ireland is slowly coming to the realisation that as a nation we are not as healthy as we should be and are not taking sufficient exercise. In September 2004 the then Minister for Health Michael Martin launched a campaign “Every Step Counts, Small Changes Make the Difference” at which he announced the results of a survey conducted by Landsdowne Market Research. The Minister said, “Obesity is emerging as one of the most serious health problems in Ireland. Whilst every second person is overweight, one in eight Irish people is obese and we are setting poor trends for future generations”.

2.2Bearing in mind that one of the keys aims of the curriculum was to encourage habits that would lead to participation in physical activity in adult life, 67% of the survey respondents cited too little exercise as one of the main causes of obesity, along with take away food, over eating and snacking.

2.3The popular belief if often that the so-called ‘McDonalds Culture’ is to blame for the problem of obesity. This may be true to a large degree, with children eating far higher levels of convenience foods and drinks, which contain high sugar levels. But it is also a wider societal problem. The growth in the popularity of convenience foods is a direct reflection on modern society. Parents are under a great degree of time pressure, often both are working, many are travelling long distances or relatively short distances that take a long time, and the time devoted to food preparation suffers. Children too have far more disposable income, which easily finds its way into sweet shops or take aways.

2.4In a 1999 study the Department of Health and Children found that cardiovascular disease (CDV) including heart disease, stroke and related diseases is the single largest cause of death in Ireland. The simple fact is that investment in our physical education and activity infrastructure makes sense. Quoting the UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisations declaration of Punta Del Este “$1 invested in physical activity leads to a saving of $3.2 in medical costs”. We will have to seriously reflect on that point if we truly want to improve active participation in physical activity.

2.5The most recent report on obesity, entitled Obesity The Policy Challenges, from The National Taskforce on Obesity 2005, was published in May 2005. The taskforce expressed its concern that childhood obesity has become the most prevalent childhood disease in Europe. They have estimated that over 300,000 children in the island of Ireland are overweight and obese and that this is projected to increase annually by 10,000 children. One of the findings of the report is that daily physical activity in modern society has decreased, in turn “the failure to stimulate gene expression by physical activity has contributed to altered metabolic regulation and an increase in hypo kinetic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis”.

2.6The societal impact of obesity is not underestimated in the report. They acknowledge that obese people area at an increased risk of developing many medical problems, but that it also carries serious implications for psychosocial health, mainly due to prejudice against fatness.

Of interest and in parallel to the findings of this report, the Surgeon General of the United States, as quoted in Obesity The Policy Challenges, listed factors that influence adolescent obesity:

•Self-efficacy — the confidence in one’s ability to engage in physical activity

•Social influences such as parental or peer engagement

•Exercise enjoyment

•Positive attitudes towards physical education

•Lack of sufficient sports facilities

2.7The report also outline the direct and indirect costs associated with obesity, an argument which strongly reinforces the need to take preventive action.

2.8Another reason that physical activity can be put on the back burner is the pressure students are under to perform in exams with the result that participation in sport or physical activity is seen as less relevant at the time. Indeed coupled with this, is the fact that a growing number of young people are combining school and study with part time work, which just pushes PE farther down their agenda.

2.9The fact that physical activity is beneficial to our health is far from a new revelation. However, as society continues to change rapidly the part that PE plays, or can play, in the health of our population becomes increasingly more significant. Unfortunately several submissions, particularly the Irish Heart Foundation, pointed out that the ever-increasing popularity of TV and computer games is squeezing out physical recreation time. Worryingly, Playstation bosses were reported in the Irish Examiner as boasting that by March 2004 they would have sold more than 480,000 consoles in Ireland. This effectively makes us the country with the second highest number of consoles per head of population, after Japan, in the world.

2.10There are also those who would argue that sport is becoming less about participation and more about being a spectator. Outside of the education system a lot of emphasis has been on funding spectator sport and large facilities. In itself this isn’t a bad thing but it has taken the emphasis away from developing sport at the grass root or participator level. The National Strategic Plan for Sport was commissioned in 1995 and Chaired by John Treacy. One of the key recommendations of this report was that the focus should be on developing sports at grass roots level and within schools. Interestingly the report also recommended that sport should act as a barrier to or release from anti social behaviour.

2.11It was interesting to see that many of the submissions highlighted the importance of the exercise habits of parents on their children. Research has shown that where families partake in collective activities, the children are more likely to engage in other exercise. The importance of parental support for their children in whatever sport they choose to play was also underlined.

