Teaching outdoor and adventure activities: an investigation of a primary school physical education professional development p

Break-time physical activity.
All children commented on the large free-play 
space available to them. One child described being lucky that they were allowed run, as 
she knew of schools where running wasn’t allowed for safety reasons. Another child 
commented that they also got a long break (15 minutes) where other schools only got 5 
minutes outside for little break. Fourth class pupils commented on variety of games 
played in the yard, 
‘there was always something for everyone to take part in’
(FGC Girl 
4). The main activities outlined by all class groups, were variations on chasing games 
and if children weren’t chasing or running they sat and talked. The children would love 
to be allowed equipment at break-times especially balls. Some children responded that 
they would like a playground in their yard or even just trees for climbing, with the older 
girls preferring benches to be provided so that they could sit and chat. 
Understanding physical education.
The children interviewed had a good grasp 
on what constituted physical education. Their understanding of ‘what is physical 
education’ included discourses from health, physical activity, enjoyment, sport as well 
as physical education.
Health.

Children from many year groups stated that physical education was 
about being healthy, and some linked it with keeping obesity at bay; 
‘PE stands for 
physical education, run around and get fit and maybe if you are a tiny bit obese you 
might lose weight.’
(FGC Boy 4) and
, ‘if you don’t do PE you could end up sitting on 
the sofa and eating fatty foods and watching TV’
(FGC Boy 3). Although we can see 
that the health message is getting through, there exists some confusion between physical 
education and physical activity. When asked if physical education was important, the 
children responded that it was important for weight management and fitness. During a 
conversation between children during the first class interview the following was 
recorded; 
‘I think you get thin from doing games’
(FGC Girl 1), 
‘you wouldn’t get really 
skinny, you’d get strong from doing games’ 
(FGC Boy 1
) followed by ‘you’d get fit’
(FGC Girl 1) 
Physical activity.
Many of the children told me that physical education was 
about running around fast and being active, they liked to get out of the classroom and 
move about. There was some confusion between the children’s understanding of free 

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play and physical education. Many of the children spoke about break-time and physical 
activity when asked about physical education. Many saw physical education as a break 
from the classroom and a chance to get fresh air; 
‘I think it is important because of the 
fresh air we need’
(FGC Boy 4) 
Enjoyment.
Children commented on how they like to be with their friends and 
doing a variety of games in PE. Though one girl commented that;
 ‘it’s not always about 
being with your friends because sometimes you can have fun with people who are not 
your friends’
(FGC Girl 3). They liked that it got them out of the classroom and 
running about outside; 
‘it’s physical education and good to get out of the classroom and 
have fun for a while’
(FGC Boy 5). Children much preferred when physical education 
was outside. Children also commented that physical education was about having fun; 
‘PE is … kind of about having fun’
(FGC Boy 1). 
Sport.
Games featured prominently when asked about the type of physical 
education in which they partook. All of the boys and some of the girls reported that 
they wanted to play soccer both in physical education class and after school, a game that 
was not included by the school in the physical education or extra-curricular 
programmes. The senior classes spoke about volleyball, a new game that they had been 
introduced to. The children often linked physical education with competition and 
winning
; ‘we have lots of teams and we win lots of finals for sport’
(FGC Girl 5) 
confusing physical education and extra-curricular activities. 
The senior classes (3
rd
– 6
th
) also described PE as multi-sport in nature whereby 
each week the class was divided and each group played a different team game, and 
rotated around the games after 15 minutes. When asked what other activities would 
they like to do in PE the children answered; 
‘swimming’ 
(FGC Girl 4), 
‘rounders’
(FGC 
Girl 3), 
‘variety of things’
(FGC Girl 3) 
‘rugby’
(FGC Boy 5) and 
‘tennis’
(FGC Boy 5), 
again activities from the games strand featured highly. The junior classes (junior 
infants to second) followed a more comprehensive programme of physical education 
where they covered strands such as games, athletics, dance and gymnastics. Outdoor 
and adventure activities and aquatics were not taught. Much of the infant programme 
focussed on ‘movement’ and ‘playground games’ rather than dividing the programme 
into specific strands although the strands were covered through the programme. 

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Physical education.
All the children knew that PE stood for physical education.
Although children knew that games, athletics and gymnastics were part of PE they 
didn’t think aquatics was, as aquatics was not part of the physical education programme 
in the school. Both boys and girls commented that they found dance embarrassing with 
some commenting that 
‘dance isn’t PE’
(FGC Boy 6). When asked if PE was like other 
subjects, children were aware of the physical nature of the subject; 
‘you don’t really use 
your brain you use your body a bit more’
(FGC Boy 3) and; 
‘it’s more physical, you use 
more of your body and you use all of your body not just your hands’
(FGC Girl 3). One 
child in first class (Year 3) made the following comment about PE; 
‘it’s active learning’
and when asked what did she mean by this she answered; 
‘because its learning but you 
have to be active and your legs and learn moves you can’t do at home’
(FGT Girl 1).
Children didn’t want to have physical education everyday as it would get boring 
doing the same ‘
game
’ everyday (FGC Boy & Girl 6) and it would need to change.
Children also reported that; 
‘if you had PE every day you would have nothing to look 
forward to’
(FGC Girl 4), and 
‘you would be happy at the start then you wouldn’t still 
get to like it having PE every single day you start to get bored, playing the same game 
over and over and over’
(FGC Boy 2). One child commented, 
‘we just do the same 
things every week’
(FGC Boy 4). Another child stated that she would ‘
love it if you did 
a different sport everyday’
(FGC Girl 5).
The children described ‘good’ physical education as involving lots of running 
(first and second classes). Others stated ‘good’ physical education was when everyone 
is participating and getting on as a team, 
‘people trying 100% and they had great fun’
(FGC Boy 4). The children thought that physical education was important but only for 
the health reasons outlined above. Children had a grasp of the various strands but were 
anxious that each week they should do something different rather than working through 
and improving in any one area, unless, of course, it was a game. ‘Good’ physical 
education could also be ‘if’ something new was learned.
When asked what they learn in physical education class, answers centred around 
learning new games skills with some commenting that you also learn to cope with 
people who can’t play games very well or how to work as a team, one girl commented 
that; 
‘you learn how to play sports but sometimes the teachers don’t even watch you
’ (1 
FGC Girl 6). The children’s favourite place to do physical education was on the 

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‘
church green’
a large grassy space across from the school, with the school hall being 
the least favourite place because if its small size.