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The constraints on school provision of post-primary physical education inIreland: principals' and teachers' views and experiencesAnn MacPhaila; John Halbertb; Nollaig McEvillya; Caroline Hutchinsona; Ciaran MacDonnchaa
a University of Limerick, b National Council for Curriculum and Assessment,
To cite this Article MacPhail, Ann , Halbert, John , McEvilly, Nollaig , Hutchinson, Caroline and MacDonncha,Ciaran(2005) 'The constraints on school provision of post-primary physical education in Ireland: principals' and teachers'views and experiences', Irish Educational Studies, 24: 1, 77 — 91To link to this Article: DOI: 10.1080/03323310500184541URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03323310500184541
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The constraints on school provision of
post-primary physical education in
Ireland: principals’ and teachers’
views and experiences
Ann MacPhail*a, John Halbertb, Nollaig McEvillya,Caroline Hutchinsona and Ciaran MacDonnchaa
aUniversity of Limerick; bNational Council for Curriculum and Assessment
Dated and limited research relating to physical education in Ireland has reported that the subject is
in crisis, unable to move forward until the fundamental resources of facilities, staffing and time for
physical education are significantly improved. As part of a recent national physical education
survey carried out in Ireland, data was collected from principals (n�/417) and teachers (n�/405) to
inform discussion on the level of current infrastructure for physical education in post-primary
schools. This paper investigates the areas of physical education facilities, time allocation and
staffing, as a contribution to the debate on the way forward for physical education at post-primary
level, illuminating both issues of policy and practice.
Introduction
Numerous pieces of referenced work have examined the international trends in
specific areas of physical education that appear to influence the quality and extent of
physical education provision. Inadequate physical education facilities and equip-
ment, a general reduction in time allocated to physical education and teachers with
little or no preparation in teaching physical education being responsible for physical
education are international concerns (Hardman & Marshall, 2000; Hardman, 2003).
This paper investigates the areas of physical education facilities, time allocation and
staffing, hoping to contribute to the debate on the way forward for physical education
at post-primary level in Ireland, and implications for policy and practice. We begin
with a summary of the themes (Table 1) reported in research on physical education
provision both internationally and in an Irish context before describing the
methodology employed in this study.
*Corresponding author. University of Limerick, Ireland. Email: ann.macphail@ul.ie
ISSN 0332-3315 (print)/ISSN 1747-4965 (online)/05/010077-15
# 2005 Educational Studies Association of Ireland
DOI: 10.1080/03323310500184541
Irish Educational StudiesVol. 24, No. 1, March 2005, pp. 77�/91
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Methodology
In January 2003, an extensive baseline survey sought to provide a detailed picture of
the physical education infrastructure in Irish post-primary schools and to ascertain
the possible impact of new and revised physical education syllabuses on schools. The
survey was constructed and supported by the Department of Education and Science
(DES), the Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences at the University
Table 1. Themes reported in research on physical education provision
Theme International context Irish context
Facilities
Inadequate physical education facilities leading to:
. the diminished quality of
physical education
programmes
Williams 1997; Hardman,
1998; National Association of
Head Teachers, 1999;
Hardman and Marshall,
2000; Hardman, 2001a,b;
2003
O’Rourke, 1993; Halbert,
1994; McCarthy, 1994;
O’Sullivan and McCarthy,
1994; O’Sullivan, 1997;
ASTI, 2002; DES, 2002
. safety concerns OFSTED, 1997;
Need for Government funding Hardman, 2003; Littlefield
et al ., 2003.
Timetable Issues
Reduction on time allocated
to physical education
Mitchell, 1990; Hardman,
2000
Fisher, 1995 (cited in
MacDonncha, 2002);
Lack of adherence to physical
education time allocation
guidelines
Hardman and Marshall,
2000; Hardman, 1998, 2001b
Halbert, 1994; NCCA,
1999; Sohun and
MacDonncha, 2001;
Competition from other subjects
for timetable space particularly
in upper secondary
Evans et al ., 1993; Williams,
1997; National Association of
Head Teachers, 1999;
Caldecott & Walker, 2001;
Hardman, 2003
O’Sullivan and McCarthy,
1994; O’Sullivan, 1997
Staff-related issues
Concern at the use of non-
qualified physical education
teachers to teach physical
education
Hardman and Marshall,
2000;
DES, 2002
Poor physical education teaching
context (e.g. inadequate facilities,
poor subject status) leading to
teacher ‘burnout’
Fejgin et al. , 1995
Additional demands e.g. co-
curricular sport, placed on
physical education teachers
Parratt, 1983
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of Limerick and the Physical Education Association of Ireland. Piloting of the
questionnaires with teachers resulted in changes being made to the format of some
questions although the nature of the data being sought did not change. A package
containing a cover letter and three different questionnaires was mailed to the
principal of each of the 763 post-primary schools in Ireland. One questionnaire was
to be completed by the principal, a second by one physical education teacher and a
third was included for completion by all physical education teachers in the school.