3. The Level and Quality of Participation in Physical Education

3.1The level and quality of participation can best be summed up by saying that you get out of it what you put in, however it is not only what the student or teacher puts in that is a factor, the equipment and facilities available are again a major factor in evaluating the level and quality of participation.

3.2The quality of the participation is clearly constrained or helped by the physical surroundings. Other factors including the teacher’s skills (which will be discussed in a later chapter) and the time allocated have a significant influence.

3.3The teacher guidelines issued at primary level state that the amount of time to be allocated to the different strands of the physical education programme will have to be agreed and considered. It doesn’t actually state who should agree and consider it, but I assume it means by the class teacher and principal.

3.4It is clear that Department policy (PQ. Ref No. 21145/04 and 21146/04) is that a minimum of one hour of physical education per week is recommended for all primary school pupils. The Department have also stated that the curriculum has been structured so as to allow individual schools a high degree of flexibility and choice in the planning of a broad and balanced programme for pupils.

3.5The syllabus at both levels have been developed on the understanding that facilities available in schools vary, to allow for this each school can design a programme that can be delivered using the resources and supports available to the school. The difficulty with this policy is that what each school can deliver varies so vastly depending on their resources. A teacher with the best will, enthusiasm and ability but without indoor PE space is primarily confined to doing PE during the summer months. The Departments guidelines do offer advice for these situations such as “the use of the classrooms, corridors and school grounds for orienteering exercises” however this doesn’t solve the problem indefinitely and such activities may well cause difficulties of their own.

3.6It is hard to believe but at second level physical education is not a mandatory subject. The Department does however recommend that it should form part of the curriculum. The programme that each school plans and delivers should be based on the Departments approved syllabus and the teaching hours should be registered on the school timetable. At second level, while not mandatory, the time recommended for PE is two hours per week.

3.7Lack of participation was cited as a problem in a number of submissions. Inadequacies either in the curriculum or the delivery of the curriculum mean that some students while participating in PE are not receiving quality exercise. It is also the case again that game based or more competitive activities may not suit all students.

3.8Another cause for concern if the fact that there is a fall off in participation by senior cycle students during exam years with some schools facilitating this by allowing students to give up PE in favour of study periods. At just the time when students need the benefits of physical activity they allow it to cease in favour of extra study time. This problem seems to be more prevalent at senior cycle level, where students begin to feel exam pressure. Many of the submission were critical of allowing this situation to arise.

3.9It is important that students are made aware of the benefits of exercise during study and perhaps both students and schools need to be reminded of the ‘healthy body health mind’ philosophy. Teachers should not facilitate students who wish to study during PE classes by giving them a choice. The submission by the Health Promotion Managers endorsed the findings of many reviews that increased physical activity improves academic performance.

3.10When PE is not mandatory at second level it gives schools the option of cancelling it during senior cycle or part of the senior cycle and this practise was highly criticised in many submissions. In this vein, many of them also recommended that the best way of ensuring that students receive enough physical exercise was to either make it compulsory at second level and/or to make it an exam subject. Another option which is worth exploring in the interim, is that of making the participation in PE compulsory to actually achieve your junior certificate or leaving certificate qualification, while not actually being examined in the subject itself. The idea behind this being to make participation something which is part and parcel of school life and is seen as important.

3.11One submission (Castlegregory Golf and Fishing Club) suggested that girls are more likely than boys to drop out of PE class. This is echoed by another submission (DCU) who point out that one in three young women have stopped participating in regular exercise by the time they reach 15 to 17 years of age. This fact together with the limited choice of activities for girls outside schools underlines the importance of girls being encouraged to stay involved in PE in schools.

3.12As an aside, a number of the submissions pointed out that the numbers of students remaining after school hours for games/training has also dropped, and PE teachers themselves seem to agree with this finding. It should however be acknowledged that many teachers devote a considerable amount of time to training, games and matches outside of school hours and this must be acknowledged and commended.

4. The Purpose and Role of Physical Education

4.1The best place to start in discussing the purpose and role of physical education is to begin by looking at the curriculum. At both levels the curriculum outlines both its aims and objectives.

