Dr Tom Quarmby

This chapter explores how a range of applications (apps) were integrated into a tactical inquiry approach to support students' physical, cognitive, social, and affective learning. Motivational, social justice, and fundamental movement perspectives demonstrate how the diverse and individual needs of young people need to be considered when using apps. From a pedagogical perspective, apps act as a tool to support a student-centred pedagogy. This chapter concludes by suggesting that teachers should engage with an ongoing process of diagnosing, responding and evaluating, where apps can be used to assist and strengthen a teacher's ability to design effective learning experiences.

The Routledge Handbook of Youth Sport is a comprehensive survey of the latest research into young people’s involvement in sport. Drawing on a wide diversity of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, policy studies, coaching, physical education and physiology, the book examines the importance of sport during a key transitional period of our lives, from the later teenage years into the early twenties, and therefore helps us develop a better understanding of the social construction of young people’s lives. The book covers youth sport in all its forms, from competitive game-contests and conventional sport to recreational activities, exercise and lifestyle sport, and at all levels, from elite competition to leisure time activities and school physical education. It explores youth sport across the world, in developing and developed countries, and touches on some of the most significant themes and issues in contemporary sport studies, including physical activity and health, lifelong participation, talent identification and development, and safeguarding and abuse. No other book brings together in one place such a breadth and depth of material on youth sport or the engagement of young people in physical activity. The Routledge Handbook of Youth Sport is therefore important reading for all advanced students, researchers, practitioners and policy-makers with an interest in youth sport, youth culture, sport studies or physical education.

Young people’s experiences of, and (dis)engagement with, physical education has received considerable attention in recent years. Yet one ‘group’, care-experienced young people, remain ‘hidden’ within the prevailing literature. In light of their apparent invisibility within research, this novel, exploratory study seeks to gain some understanding of the factors associated with (dis)engagement from/with physical education among this youth population. In contrast to the few studies that explore the broader physical culture experiences of care-experienced youth that prioritise the voices of adults, this paper combines data from two studies to give voice to the experiences of four care-experienced young men in England, alongside those of key adults, namely residential staff, foster carers and physical education teachers. Data were derived from participatory research methods with the young people and semi-structured interviews with the adults who work with/for them. Drawing upon Bourdieu, principally his notions of field, habitus and capital, the findings suggest that these care-experienced young people are at a pedagogic disadvantage, since they are not as well positioned to access opportunities for learning and participation or develop, maintain and extend those skills and dispositions that are recognised as valued capital in physical education. Moreover, the changing room, as a sub-field of the broader physical education space, where bodies are particularly on display, may present obstacles for care-experienced young people’s engagement due to their prior experiences of physical and/or sexual abuse. This study therefore calls for further research exploring care-experienced young people’s experiences of physical education, teachers’ understandings of care-experienced youth, and how their pedagogic practice might shape (dis)engagement with physical education.

This paper explores pre-service physical education (PE) teachers' experiences of working with trauma-affected young people whilst on placement in schools. It involved an online professional learning programme which facilitated reflective discussions to explore their experiences. The pre-service teachers revealed that the school context influenced their trauma-related learning, which took place across multiple sites throughout the school, with both teachers and pupils. These findings evidence the need to support pre-service PE teachers’ school-based learning, encouraging them to explore the broader context of the school, seek supportive relationships and co-develop strategies to create positive and safe learning environments.

The work of French sociologist, anthropologist and philosopher Pierre Bourdieu has been influential across a set of cognate disciplines that can be classified as physical culture studies. Concepts such as field, capital, habitus and symbolic violence have been used as theoretical tools by scholars and students looking to understand the nature and purpose of sport, leisure, physical education and human movement within wider society. Pierre Bourdieu and Physical Culture is the first book to focus on the significance of Bourdieu’s work for, and in, physical culture. Bringing together the work of leading and emerging international researchers, it introduces the core concepts in Bourdieu’s thought and work, and presents a series of fascinating demonstrations of the application of his theory to physical culture studies. A concluding section discusses the inherent difficulties of choosing and using theory to understand the world around us. By providing an in-depth and multi-layered example of how theory can be used across the many and varied components of sport, leisure, physical education and human movement, this book should help all serious students and researchers in physical culture to better understand the importance of social theory in their work.

