There is broad acknowledgment that Health and Physical Education (HPE) is an important part of the curriculum, but there has been little research into how lessons are being staffed and delivered. A new Australian study is providing insights.
Dr Jessica Amy Sears from Charles Sturt University, and Professor Rachel Wilson from the University of Technology Sydney, have been exploring the current status, staffing and teaching of HPE in New South Wales government schools.
‘[The] NSW HPE Enacted Project provides empirical evidence to enhance understanding of the position of HPE in NSW government schools by examining 3 areas (I) the logistics, (II) the process, and (III) the status,’ Dr Sears, Lecturer of Education and Discipline Lead Health and Physical Education, tells Teacher.
Findings from the study have recently been published in the Australian Journal of Education (Sears & Wilson, 2024). Sears says one aspect the project sought to better understand is the marginalisation of HPE, as schools focus on other curriculum areas.
‘High-stakes testing, such as NAPLAN results, have changed how curriculum is valued and placed greater importance on literacy and numeracy. Many teachers sensed, and some research documented, a marginalisation of other key learning areas, including HPE. And in terms of research, it was clear that little was known about the place of other curriculum areas, such as HPE …,’ she tells Teacher.
Survey findings
Sears and Wilson wanted to get a clearer picture of who is teaching HPE in NSW government schools – are they generalist or specialised teachers and are they employed by the school or are they third-party providers?
The study looked at HPE delivery in 556 government schools (377 primary, 164 secondary and 15 K-12). Survey respondents were asked: Who is in-charge of HPE in NSW government schools? Who is teaching HPE in NSW government schools? If teaching is outsourced, who is paying for it? What do students experience in outsourced HPE lessons if payment is required but not provided by their parents or caregivers?
‘We found that only 36% of schools actually employ HPE specialist teachers to be in charge of this curriculum area … although this varied by school type, school socio-educational status, and geographical location,’ Sears tells Teacher.
For example, primary schools were far less likely to have a specialist HPE teacher compared with secondary schools. ‘In primary schools, generalist teachers are expected to teach HPE. However, the literature tells us that they lack efficacy and [the] competence to do so and will avoid teaching it in favour of other [Key Learning Areas].’
The study also ‘found that the majority (67%) of schools are outsourcing at least some HPE classes …’ According to Sears, this of particular significance as these providers are largely unqualified and unregistered – raising questions about the quality of teaching. ‘The implicit message is that anyone can teach HPE.’
Additionally, parents were the most commonly reported source of payment for these outsourced lessons, highlighting potential equity issues. ‘Almost half of outsourcing schools reported that they do not allow students to participate in outsourced lessons if parents did not pay or provide permission …,’ says Sears. ‘Both charging parents for core curriculum, like HPE, and excluding students if payment or permission is not provided, are concerning developments.’
Recommendations and future research
Sears says there are some clear recommendations that arise from the findings – namely that those taking HPE lessons should be HPE specialists. ‘HPE specialist teachers will improve the quality and equality of HPE across government schools in NSW.’
If outsourcing is necessary, Sears adds that the ‘costs should be borne by the school or school system, not parents’ and external providers should require ‘qualifications, registration and monitoring …’
She says there is room for further research into the practice of outsourcing in general, including the qualifications and standards of external providers, adding ‘… there are still questions that remain – such as how much money is actually involved, where does it come from, and where does it go? Are external providers profiting from government schools?’
For more on the study findings, including further discussion and data points, read the full open-access article in the Australian Journal of Education.
References
Sears, J. A., & Wilson, R. (2024). Issues in staffing and outsourcing in schools. Who’s teaching health and physical education? Australian Journal of Education, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00049441241267924
Does your school outsource HPE to external providers? How do you ensure these lessons maintain quality and consistency?
If you are outsourcing lessons, who pays for them? How do you ensure this doesn’t get in the way of equitable access to HPE lessons?