4.2(I) Primary Curriculum

Aims

The aims of the primary physical education curriculum are

•to promote the physical, social emotional and intellectual development of the child

•to develop positive personal qualities

•to help in the acquisition of an appropriate range of movement skills in a variety of contents

•to promote understanding and knowledge of the various aspects of movement

•to develop an appreciation of movement and the use of the body as an instrument of expression and creativity

•to promote enjoyment of, and positive attitudes toward, physical activity and its contribution to lifelong health-related fitness, thus preparing the child for the active and purposeful use of leisure time.

4.3Broad objectives

When due account is taken of intrinsic abilities and varying circumstances, the physical education curriculum should enable the child to

Social and personal development

•experience enjoyment and achievement through movement

•Interact and co-operate sensitively with others, regardless of cultural or social background or special needs

•develop qualities of self-esteem, self-awareness, confidence, initiative and leadership through movement

•develop an understanding of fair play and team spirit through participation and competition

•develop positive attitudes towards participation in movement activities

•experience adventure and challenge

Physical and motor development

•develop strength, speed, endurance and flexibility through engaging in a wide variety of activities

•develop agility, alertness, control, balance and co-ordination through movement

•develop personal competence in the athletic skills of running, jumping and throwing

•perform dances with confidence and competence, including simple folk and Irish dances

•develop personal competence in a range of gymnastic movements

•develop personal competence in the games skills of sending, receiving and travelling using a variety of equipment, and to apply these skills in games situations

•apply the skills needed to live and move with confidence in the environment

•build water confidence near, in, on and under water

•develop personal competence in a variety of strokes and water agility

4.4(II) Post Primary Curriculum

Aims

•provide the opportunity for students to develop personally, socially, and physically through participation in physical activities in a safe, challenging and enjoyable environment

•reinforce and further develop the physical education knowledge, understanding, skills, and competencies acquired at primary level

•prepare students for the requirements of further programmes of study, of employment, or of life outside full-time education

•provide an opportunity for students to critically reflect on physical activity through participation in a broad, well-balanced programme

•develop in students an ability to make informed judgements in respect of physical activity

•encourage an appreciation of physical activity and of the benefits of an active lifestyle

•promote positive attitudes towards participation in physical activity and towards co-operation with others in that participation

•enable students to take responsibility for the organisation and development of their learning within the framework provided.

4.5Objectives

Through their study of junior cycle physical education students will develop:

•competence in the performance of a range of activities and the ability to analyse these in the context of technical, physiological, and biomechanical implications for the performer

•the ability to invent, compose, and choreograph physical activity in structured, imaginative ways

•the ability to make decisions relating to physical activity while appreciating consequences in both tactical and moral contexts

•an understanding of the principles, rules and purpose of difference categories of activity, and the criteria for mastery of each

•an understanding of the psychological, sociological, aesthetic and biological knowledge relevant to physical Education & Science

•an appreciation of the value of participation in selected physical activities as a lifelong endeavour

•an understanding of the principles of fairness and tolerance in interaction with others

•the desire and the capacity to acquire a positive sense of self

The aims and objectives go a long way to attempt to define the purpose and role of physical education, however some of the submissions identified important factors not necessarily spelt out in the curriculum aims and objectives.

4.6PE has many positive roles within our education system and in particular can provide a really positive element of school life for those with learning difficulties. Likewise it can offer students the opportunity to display talents other than academic talent.

4.7One submission highlighted the fact that there is considerable scope to tackle racism and foster and encourage better interaction among different cultures through PE.

4.8When we re-consider the societal context in which PE is being provided there is no doubt but that it must be used to tackle the problem of declining levels of physical activity among children and to encourage young people to get involved in physical activity or sports after school. Such participation has clear benefits with evidence highlighting that such students are less likely to become involved in drug abuse, alcohol abuse, sexual experimentation, violence or delinquent behaviour. It is important for these reasons, as well as for the overall physical and mental well being of young people, that we get it right at primary level, so that it becomes part and parcel of daily life from a young age.

4.9PE will also have to be used as a means of tackling obesity, of teaching children from a very young age of the importance of exercise both for physical, mental and overall well being. It should also be used to build teamwork and communication skills between peers.

5. The Role and Status of Physical Education Teachers

5.1Clearly the situation in terms of role and status is very different at primary and post primary level, where in the latter there are no PE teachers but rather there are teachers who teach PE.

5.2(I)Primary

Primary teachers have little problem in admitting their deficiencies when it comes to teaching PE. They blame the lack of training, almost non-existent ongoing in-service training together with the lack of facilities as the primary reasons for their scepticism about the subject. Later, this report discusses their real concern regarding their lack of competence when working with students who have special needs.