Looked-after children are arguably one of the most disadvantaged groups in society and constitute a ‘hidden group’ in relation to sport and physical activity research, policy and practice. Research on looked-after children has explored the views of caregivers, practitioners and policy-makers who have often been asked to speak for children on their behalf. Through the use of the mosaic approach and innovative participatory methods, including peer interviewing, the purpose of this paper was to provide an insight into a new area of research in the field of sport and physical activity. As such, it reports on initial findings from a wider project with looked-after children that explores their sport and physical activity experiences. Specifically, it asks the following: (1) What are the sport and physical activity experiences of looked-after children? (2) What meanings and values do looked-after children ascribe to their engagement in sport and physical activity? Findings from the voices of four male looked-after children highlight that these young people used sport as a means to an end; to spend time with friends and develop stocks of social capital. However, due to changes in placement, they also experienced disrupted patterns of engagement coupled with additional institutional constraints that shaped access to sporting activities.

Families are increasingly recognised as informal sites of learning, especially with regard to healthy eating. Through the use of Bourdieu's conceptual tools, this paper explores the role of family meals within different family structures and the informal pedagogic encounters that take place. How they help to construct young people's healthy eating beliefs, values and dispositions, together with what influences their ability to conduct healthy lifestyle practices within different social and material conditions, is also considered. This study draws from semi-structured interviews with students (n =62) from three inner city comprehensive schools in the Midlands, UK, who were invited to interview with a friend from the same family structure. The interview protocol sought to uncover how often young people ate with their family and elicit their subjective views of family meals as a social context (pedagogical field) in which health messages were conveyed. Corresponding interview data were analysed using thematic analysis which revealed two main themes: (1) the importance of family meals as a pedagogic context for the (re)production of health-related beliefs, values and dispositions and (2) the influence of family structure on individual agency. The narratives illustrate the varying role of family meals for young people in different fields and suggest that family (as a primary field) with its particular practices can act as a site of informal pedagogy, but crucially, only for those whose social and material conditions allow. We should therefore not assume that family meals are 'normative' for all families and may serve different functions for different families. Hence, in a period of economic depression and prolonged austerity, encouraging family units of any structure to invest in family meals from an early age will help to enhance young people's healthy dispositions. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

Background: In the United Kingdom (UK), it is predicted that economic cuts and a subsequent increase in child poverty will affect those already on the lowest incomes and, in particular, those living in lone-parent families. As a result, the informal pedagogic encounters within the family that contribute to the development of physical activity-related values, beliefs and dispositions from a very early age will be affected. Therefore, it is vital that we gain an understanding of the place and meaning of physical activity in the lives of young people, as well as the informal pedagogic practices and the socio-cultural forces that influence individual agency. Purpose: Based on Bourdieu's key concepts, this paper explores the interplay of structural conditions and personal agency with regard to physical activity in the lives of young people from low-income, lone-parent families. Methods: This study reports on the voices of 24 participants (aged 11–14) from low-income, lone-parent families in the West Midlands, UK. These participants were engaged in paired, semi-structured interviews to explore issues of personal agency by listening to how they reported on their present lives, past experiences and future possibilities with regard to physical activity. All corresponding interview data were analysed using analytical induction. Findings: This paper suggests that young people exhibited diminished desires to engage in activity due to structural constraints of time, parents' work commitments and a lack of transport that resulted in engagement in sedentary alternatives. Informal pedagogic practices within these families were restricted due to the associated structural conditions of living in a lone-parent family. As such, young people's choice to not seek out physical activities when at home reflected a ‘taste for necessity’ resulting from a lack of cultural and economic capital, placing restrictions on physical activity opportunities that stemmed from their family doxa. Conclusions: To succeed in fostering dispositions and opportunities to participate in physical activity, we must engage with young people from low-income, lone-parent families from an early age. Certainly though, further consideration of the informal pedagogic practices within, and the demands on, lone-parent families is required when designing any intervention or policy that seeks to enhance their current circumstances and provide opportunities for engagement in a variety of contexts.

