Teachers' continuing professional development in primary physical education: lessons from present and past to inform the future

There is a growing recognition that teachers' learning, and effective policies and structures to support it, should be at the heart of government polices to improve standards in education (Day, 1999 Day C (1999) Developing teachers: the challenges of lifelong learning, Falmer London [Google Scholar]). In England, the continuing professional development (CPD) landscape for teachers is changing; and professional development in physical education (PE-CPD) is at the forefront of the new developments. In October 2002, the government announced funding of £450 million to transform the quality of physical education in England, and a key element of the strategy is to fund a National PE and School Sport Professional Development Programme for teachers and other adults working in schools. This paper focuses on primary school PE-CPD within that framework. Vignettes of the PE-CPD experiences of practising primary school teachers and an historical analysis of earlier attempts to enhance teachers' learning indicate that a fresh approach to PE-CPD is indeed needed. However it is argued that more fundamental changes may be required if the national programme is to achieve its objectives and be held accountable for major advances in teachers' and pupils' learning in primary PE.