5.3Many of the submissions were quite critical of the training colleges and the main area of complaint was the lack of time devoted to PE in the Bachelor of Education degree. Indeed the same or greater criticism can be levelled at the so-called ‘conversion course’ where PE is given little or no attention. It was recommended that the same level of time be afforded to PE as to other subjects, and some submissions suggested that the extension of the course to a four year programme would best facilitate this, although this is not the only way it an be achieved.

5.4For example in one teacher training college, first year students on the Bachelor of Education course receive 45 minutes PE education per week in both the first and second semester. In second year, all students receive 45 minutes PE education per week in the second semester only. In third year, only students who specialise in physical education receive 4 hours per week in their second semester. In another college, the Bachelor of Education programme sees all first year students receive 24 hours PE education per year. The students have approximately 28 hours per week and so this amounts to about 50 minutes per week. Second year is the same, while in third year about 25 of the 400 students have the option of specialising in physical education and they receive about 48 hours tuition in third year.

5.5In the first college’s Postgraduate course, which runs over three semesters, students receive 45 minutes PE education per week for between 10 and 12 weeks of the course. While in the other college, all students receive 24 hours over the 18 month course.

5.6The Department of Education and Science was questioned on the number of hours provided in teacher training and their response was “physical education is included in the programme of pre service education for all teachers in each college of education. A number of teachers also take additional elective courses in various aspects of physical education such as aquatics and games. All Colleges of Education graduates are therefore fully qualified to teach the physical education curriculum in primary schools”. The Department of Education and Science then advised that “It is the management authorities of the individual Colleges of Education who are responsible for the delivery of Physical Education programmes to students.

5.7The question also referred to the new Hibernia On-line teacher-training course and the Department of Education and Science outlined that it was a privately run course, accredited by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). This accreditation being subject to the College adhering to the conditions set out in the HETAC certificate. The Minister then stated that “I have no role in relation to the specific elements of the course”.

5.8The Irish Primary Physical Education Association suggested that the National Governing Bodies (NGBs) could play a role in this education process in the colleges. Indeed at school level, many of the NGBs have placed coaches into school to coach their own sport. This has been a warmly welcomed source of expertise particularly at primary level. A number of submissions expressed the importance of this relationship between schools and the NGBs believing that they should be strengthened. They stated the benefits of having such a presence within schools and highlighted their concerns at the damage a break in this relationship would cause.

5.9In many ways NGBs are taking the place of the religious orders that many schools had relied upon for the physical education of its pupils both during and especially after school in the form of coaching teams. It is easy to point to examples in the past where a particular person, had a huge effect on the development of their chosen sport in a school and later in a club and even county.

5.10It must be made clear however that the NGBs may also be looking at the development of their particular sport rather than the development of physical education in general. It is extremely important that children are allowed to develop a wide varied range of skills and are not pushed into a particular sport at too young an age. The growth in competitive sport at a young age is a matter of concern also, and while some children will excel others will be turned off by feeling it is over competitive or too much pressure. This concentration on a particular sport may cause children to miss out on the gains of a much broader curriculum.

5.11It is important too that all those coming into contact with children in this way area adequately vetted before having access to children in school The issue of vetting, is a very important one, and indeed all personnel in schools should be subject to a clearly outlined and regulated process, but this is not the subject matter of this report. The Irish Sports Council recommended that all such people should be encouraged to attend a stand-alone model on children in sport.

5.12The role of the NGBs is important and the simple fact is that the schools themselves could not hope to match the investment of these NGBs were they to decide to abandon their schools initiative. The Department of Education and Science however should look on them as a welcome added extra rather than allowing a situation to develop where we come to rely totally on them.

5.13In terms of the training of teachers, the NCCA recommended that students be permitted to take PE as a degree subject specialising in primary PE.

5.14An extremely popular suggestion was that PE should be taught by trained PE teachers in primary schools. This is an idea supported by this report however there is an alternative viewpoint.

5.15Some of the submissions (Physical Education Department St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Noel Keating and Associates, Primary Schools Sports Initiative) argued that the class teacher is the person best place to teach PE. Such a view would appear to be in line with the revised physical education curriculum. This states that “in order to implement the programme a teacher does not need to be a specialist in the teaching of physical education”. We would contend that in light of what we know now about the importance of PE for very young children that the view expressed above will not allow the situation to change as much as it needs to. One submission clearly illustrates this point (PSSI) when it sets out the view that in service programmes should allay teachers fears about teaching PE and “persuade” teachers that large parts of the curriculum are “doable” which do not require specialist knowledge. We would argue that continuing in this manner would only ensure that the current ad hoc system remains in place.