This paper reports on and discusses data from these questionnaires in relation to the
impact of facilities, timetabling and staffing on school provision of physical
education. Returned questionnaires were treated confidentially and the anonymity
of each respondent was fully respected. Regardless of whether or not schools had
chosen to include their school roll number (identification number), all post-primary
institutions were mailed a one-page request to return questionnaires, if they had not
already done so, by June 2003.
This paper reports the qualitative data obtained from school principal ques-
tionnaires (n�/417) and physical education teachers (n�/405) who completed the
second questionnaire. Quantitative data are reported from all three questionnaires
(316 teachers completed and returned the third questionnaire).
The principals’ and physical education teachers’ qualitative data analysed and
reported in this paper are in response to the question at the end of both
questionnaires. The question read ‘Please list any other specific issues, concerns or
problems relating to physical education provision in your school. Are there issues that
you believe the University of Limerick/Department of Education and Science should
be addressing as a priority?’ A total of 285 principals and 303 teachers chose to
answer this question. The principals’ and physical education teachers’ qualitative
data were analysed separately. All individual principal and physical education teacher
responses to the question were recorded in respective WordTM documents. Similar to
the constant comparative method of analysing data the comments were manually
reviewed, repeatedly and continually coded, seeking similarities and differences,
groupings, patterns and items of particular significance (Rubin & Rubin, 1995).
Where individual principals and teachers made multiple comments, each comment
was allocated to the most suitable category.
The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) for Windows (release 12.0) was
used to analyse the quantitative data obtained from the three questionnaires. Where
such data is reported it is the ‘valid percent’ that is quoted.
Results and discussion
The most frequently made qualitative comments made by principals and teachers
related to issues of provision. Provision encompassed comments relating to facilities
and equipment (219), staff (113), funding (58), time (57), resources (20) and class
size (12). Comments that incorporated several of these issues, and were not
Post-primary physical education in Ireland 79
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Figure 1. Current status of facilities
Figure 2. Current status of equipment
80 Ann MacPhail et al.
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predominantly related to one, were coded as ‘multi’ (14). A description of other
qualitative comments is available in MacPhail and Halbert (2004). There was also a
significant amount of quantitative data related to provision collected through the
three questionnaires. Both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the data are
reported on in order to indicate the frequency of responses in the particular
categories of facilities and equipment, staff and time.
Before examining principals’ and teachers’ observations on the issues of facilities
and equipment, staffing and allocation of time we include Figures 1�3 in order to
highlight teachers’ opinion on their schools’ general state of readiness to offer
existing and future physical education courses. From Figures 1�3 it is clear that in
teachers’ opinions their schools’ state of readiness (in terms of facilities, equipment
and staffing) declined as schools moved beyond accommodating their current
physical education programme and towards the possibility of accommodating
Leaving Certificate (i.e. the State examination at the end of post-primary education)
physical education. Figures 1 and 2 indicate that teachers believed that their schools
were not as well prepared as they might have been in terms of facilities and
equipment to offer the revised and new syllabuses, especially the Leaving Certificate.
They were more optimistic about the state of readiness of staff to cope with these
changes to the curriculum (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Status of current staff readiness
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Facilities and equipment
Inadequacy of physical education facilities and equipment
By far the largest sub-category of provision, with more comments than any of the
other major categories, was that relating to facilities. A lack of equipment was
referred to less frequently than facility issues although in a few cases principals and
teachers did emphasise how detrimental a lack of equipment could be even if
adequate facilities were available, ‘The resources (equipment) in our school are
inadequate for a proper implementation of PE course. Whereas we have a hall of
adequate size, the equipment in it is outdated and offers little to students’ (Principal,
140). Echoing the quantitative data, many noted the inadequate indoor and outdoor
facilities or non-existent facilities. Those that reported inadequate facilities referred
to poor or no changing/showering facilities and the problem of maintaining and
upgrading current facilities. In some schools, facilities were not in use due to
concerns in relation to health and safety.
