By Gemma Craker, Founder and Head of PE Solutions

Physical Education (PE) is one of the most visible parts of a school day. Children look forward to it, teachers plan for it, equipment is organised, spaces are prepared and lessons are delivered.

But there is an important question I think we should be asking ourselves more often:

Are we giving Primary PE the quality, purpose and recognition it truly deserves?

For too long, PE has sometimes been viewed as an opportunity for children to burn off energy, play games, develop sporting skills or simply enjoy being active (this was once my view too). While all of these things have their place, they represent only a small part of what exceptional Primary PE can achieve.

I believe Primary PE deserves better. Not because everything currently happening in schools is wrong, but because the potential of this subject is so much greater than we sometimes allow it to be.

PE is about far more than sport

Sport is an incredibly valuable part of PE. It provides opportunities for children to develop skills, apply movement in meaningful situations, understand tactics, make decisions, work collaboratively and experience the enjoyment and challenge of competition.

But sport should sit within a much broader Primary PE experience.

Our responsibility is to develop children who are confident and competent movers, equipped with the physical skills, understanding and motivation to participate in a wide range of activities throughout their lives.

That means providing opportunities to run, jump, throw, catch, balance, roll, dodge, twist, turn, change direction and explore different ways of moving.

It means developing fundamental movement skills alongside sporting skills, using games, gymnastics, dance, athletics, outdoor adventurous activities and other movement experiences to provide rich and varied learning opportunities.

We shouldn't be asking whether we should teach sport or develop movement. We should be asking how we can use sport and other physical activities to develop well-rounded, physically literate children.

Every lesson should have a purpose

One of the things I believe makes the biggest difference to the quality of Primary PE is being clear about what children are actually learning.

A busy lesson does not automatically mean a successful lesson.

Children can be moving constantly, playing and having fun without necessarily developing the knowledge, understanding or physical competence we intended.

Equally, a relatively simple activity can provide an incredibly rich learning experience when it is carefully planned, structured and progressively developed.

We need to consider:

• What do we want children to learn?

• Which physical skills are we developing?

• What decisions do we want children to make?

• How will children apply what they have learned?

• How will we recognise progress?

• How can we ensure every child is appropriately challenged?

When we start with the learning rather than simply choosing an activity, the quality of our planning and teaching can change considerably.

This doesn't mean every lesson needs to be complicated. In fact, I would argue that some of the most effective teaching comes from relatively simple activities with a very clear purpose.

Developing the mover, not just the performer

Think about a child who finishes primary school having participated in football, basketball, cricket, gymnastics and athletics.

They have experienced a good range of activities, but can they move confidently and competently? Can they adapt their movements to unfamiliar situations? Do they have the physical foundations to participate in activities they haven't yet experienced?

Have they developed the confidence to try something new, even when they aren't immediately successful?

These are important considerations.

Fundamental movement skills (FMS) provide the foundations for participation in a huge range of physical activities. They should not be confined to a particular unit of work or a single half term within the curriculum.

They should be revisited, developed and applied throughout a child's Primary PE experience (and beyond).

The more opportunities children have to develop and apply their movement skills in different situations, the better equipped they become to participate in physical activity.

The people delivering PE matter

We also need to recognise that the quality of Primary PE is heavily influenced by the confidence, knowledge and understanding of the people delivering it.

Primary PE isn't always taught by specialist PE teachers. In many schools, classroom teachers, teaching assistants and cover teachers also have responsibility for delivering PE.

This presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

We cannot expect teachers to deliver consistently high-quality PE if they haven't been given the appropriate knowledge, support, resources and professional development.

A collection of activity cards or a programme of sporting activities is not necessarily enough.

Teachers need to understand how children develop physically, how to teach movement effectively, how to adapt learning and how to create an environment where all children feel confident to participate.

They need to understand the difference between organising an activity and teaching a lesson.

Professional development should be ongoing, relevant and connected to the realities of teaching.

Leadership matters too

For PE to develop and improve, it needs effective leadership.

Primary PE subject leaders should be thinking beyond the timetable, equipment cupboard and annual sports day.

They should have a clear understanding of curriculum intent, progression, teaching quality, assessment and the professional development needs of their team.

They should be able to articulate what makes their PE curriculum effective and how they know children are making progress.

They should also have opportunities to connect with other professionals, share ideas and learn from different approaches.

This is one of the reasons I am so passionate about creating opportunities for professional collaboration through Mastering Primary PE.

Through the Mastering Primary PE Summits and our growing professional community, I want to create opportunities for teachers and leaders to come together, share experiences, challenge thinking and explore what better Primary PE can look like, in their setting.

The conversations that happen when professionals connect can be just as valuable as the formal professional development itself.

So, what would exceptional Primary PE look like?

For me, it would be a subject where:

• Every child has opportunities to develop movement skills.

• Sport is used as a vehicle for learning, alongside a broad range of other physical activities.

• Learning is intentional, progressive and appropriately challenging.

• Physical literacy informs curriculum thinking.

• Teachers understand how to teach movement, not just organise activities.

• Inclusion is built into the design of lessons.

• Assessment helps us understand children's development.

• Subject leaders have the confidence and knowledge to drive improvement.

• Professional development is valued and prioritised.

• Children leave primary school feeling confident, competent and motivated to remain physically active.

This isn't about creating perfection or expecting every lesson to be outstanding.

It's about recognising the potential of the subject and continually looking for ways to improve what we do.

A collective responsibility

Through my work with PE Solutions, I want to contribute to a profession that is confident, connected and committed to improving the quality of Primary PE.

Whether that's through mentoring, professional development, practical workshops, the Mastering Primary PE Summit or our growing professional community (MPPECOM), the ambition is the same: to support the people who make Primary PE happen.

Because ultimately, the impact of what we do extends far beyond the sports hall or playing field.

It influences how children see themselves, how they interact with others, how they approach challenges and how they feel about movement throughout their lives.

Primary PE deserves to be recognised as an essential part of every child's education. And perhaps it's time we started expecting more of it. I believe it should be a core subject, and I am sure more other PE teachers do too. 

A question to consider

If you asked the children in your school what they are learning in PE, what would they say?

Would they talk about the sports they play and the activities they enjoy, or would they be able to explain how they are developing as movers and learners?

Perhaps that is a good place for all of us to start.