5.16There is clear evidence, which shows the importance of children obtaining basic and fundamental movement at a young age. It appears that this is not always happening and that basics like hand eye co-ordination levels are not even being sufficiently mastered. Again the standards vary in different schools and areas. Trained PE teachers would ensure that children were subjected to correct levels of activity in a fun manner. As one of the submissions outlined, one of the principle failures of the current PE curriculum at primary level is the inconsistency with which it is implemented. It depends to a large degree on the individual teacher and the enthusiasm he or she brings to the class. We must also bear in mind however, that if the teacher does not have the necessary equipment to implement the curriculum, he or she is left with little option but to improvise.

5.17Many of the submissions suggested that PE teachers could be shared between numbers of schools particularly in rural areas where the numbers may be smaller, similar to the current sharing or clustering of special needs teachers etc. Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership pointed out that such a scheme has been in place in Sligo since 1984 and has been a considerable success.

5.18Other benefits would accrue from having specialist PE teachers. The time spent by the class teacher planning out a PE class could be used more effectively and the class teacher would be afforded more time to carry out class work.

5.19One of the biggest problems experienced by teachers with the current system is that the class teacher must bring the whole class to the gym, field, yard or general-purpose room. By these teachers own admission it is difficult to control large numbers outside the classroom environment. Specialist PE teachers would be able to take smaller numbers, where necessary, leaving the class teacher to continue to work with the other students

5.20(II) Post Primary

Many of the submission received, particularly those by PE teachers stress the fact that the position of the PE teacher within the hierarchy of teachers is quite low, whether this is a fact or perception is unclear. It seems they frequently find themselves doubling as the first aid member of staff. The majority of submissions from PE teachers at second level described their status within schools as something akin to a ‘games teacher’ and many felt that PE was not afforded the status it deserves. The issue of the status of the teacher within schools certainly appears to be a cause of concern and needs attention to ensure it does not generate difficulty within the school.

5.21The fact that the subject is not mandatory at second level is clearly a factor in its status. There is no doubt but that a non mandatory subject will be the first to be pushed aside when compared to one that is mandatory and even more so examinable.

5.22Almost all of the submissions were in agreement that the one sure way of ensuring that PE is treated seriously in schools is to make it an exam subject. Reasons for this varied with some expressing the view that such a move would be the only way of ensuring more timetable allocation as well as increasing the status of the subject and its teachers in schools. Others simply felt that it was unequal that a student who is gifted at art or music is given the opportunity to study that subject prior to progressing to a third level course in that area, whereas those physically gifted were not afforded the same opportunity. Some refereed to the growth in the physical and leisure industry in the 1990’s which resulted in many third level courses being established to provide graduates in this area, while second level students were unable to get a sufficient grounding in PE in preparation for third level. The NCCA pointed out that in its review of the senior cycle it provides for two courses, a revised non-examinable curriculum and an optional examinable curriculum.

5.23The National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals suggest that any move to introduce PE as an exam subject should be first be included at Junior Certificate level.

5.24Of course making the subject examinable is not the only option. A greater allocation of time to the subject and making it mandatory at post primary level would also help increase its status. This may be a better initial step rather than rushing to make it an exam subject, which rather than making it a life long habit, may instead make it just one more school subject where pupils feel the pressure to perform. There is also a serious difficulty at present in time tabling exams and this will also have to be taken into account.

5.25Another difficulty appears to be that of those who choose to study PE at third level, many of those do not go on to teach. Of the University of Limerick class of 1999, only 50% applied for jobs teaching PE. The remaining half of the class cited a number of reasons for not choosing this career path. The reasons included a lack of interest following teaching practice, insufficient salaries and the option of instead going into further education. Yet many of the submissions actually recommended increasing the number of places available in UL.

6. The Adequacy of the Curriculum

6.1There seems in general to be a degree of satisfaction with the current curriculum. Indeed the experience of those who have had the opportunity to implement the new Junior Certificate curriculum seems to have been extremely positive.