Multiple uses of physical education facilities
Sports halls/multi-purpose areas in schools frequently accommodated a number of
school activities, including examinations, concerts and school shows to the detriment
of physical education, ‘. . . the PE programme is hampered by an inadequate facility.
It is used for assembly, lunch and outside groups’ (Teacher, 177). Another comment
reported the effect that the simultaneous timetabling of the same space had on
physical education, ‘The timetabling of 3 PE classes at the same time, with drama or
choir, can result in a class of 1st/2nd years getting no gym at all during a year*/even
though there is gym equipment in the school’ (Teacher, 292). When a number of
classes were scheduled for the same time, severe limitations were placed on the
nature of the physical education activities undertaken due to restricted available
space. Some teachers also had to deal with tables and chairs stacked around the
perimeter of the area.
Facilities available for physical education
It appears that over half (55%; n�/298) of the schools surveyed have hall space
equivalent to the size of three badminton courts (400 sq. meters) or more. This
figure appears higher than might be expected in a country where facilities have
historically been identified as one of the restricting factors on the provision of the
physical education programme (McCarthy, 1994). However, the quantitative data
tells us nothing about the condition of the available space or its simultaneous use by
more than one class group. Fewer than 10% (n�/298) of schools reported that they
had no physical education hall and in these conditions the difficulty in promoting and
maintaining a physical education programme must be considerable.
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Most schools surveyed reported the availability for at least one outdoor area for
the teaching of physical education classes, with tarmacadam area and grass pitch
being the most popular combination (Figure 4). Synthetic and all-weather pitches
exist in a number of schools with 4% (n�/308) of schools having all four out-
door areas of tarmacadam, grass, synthetic and all-weather. Disturbingly, 12%
(n�/308) of schools only have tarmacadam and 3% (n�/308) have no outdoor
facilities.
Some schools reported using off-site facilities for physical education but
this frequently presented logistical difficulties and rural schools in particular
had less scope in this regard, ‘We have no indoor PE facilities*/no sports hall.
Our 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th year pupils travel by bus to two centres locally (2.5
miles from school) to do PE. It is expensive, time is wasted, it is inconvenient
AND A DISGRACE THAT THERE ARE NO FACILITIES FOR PE’ (Teacher,
269).
A number of schools recorded using community-based facilities for their physical
education lessons, including hall spaces (23%; n�/316), outdoor sports areas (25%;
n�/316) swimming pool (45%; n�/316), and adventure activity facilities (43%; n�/
316). While it might be expected that more schools would access the latter two
facilities externally, it is disconcerting that a quarter of the schools surveyed were
paying for, and transporting pupils to, hall spaces and outdoor sports areas that
arguably should be available within the school grounds.
52.90%
12.30%
8.80%
6.30%
4.40% 3.80%2.60% 2.60%
tarmacadam &
grass pitch(s)
tarmacadam area tarmac, all−
weather & grass
grass pitches all four areas tarmac & all−
weather
all−weather &
grass
none
Figure 4. Availability of outdoor facilities
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Influence of available facilities on the physical education programme
Some schools reported an inability to offer a physical education programme due to
inadequate or non-existent facilities. The lack of a purpose-built sports hall was
deemed as the most significant limitation on the provision of a comprehensive, well-
balanced physical education programme particularly when the climate does not
always allow for lessons to be held outside. Teachers expressed concern that the
inadequacy of facilities would negatively impact on students’ experience of physical
education and involvement in sport/physical activity outside of school.
Principals reported on numerous occasions that staff made the best of the situation
in which they found themselves, ‘We have an excellent PE teacher, works hard with
his students and the subject has a high profile, but it is difficult in the circumstances.
