How can physical education be used to promote well-being in Primary Education?

‘Physical education contributes to learners’ personal and social education by prioritising activities that contribute to health, fitness and well-being throughout life’ (Park, 2009, p.13)

To begin with, it is argued by Donaldson (2015) that in education, predominantly in Wales, there is a great importance regarding well-being, additionally mental health. He mentions that schools need to care for both children and young peoples physical and emotional needs and support them in taking responsibility and duty for themselves and their continuing lives. Moreover, understanding the meaning of ‘diet and fitness and being confident in managing their own affairs’ (p.28). This displays that Donaldson’s intended curriculum reform wants its children and young people in Wales to encourage and enhance their personal health and well-being as education sets out to meet the needs of a child holistically. Furthermore, it is believed that physical education and activity has a positive influence on ones holistic development (Matejek, 2014), as well as maintaining good health, well-being and physical fitness (Matejek, 2014).

With regards to the four curricular purposes, Donaldson (2015, p.29) distributes that children and young people should progress to become ‘healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society, showing that physical education is suggested to be implemented in primary education so that children are able to advance and excel in their ‘physical and mental health in their daily lives’ (Donaldson, 2015, p.31). Contrasting to this, physical education and activity is crucial in a child’s development as obesity and severe lack of physical fitness can ultimately lead to future health and welfare problems (Dietz, 1998). To reduce this, consistent and quality ‘physical activity during childhood is one part of the equation (quality nutrition being the other) that can lead to improvements in numerous physiological and morphological variables in children’ (Owen et al., 2010, cited in Starc and Strel, 2012, p. 1). In addition to this, Fox (1988), Backmand et al. (2006) and Hassmen et al. (2000) argue that there are many other benefits that come along with physical activity for children’s psychological, lifestyle cognitive and social improvements.

Saying this, there are a considerable number of children and young people that primarily take part in physical activity in school, through their physical education or “P.E” sessions, however, in Wales this is no longer a solo subject in primary education. Due to curriculum change, physical education fully comes under one of the six Areas of Learning, ‘Health and Well-being’ (Donaldson, 2015, p. 45). Additionally, as the Welsh Government request children have 60 minutes a day of play, movement or physical activity in primary schools is compulsory (National Assembly for Wales, 2017), children are taught to perform physical tasks and games. Nevertheless, due to ‘economic pressures (Hardy et al., 2010) and parental concern for safety’ (Ollendick et al., 1989; Kalish et al., 2010) some children may struggle to contribute in activities through non - school settings and hours (Starc and Strel, 2012), exposing that these children may not be active in their day to day lives, and this is a downfall for them and their health.

With regards to my experience alongside physical education, in my placement at Gladstone Primary School, the children undertake and participate in physical activity approximately four times a week, performing different sports and games, all using different parts of their bodies. Physical education can relate to authentic learning as it is observed that authentic learning predominantly concentrates on the ‘real – world, complex problems and their solutions, using role – playing exercises, problem – based activities, case studies, and participation in virtual communities of practice’ (Lombardi, 2007, p.2) and through this, children are learning by doing, through movement. Similarly, it has been researched by The Children’s Society (2017) that in addition to internal factors, external influences moreover play a significant role on determining positive well-being and fulfilment. They mention, a priority that promotes this is making sure the child has ‘an opportunity to take part in activities to thrive’ (The Children’s Society, 2017, cited in Coverdale, 2017, p.94), and this was seen in the children’s faces and emotions as they took part in their physical education sessions, learning new and innovative techniques and games.

Lastly, teachers believe that physical education is crucial for children as it provides them with numerous opportunities to improve their individual fitness and stay active throughout their life. It impacts positively on their learning and behaviours, primarily in the classroom, allowing children to develop their unique social skills in different learning environments (Morgan and Hansen, 2008). They dispute that physical education has a positive impact on numerous individual attributes.

To conclude, physical education is important to have and maintain in a child’s and young person’s every day life as it does not only assist them physically, but mentally as well as cognitively (Fox, 1988) throughout their growth and development. This notably displays that physical education is very significant to enhance our health and well-being (Donaldson, 2015). Physical education having a positive effect and influence on the child and their attributes (Morgan and Hansen, 2008) is something to take into consideration, and this is why physical education in education should be seen as crucial as it does indeed help promote well-being, along with other unique and personal improvements (Starc and Strelm 2012).

Reference List:

Backmand, H., Kaprio, J., Kujala, U. M., Sarna, S., & Fogelholm, M. (2006). “Physical and psychological functioning of daily living in relation to physical activity. A longitudinal study among former elite male athletes and controls”. Aging Clin Exp Res, (18), pp.40–49.

Dietz, W. H. (1998). “Health consequences of obesity in youth: Childhood”. Pediatrics, pp. 101-518.

Donaldson, G. (2015). Successful Futures: Independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales.

Fox, K. R. (1988). “The self-esteem complex and youth fitness”. Quest, (40), pp.230–246.

Coverdale, G. (2017). “The importance of well-being in children and young people, Journal of Public Mental Health, 16(3), pp.93-95.

Hardy, L. L., Kelly, B., Chapman, K., King, L., & Farrell, L. (2010). “Parental perceptions of barriers to children's participation in organised sport in Australia”. J Paediatr Child Heath, (46), pp.197–203

Hassmen, P., Koivula, N., and Uutela, A. (2000). “Physical exercise and psychological well-being: A population study in Finland”. Prev Med, (30), pp.17–25.

Kalish, M., Banco, L., Burke, G., & Lapidus, G. (2010). “Outdoor play: A survey of parent's perceptions of their child's safety”. J Trauma, (69), pp.218–222.

Lombardi, M. M. (2007) “Authentic Learning for the 21st Century: An Overview”. EDUCAUSE, pp.1-12.

Matejek, C. (2014). “Physical education in primary education in EU counties”. Revija Za Elementarno Izobraževanje, 7(3), pp.157-165. 

Morgan, P. J., & Hansen, V. (2008). “Physical education in primary schools: Classroom teachers' perceptions of benefits and outcomes”, Health Education Journal, 67(3), pp. 196-207. 

National Assembly for Wales. (2017) Physical (in)activity – is it time to get Welsh children moving? Available at: https://seneddresearch.blog/2017/07/20/physical-inactivity-is-it-time-to-get-welsh-children-moving/ (Accessed: 27 March 2018)

Ollendick, T.H., King, N. J., & Frary, R. B. (1989). “Fears in children and adolescents - reliability and generalizability across gender, age and nationality”. Behav Res Ther, (27), pp.19–26.

Owen, C. G., Nightingale, C. M., Rudnicka, A. R., Sattar, N., Cook, D. G., Ekelund, U., & Whincup, P. H. (2010). Physical activity, obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors in 9- to 10-year-old UK children of white European, South Asian and black African-Caribbean origin: the Child Heart And health Study in England (CHASE)” Diabetologia, 53, pp. 1620–1630.

Park, C. (2009). Physical Education: Guidance for Key Stages 2 and 3.

Starc, G., & Strel, J. (2012) “Influence of the quality implementation of a physical education curriculum on the physical development and physical fitness of children”, BMC Public Health, 12:61.

The Children’s Society (2017). Promoting positive well-being for children. Available at: www.childrenssociety. org.uk/what-we-do/research/well-being/publications/promoting-positive-well-being-children (Accessed 29 March 2017)