6.2There is one caveat that appears whenever the word ‘curriculum’ is mentioned. While the satisfaction with the actual curriculum is quite high the practicality if implementing it is an altogether different story. “Good curriculum if you could implement it” is the general comment.

6.3The Department claims that the syllabuses have been developed on the understanding that facilities available in schools vary. They also claim that consequent on this, the syllabuses offer flexibility regarding the physical activities undertaken so that each school can design a programme that they can deliver using the resources and supports available to the school.

6.4While there is a practical element to this approach and it tries to ensure that some form of PE is provided to pupils it is this type of outlook, which prevents schools from implementing the best possible type of curriculum.

6.5Unless we begin to realise the importance of investing in physical educational infrastructure to ensure that the curriculum can be implemented in full we are not giving children the opportunity to realise their potential in this area. The Department of Education and Science needs to take a more pro-active role in ensuring that PE facilities are provided and that its curriculum is implemented.

6.6According to the Department of Education and Science the provision of multi-purpose space/PE halls for primary and post primary schools is generally considered within the design brief for new schools and/or renovation/extension school building projects (PQ Number 21142/04, 21143/04, 21144/04, 21141/04). Of course under the new devolved schemes at primary level, the Department is not prescriptive in terms of the exact accommodation to be provided with the grants and it is left up to the school to prioritise their accommodation requirements. Where schools are under tremendous space pressure it is easy to understand providing an extra classroom before a PE hall, even if this might not be the best decision, at that moment in time will seem the most practical one. Taking decisions like this however again reduce the status of PE as a subject and make it less important than all other subjects on the curriculum.

6.7Unfortunately statistical information on the number of PE halls in schools at both primary and post primary level was not available from the Department. The lack of this most basic information makes it difficult to evaluate the effort that would be needed to remedy the infrastructural obstacles to implementing the full curriculum. The Department of Education and Science give the fact that the vast majority of schools are privately owned and operated as the reason that this information is not available and claim that deficits are generally brought to their attention by way of applications for capital funding. Despite not having the information available the Department of Education and Science are nonetheless able to claim that many primary schools do have a general purpose room for play and PE facilities during inclement weather. The Department of Education and Science should formally survey or commission a report on the facilities available at both levels.

6.8In addition to this the Department of Education and Science should develop formal procedures of consultation with other Government departments that provide funding for sports facilities. For example the provision of funding for a gymnasium for a local club could well come with a condition attached that it has to be available to the local school during school hours. This would be a far more cost effective use of resources and this issue is dealt with further in the next chapter.

6.9The submissions highlighted a particular problem with the aquatics segment of the curriculum at both levels.

6.10Quite obviously the vast majority of schools do not have access to a pool on site or even in the vicinity. The curriculum guidelines do not seem to take account of this fact and this is something that greatly frustrates teachers.

6.11Even where a pool is available in the same town, it is quite a logistical nightmare to ensure that children obtain the necessary time in the pool. Because of predictable issues such as insurance, health and safety concerns, time constraints, and the actual entrance costs, far too many pupils do not get to participate in this part of the curriculum.

6.12Where students do get to participate it appears from many of the submissions that parents are footing the bill. The Department does not make any adequate provision towards these costs and most schools are unable to pay for the costs incurred. In fact there is no specific grant to cover the cost of pupils attending swimming pools at either primary or post primary level. The Department suggest that this cost could be met from the capitation grant, which covers the day-to-day costs of running schools. While this grant was increased by 12 euro per pupil with effect from 1 January 2005, there are few schools, if any, who do not already have their capitation grant fully accounted for.

6.13To outline the importance of this module of the PE curriculum the Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management pointed out that in the UK, drowning was the third most common cause of accidental death for children.

6.14It appears that PE in transition year, takes place in a wholly unstructured manner with schools left to implement it in whatever manner they wish, with the result that it if often absent from the transition year calendar.

6.15It is hard to understand this attitude particularly when transition year is supposed to be the year when we help to equip students with the tools they need for life, rather than concentrating on academic subjects and exams .

6.16The GAA have launched a pilot scheme in six schools over 27 weeks to cover physical education in transition year with a view to extending it nationally. The programme will cover not only actual physical activity, but nutrition advice, body image, obesity and diet.

6.17The organisation should be complemented on their initiative however the Department of Education an Science should take the led role in ensuring a proper structured PE programme exists for transition year co-coordinators to implement.