We are one of two schools in Co. Monaghan without proper facilities’ (Principal,
227). Other comments included, ‘We are in serious need of a PE hall. I believe we are
working wonders with our current meagre resources’ (Principal, 159) and ‘We are 21
years without a PE hall. Over the 21 years PE has been on the curriculum for every
student from 1st year to 6th year in the college’ (Principal, 171). Making the best of
the situation did not avoid the reality that teachers’ and students’ experience of
physical education was being compromised, ‘We have a very strong and motivated
PE staff and very motivated children, but the lack of indoor and outdoor facilities
greatly curtails many of our activities in what is a varied and interesting PE
programme’ (Teacher, 156).
It was evident that the school’s available facilities and equipment resulted in the
provision of an unbalanced physical education curriculum. Games appeared to be
more easily accommodated than activities requiring indoor facilities and/or particular
equipment, e.g. dance and gymnastics, ‘Our physical education activity is currently
confined to games, resources for which are adequate, but it would be very much
desired by the school to improve our PE resources and develop PE programmes for
the students’ (Principal, 59). We return to the prominence of games within the
physical education programme later in the paper.
Numerous comments implied that school facilities could hinder the introduction
of examinable physical education. These included ‘Facilities are inadequate and
would limit the successful introduction of exam PE classes’ (Principal, 182), ‘It will
be impossible to bring in any kind of examinable PE programme until PE facilities
are standardized’ (Teacher, 48) and ‘A dedicated PE gym, properly and adequately
equipped would be essential before embarking on PE as an examination subject’
(Principal, 237).
Responsibility of the DES in providing physical education facilities
Principals and teachers referred to the lack of consistency across schools in relation
to the types and conditions of facilities. Principles focussed in particular on the role
of the DES reporting that a number of building applications for physical education
facilities were with the Department for substantial periods without discernable action
84 Ann MacPhail et al.
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having been taken to progress them. Some principals were of the opinion that the
DES prioritised the completion of other facilities before those for physical education
were provided or upgraded. A plea was made for the DES to ‘recognise the huge
disparity that exists between schools in terms of the facilities available in schools and
the teaching resources at their disposal’ (Principal, 85). A number of comments
urged the DES to play a much more proactive role in providing adequate teaching
resources within schools, ‘The whole issue of physical education provision is futile
until the problem of physical resources is seriously addressed by the Dept. of
Education. How can PE be taught properly in a space where students can only move
3 feet, if that, in any direction?’ (Principal, 97).
In a number of cases, schools’ inability or disinclination to introduce new or
revised syllabuses was attributed (by these schools) to the DES’s unwillingness to
improve the standard of physical education facilities;
Pardon the pun, but the new PE syllabi should be presented to all students in the
country ‘on a level playing field’. We are doing a great disservice to our students if we
attempt to teach them the new PE syllabi in conditions which any modern, forward-
thinking society would deem illegal. To do the new syllabi justice, every school should
have the infrastructure in place to pursue it fully. Without the proper infrastructure in
place we are simply rearranging furniture in a derelict house!! (Teacher, 142)
I believe that the provision of quality PE in Ireland hinges on the facilities available to
teachers. It is my belief that the Dept. of Ed. have failed time and time again (if you look
at the history of PE in this state) to deal with this problem. If PE is to survive and grow
into the future, all schools have to be provided with adequate facilities. At present, our
school would be unable to implement the new syllabi due to a severe shortage of
facilities. (Teacher, 191)
Staff
Physical education staffing levels in schools
The very large numbers of comments on staffing were overwhelmingly related to the
perceived inadequacy in the numbers of qualified physical education teachers
employed within the system. These comments emanated not only from schools
that had no physical education teacher but also from those schools that already
employed a physical education teacher(s).
Principals frequently refer to an inadequate number of physical education teachers
in their schools and their inability to employ a teacher or an additional teacher. Many
of these principals suggest the provision of ex-quota posts, i.e. allowing a school to
employ a physical education teacher over and above the staffing complement
determined for each school by the DES or the operation of special teacher allocation
measures (e.g. reduced pupil�teacher ratios) for physical education:
We do not have a qualified PE teacher on staff. Re. [regarding] staff, I would
recommend the appointment of PE teacher in ex.quota capacity. (Principal, 116)
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DES should have PE compulsory and have an ex-quota position in schools initially to
get it off the ground. (Principal, 334)
Extra teacher allocation is essential, possibly making the PE teacher ex-quota.
