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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: [email protected]

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

Downloaded By: [Swets Content Distribution] At: 09:59 8 October 2010

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


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


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

78 Ann MacPhail et al.


https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232465314_Work_environment_and_burnout_of_physical_education_teachers?el=1_x_8&enrichId=rgreq-ae4da42c-8299-4d47-8e05-745ee52237ab&enrichSource=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzIzMjIyMDA1NztBUzoxMDM0MjQwOTE3NTQ0OThAMTQwMTY2OTYzMzkyNg==

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


Figure 1. Current status of facilities

Figure 2. Current status of equipment



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



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.



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



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



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)



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.



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)



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



[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



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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Department of Education and Science (2002) Rules and programme for secondary schools 2002/2003

(Dublin, Stationery Office).

Evans, J., Penney, D. & Bryant, A. (1993) School contexts and the implementation of the National

Curriculum Physical Education, The Bulletin of Physical Education, 29(3), 6�12.

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