7. Physical Education in Ireland in the International Context

7.1If you were to just look anecdotally you would easily assume that we must not compare well in the international context. It is important that we do not look at PE as merely a means of producing athletes or sports people for competitive purposes, although a good grounding is crucial to do this. In looking at it from a competitive sporting perspective we are lagging behind other countries where it is crucial and that is in terms of putting in place a proper sports infrastructure in our schools.

7.2Factually any examination of the Irish physical education system in an international context is bound to bring some stark realities to the surface. It is a simple fact that Ireland lags behind other nations in the provision of physical education. The time allocation, financial allocation, original training, on-going training and on-going improvement of the PE infrastructure is considerably less than in most countries.

7.3It has to be accepted in our defence, that our climatic conditions make the provision of PE difficult. However in accepting this fact we need to do something about it and ensure that schools have indoor provision available to them.

7.4The continental model sees a far greater utilisation of community facilities and this is a model that we will have to look at. Greater links must be forged between schools in implementing their curriculum and the local community. This will also enhance the possibility of the children continuing their school based physical activities in adult life.

It is surprising that this model has not already developed on a larger scale than at present, as is has on the Continent.

7.5At its most basic level, this model foresees a school without a gym or sports hall using such a facility belonging to a local club or community. One submission suggested that those involved in the construction of new community centres should be encouraged to locate these facilities as close to the local school as possible, so that the school can avail of the facility.

7.6Moving this context on further there is also scope for public or private investment in schools particularly in this area. The extent to which the leisure industry has grown in Ireland over the past 10 years has been phenomenal and schools could be involved in this.

7.7Public or private investment in school facilities such as gym, sports halls, running tracks, swimming pools and playing pitches would see significant benefits for both sides, with the school having unlimited access to state of the art facilities during school hours an for training after school, while the other party could access the facilities outside school hours.

7.8In terms of the issue of obesity, Ireland’s difficulties seem to be part of what the World Health Organisation has termed a “a global epidemic”.

8. The Future Development of Physical Education

8.1Recommendations

1.The starting point for any future development of physical education in Ireland is a commitment to serious investment at all levels. This investment is long overdue, justified and necessary. Indeed such investment makes sound financial sense in light of the looming healthcare bill from an increasingly unhealthy and inactive population.

2.The Department of Education and Science should obtain exact details on the facilities available at each primary and post primary school.

3.PE must be made compulsory at post primary level for the full duration of the junior and senior cycle. In addition to this it most be properly timetabled with sufficient time devoted to the subject. It must become part and parcel of life at second level rather than an-add on to be taken on an ad hoc basis.

4.A PE curriculum should be drawn up for transition years.

5.Greater time should be added to PE at primary level, while the submissions varied in the amount of time suggested they were at one in believing that one-hour per week was insufficient. Indeed Obesity The Policy Challenge stated that children should receive one hour of moderate physical activity per day. Clearly all of this cannot be provided within the school day, but the school must at least take its share of the responsibility of ensuring that sufficient activity levels are reached.

6.The Department should encourage schools to make greater links with the local community, local clubs, NGBs and to get involved in public and private initiatives.

7.Specialist PE teachers should be provided at primary level. This would not exempt the class teachers from teaching PE, indeed physical activity can be incorporated into other subject areas. Where the specialist teacher is unable to take a class for PE the class teachers should be sufficiently trained to provide physical education.

8.A review should be carried out on the training of teachers at primary level to ensure they have the confidence and competence to teach the subject.

9.The Department of Education and Science should look at the possibility of it purchasing large quantities of equipment to secure larger discounts, which can then be sold on to school. Such a scheme is already in place in the Prison Education Service. All equipment is ordered centrally by the Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform in consultation with Governors, staff, and the Prison Education Development Group (PEDG) who in turn consult with external experts. The PEDG offers advice and provides specifications for new prisons and facilities. This model should be examined closely to try and provide equipment in a more cost effective manner.

10.Schools should make better use of community facilities such as halls, swimming pools and fields. Furthermore facilities that are built within schools could generate revenue towards their cost, maintenance and upkeep by allowing the public to use the facility outside school hours.

11.Greater Government inter-departmental co-operation should be set in place to ensure a proper spread of sports facilities in towns and villages, with Government grants being maximised for the benefit of school children in particular.

12.The ability of schools to share facilities is not being maximised to the full. Obviously this would depend on the size of the facility and the schools wishing to use it. It also depends on the timetabling of the “host” school, however this is an option that works well with some facilities, and the Department in moving towards campus style school building projects should be aware of the use that such facilities can be put to if shared.

