I have written before about the jam-packed design and nature of PE. In this blog I consider how a narrower PE focus, alongside Games and co-curricular provision, may enhance its impact. Many will disagree and that’s ok.
Widespread support exists in the PE world today for developing children through physical literacy informed practice. PE is thinking, feeling, connecting and moving. PE is personal, social, emotional, creative, cognitive and physical. This all sounds wonderful. And it is.
The overarching remit of this wider subject area is and should be to develop the whole child. But might this rich diversity make it more challenging to affect a tangible impact on every child in PE?
I have always liked the distinction between PE and Games used in most Independent and Grammar Schools. It enables clarity of content and outcomes.
The Games Curriculum has long been considered as a powerful vehicle for developing personal, social and emotional skills. Games offers age and ability appropriate play based games. These Games move towards more recognisable modified sports and activities. These will vary in different contexts.
PE is unique in its capacity to stretch and challenge every child in the physical domain. Dance aside, what if the PE Curriculum was a more robust and explicit vehicle for building fitness, physical competence and movement competence – and creating better movers?
Children love to challenge themselves physically.
In this approach, physical, social and mental wellbeing, posture, alertness, academic learning and resilience will all be supported implicitly. The explicit focus is on creating better movers.
The Games Curriculum remains a vehicle for character development and wider life skills. The PE Curriculum becomes a more explicit vehicle for the promotion of fitness and wellbeing.
Based on the latest National Child Measurement Program (NCMP) published in November 2025, 10.5% of Reception children (aged 4-5) and 22.2% of Year 6 children (aged 10-11) are living with obesity.
We have an obesity crisis and it is getting worse.
We cannot rely on parents – however much we provide fitness and wellbeing education for families. Creating well and active schools is part of the solution – but this will not guarantee we reach and support every child.
We can affect a tangible impact on the fitness and wellbeing of every child in PE. I know this to be true.