(Principal, 368)
Change in pupil:teacher ratio to allow for more teachers to be appointed. (Principal, 62)
While measures such as these would increase the number of qualified physical
education teachers in the system, it must be recognised that responsibility for setting
priorities in employment policy rests largely with the school. In a number of instances
principals reported very high numbers, e.g., 525, of students being catered for by one
physical education teacher (Principal, 80).
Teacher qualifications
Ninety-one per cent (n�/380) of principals reported that their school insists on a
recognised physical education qualification when employing a physical education
teacher. However, it appears that many principals believed they were not in a
position to make a physical education post available in their schools. Accordingly,
teachers not qualified to teach physical education were involved in delivering
physical education/games, ‘. . . there needs to be more PE positions given to schools,
as it seems to be the norm that any teacher can take a PE class’ (Teacher, 273). It
appears that in some cases there is an acceptance that this practice does not benefit
physical education, ‘In many schools including our own non-qualified teachers are
teaching PE. Status of P. Ed. is significantly undermined by these issues’ (Principal,
105).
It is apparent that those not qualified in physical education favoured providing a
games experience to students in their care, ‘This school does not have the services of
a recognised/qualified PE teacher. PE on timetable taken by other teachers and
consists mainly of games/sports’ (Principal, 180) and ‘We have a number of teachers
interested in P.Ed [physical education] who take games/activity class, mainly soccer,
football, volleyball and basketball’ (Principal, 318).
The tendency of non-qualified physical education staff to provide a programme
which is games-intensive along with the suggestion that the high student:teacher ratio
encourages the teaching of games, a setting where most students can be active at one
time, may help to explain the disproportionate allocation of hours to the games
element of school physical education programmes. Figure 5 details the average
number of hours allocated to each element across the three-year junior cycle
programme and the two-year senior cycle programme (excluding transition year). It
is evident that teachers prefer to teach games, verifying the high incidence of
qualitative comments that referred to the teaching of games at the expense of other
activity areas.
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Potential impact on staffing on introduction of Leaving Certificate physical education
It is evident that if schools were to offer Leaving Certificate physical education
(LCPE) it is likely to result in a re-allocation of the existing physical education staff
and employment of part-time physical education staff (see Figure 6). These
outcomes are more likely than either an increase in the number of full-time physical
education teachers, an increased role for non physical education teachers or the
employment of other part-time staff. Sixteen per cent (n�/339) of principals were of
the opinion that the general provision of physical education in senior cycle would
diminish as a result of the introduction of LCPE. It is of concern that an increase in
the numbers of full-time physical education positions was not the preferred option
for principals in catering for the obvious additional staffing demands that would be
made upon the system.
Other staffing factors which were reported as having a negative effect on the
quality of schools’ physical education programmes were staff burnout and substantial
involvement in co-curricular coaching.
Timetabling of physical education
Status of physical education on the school timetable
Eighty-eight per cent (n�/411) of principals supported the designation of physical
education as a compulsory subject in the junior cycle while only 53% supported
4.19 4.253.31
2.88
4.92
3.642.66
3.14
25.27
23.94
4.03
2.07
4.4
5.72
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
Adventure
activities
Aquatics Athletics Dance Games Gymnastics HRA
Junior Cycle
Senior Cycle
Figure 5. Average time devoted to activities (hours per year)
Post-primary physical education in Ireland 87
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compulsory senior cycle physical education. More principals (75%; n�/394)
supported the availability of physical education as a Leaving Certificate subject
than those that supported compulsory physical education at senior cycle. The high
level of support for junior cycle physical education may be due to most schools
already offering some form of physical education at this level and consequently have
established resources to do so. The noticeable difference between the level of support
for physical education being compulsory at senior cycle and that for the subject being
available as a Leaving Certificate subject may arise from principals’ unease about the
extensive commitment of resources necessary to support a compulsory subject.
When principals were asked if they would offer revised junior cycle and senior cycle
physical education and LCPE in their school the ‘yes’ responses were respectively
45% (n�/392), 32% (n�/373) and 22% (n�/380). There was a clear discrepancy
between principals’ stated support for national developments in physical education
and their intentions in relation to supporting such developments in their own
schools.