13.Greater training needs to be in place to cater for students with special needs. According to the Irish Wheelchair Association-Sport “the opportunities for participation in physical education/school sport by the pupil with a disability are poor to non-existent”. The barriers include a lack of facilities, reluctance by PE teachers to accept responsibility for a pupil with a disability, transport difficulties and most of all attitudes. Research found that only 9% of teaching and professional development staff surveyed felt they had sufficient training at undergraduate level to work with pupils with special needs. The Department of Education and Sport Sciences UL and the PE Association of Ireland recommended the appointment of specialists in the area of adapted physical activity to integrate with all levels of the education system. The Irish Wheelchair Association — Sport made two other significant recommendations, firstly, allocate additional resources to schools with a high incidence of special needs students and secondly, produce a comprehensive resource package for schools to address issues such as inclusion, facilities, terminology and adaption techniques. Recent research in the remediation of learning difficulties such as dyslexia has shown that remedial work in assisting a child’s balance and motor co-ordination has a dramatic improvement on the child’s ability to learn.

14.A reduction in the pupil teacher ratio is necessary for the better implementation of the PE curriculum. Due to the nature of the subjects students become less manageable in PE class. Trying to organise large numbers of students in poor facilities is a considerable undertaking particularly in light of the fact that at primary level the teacher is not always adequately trained to teach PE.

15.Educate principals on the benefits of PE and its position in the delivery of a holistic education.

16.The almost entire lack of PE at pre-school stage should be addressed by ensuring activity space forms part of the design of any pre-school.

17.Improve the provision of PE in adult education programmes.

18.Increase the number of PE inspectors.

9. Index of Submissions

1.Mr. Ciaran Conlan, Irish Primary Physical Education Association,Headmaster, Ballapousta National School, Co. Louth.

2.Irish Heart Foundation, 4 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

3.Dublin City University, Centre for Sport Science and Health, Dublin 9.

4.The Health and Leisure Diploma Students, Institute of Technology, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

5.Mr. Seamus O’Shea, Head of School, School of Science and Computing, Institute of Technology, Tralee, Co. Kerry.

6.Ms. Anne Looney, Chief Executive, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, 22 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.

7.Health Promotions Managers/Directors of the Health Boards in Ireland.

8.Mr. A O’Muimhneacháin.

9.Mr. Pat Duffy, Director, National Coaching and Training Centre, University of Limerick, Limerick.

10.Mr Kenneth Blackmore — retired former Principal, Wesley College, Dublin.

11.Mrs Trudy Davenport - former Physical Education Teacher, U.S.A.

12.Institute of Leisure and Amenity Management Ireland.

13.Dr. Ciarán Mac Donncha, Course Director, Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Limerick & President of Physical Education Association of Ireland.

14.Ms Lelia Fitzgerald - former Physical Education Teacher, Limerick.

15.Mr. Desmond Broderick, Senior Lecturer and Mr. Gerry Shiel, Physical Education Department, St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9.

16.Ms Heidi Airgell.

17.Ms. Deirdre Lavin, Sports Co-Ordinator, Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership.

18.Mr Andrew Murphy.

19.Mr Richard Bowles - Primary School Teacher.

20.The Irish Sports Council, 21 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2.

21.Ms. Mary A. Mc Glynn, Director, National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, 46 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2.

22.Castlegregory Golf and Fishing Club Stradbally, Castlegregory, Co.Kerry.

23.Mr. Jimmy Byrne, National Co-Ordinator, Irish Wheelchair Association — Sport.

24.Mr. Kilian Fisher, Chief Executive Officer, ILAM Ireland.

25.Mr. Kevin Warner, Co-Ordinator of Education, Prison Education Service, 47 Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2.

26.Noel Keating Associates - Sports, Education & Event Consultants, Woodlawn House, Hillcrest Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

27.Mr. Padraig O’Duinnín, Physical Education Teacher, Limerick.

28.Ms. Kay Farrell, Physical Education Teacher, Dublin.

29.Ms. Mairead Weymes, National Co-Ordinator, Primary School’s Sports Iniative.

30.Ms. Paula Swayne, Sports Recreational Officer, South Dublin County Council, Town Hall, Tallaght, Dublin 24.

31.Ms. Pauline Sutton, Physical Education Teacher, Co. Kildare.

32.Ms. Tina Sinanan.