Physical education timetable allocation
Teachers were concerned that one period of 35�45 minutes of physical education per
week was insufficient in which to offer a worthwhile and beneficial physical education
programme. A compulsory double class for all students (typically 80 minutes per
week) was deemed to be the minimum allocation that should be made, ‘. . . to ensure
24.40%
34.40%
23.20%
32.50%
9.80%
8.00%
16.00%
Incr in no of PET Re−allocate
teachers
Incr role of non−
PET
Incr in part time pe
staff
Incr in other part
time staff
Reduce JC
provision
Reduce SC
provision
Figure 6. Impact of introducing LC physical education
88 Ann MacPhail et al.
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[a] thorough grounding in basic skills in the PE programme’ (Teacher, 22) and
‘Time allocation is always a problem, not getting the minimum of 80 min. which is
required to deliver a basic programme’ (Teacher, 80). It was apparent that teachers
were working in schools where the timetable did not provide for two single periods of
physical education a week or a double period. Some commented that the time
available for physical education was being eroded by the increased emphasis on
subjects such as civic social and political education (CSPE) and religion and that
time allocated to senior cycle physical education was decreasing, ‘in the race for
[higher entry] points we are being squeezed out’ (Teacher, 111).
Data indicated a trend of diminishing time allocation for physical education within
the curriculum from year 1 (76 minutes/week) to year 6 (58 minutes/week). Even
with the reduction to seven as the number of subjects taken by students in senior
cycle the time spent in physical education class was reduced. The value for the time
allocated to Transition Year (101 minutes/week) departed markedly from this
declining trend. It may be that the increased time allocation in Transition Year is
evidence of recognition on the part of planners within schools of the educational
worth of physical education in advancing the holistic aims of Transition Year.
Alternatively, it may represent an implicit acceptance that the only opportunity for
the inclusion of significant amounts of physical education on the timetable arises
when the real business of examinations is more remote than usual. The latter
scenario is facilitated by the great diversity of activity available within the subject and
the relative ease of sourcing tuition expertise from outside of the school’s physical
education staff.
Conclusion
The major constraints (inadequate facilities and equipment, ineffective allocation of
time and inappropriate staffing levels) identified by principals and teachers in this
study appear to be similar in nature to those which pertain in other countries. It is
worth noting however that the negative effect of these factors may be accentuated in
the Irish context given the relatively underdeveloped physical education infrastruc-
ture that already exists.
Each of the constraints identified has a particular impact on the quality of
provision. The relationship between each identified constraint and the provision of
physical education is not strictly linear. Each is in fact influenced/compounded by
the operation of the other constraints. For example, a number of teachers
commented that while their school’s indoor facility was of a high quality, their
ability to deliver a high quality physical education programme was frequently
compromised by timetabling issues. In some instances teachers reported extremely
limited lesson length or the simultaneous use of the facility by a number of class
groups. The views reported in this study re-emphasise the complexity of attempting
to deal with the constraints acting on schools’ physical education. In any approach to
remedying the provision issues it is clear that addressing one constraint in isolation
Post-primary physical education in Ireland 89
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will not lead to significant, enduring change. The formulation of a viable strategy is
further compounded by the effect of other reported constraints such as overcrowded
curricula, inadequate professional development of teachers and poor communication
in relation to curriculum developments (MacPhail & Halbert, 2004).
As has been alluded to by principals and teachers in the study, the state has
ultimate responsibility for providing an appropriate learning and teaching environ-
ment.
In recent years there have been significant developments in relation to curriculum
in primary and post-primary physical education. If such developments are to exert an
ongoing influence on the physical education experience of young people, the state
commitment to addressing the constraints identified in this study is critical. This
study highlights an example of this in the introduction of Leaving Certificate physical
education which would be welcomed by many. It is disturbing to note however that a
significant number of principals expressed the view that the introduction of Leaving
Certificate physical education with the resources currently available would negatively
impact on the general physical education provision at senior cycle. Such concerns
highlight that new courses such as Leaving Certificate physical education must be
accompanied by significantly enhanced resourcing in order to prevent the erosion of
other physical education provision within schools.
In order to plan for essential future resourcing the DES and teacher education
institutions require accurate data on facilities in schools, numbers of qualified
teachers teaching physical education, the amount of physical education they are
teaching and the number of schools without any physical education teacher. Some of
this information would be available from further analysis of data collected in this
study however additional investigation is necessary to establish a more comprehen-
sive picture.
Acknowledgement
The authors wish to thank the principals and teachers for the time and interest shown
in completing and returning questionnaires.
References
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schools . Unpublished survey, Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland.
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