This paper reports on an exploratory study with low income young people that sought to explore the discourses on which they drew their understandings about health and whether family structure mediated individual agency. Based on an interpretive perspective, the voices of three participants were selected from an inner city secondary school. Drawn from a larger study, participants were interviewed in pairs and asked to elaborate on their understanding and experience of health, fitness and physical activity. The analytical framework was influenced by the work of Bourdieu, recognising the importance of structure and agency. This study suggests that young people were implicated in the reproduction of a healthism discourse, while family was recognised as a social "field" that shaped their dispositions toward health-related practices. However their ability to enact health dispositions and maintain a healthy lifestyle was constrained by their family structure and the structural social conditions of their lives. © 2013 Copyright YEAR Educational Review.

This book is the first to offer critical sociological perspectives on how families do and do not function as a pedagogical site for health education, sport and physical activity practices.

This paper draws on Bourdieu's key concepts in an effort to understand particular social practices and the effect of family as a social environment and determinant for participation in leisure time physical activity. As an exploratory study, the aim was to elicit children's subjective views of their engagement in leisure time physical activity settings. Adopting an interpretive perspective, six 11- to 14-year-old children from intact couple families and single parent families were interviewed in small groups, exploring lived experiences of their participation in physical activity in relation to their family structure. The study suggests that family structure plays a vital role in helping to shape children's dispositions towards physical activity. All children were subject to the transmission of parental beliefs and values towards physical activity though this was further reinforced in intact couple families through joint participation. Moreover, children from single parent families were seen to exhibit more sedentary dispositions that reflected the environment in which they reside. We argue that children's individual habitus, as bearing the experiences of their familial backgrounds, provided them with certain desires to participate in physical activity which are mediated by their family circumstance. The study suggests that family structure is becoming a more prominent issue within society, and thus, children's leisure activity from this perspective requires further research that explores this phenomenon in greater detail. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.

This article offers the first empirical account of the role of County Sport Partnerships (CSPs) in delivering grassroots sport policy in the UK. Current leading academic approaches to policy delivery in the UK suggest that we have witnessed a move from ‘big’ government to governance by and through networks and partnerships. Such a process is said to have led to a dispersal of power among many actors and diminished the ability of the state to control policy. Our empirical study of CSPs – including 10 in-depth interviews with key actors – suggests otherwise: grassroots sport policy delivery does take place via ‘partnerships’, but such arrangements are not to be confused with ‘new governance’. On the contrary, government policy delivery has never been so centrally managed, monitored and controlled.

This mixed method paper explored the effect of family structure on children's physical activities and sedentary pursuits. It furthers the limited understanding of how family structure impacts on children's time in, and reasons behind engaging in, certain physical activities. Children from three inner city comprehensive schools in the Midlands, United Kingdom, participated through questionnaires (n = 381) and semi-structured interviews (n = 62). The results indicated that boys and girls from single parent families spent more time in sedentary activities during the week and at the weekend (P < 0.01) when compared with their intact couple family counterparts. It was identified that children in single-parent families received less parental support due to a lack of time, transport and additional parental responsibilities that created a family environment that encouraged sedentary pursuits. Moreover, the barriers that encouraged sedentary activities also prevented children in single parent families from engaging in lifetime activities during the week. Children from intact couple families recorded more time in lifetime activities than those in single parent families (P < 0.01). Finally, children in two-parent families had more opportunities to engage not only in these activities individually but also in joint activities with their parents, further reinforcing these behaviours. © 2010 The Author. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Purpose: This paper responds to two questions: i) What are the possibilities and tensions of using arts-based methods to support research with children and young people in physical education (PE)?; ii) How can the pedagogical attributes of embodiment in PE inform research with children and young people? Method: Three PE researchers reflected on their use of arts-based methods with children and/or young people. The resulting reflections were analysed inductively and deductively. Findings: Arts-based methods can: i) foreground youth voice and agency; ii) generate embodied and rich data, and; iii) enhance dissemination and impact. The three projects exemplified the pedagogical attributes of embodiment, suggesting the attributes have utility in PE research. Conclusion: If researchers are to extend the field of PE, then we need to extend our methodological repertoire to include methods that reflect the embodied nature of the subject, and the lives of the participants we are striving to better understand.

Internationally, there has been growing interest in the experiences of care experienced youth and their engagements with activities that can support positive development. Despite the acknowledged potential of sport/ physical activity (PA) to act as a vehicle for positive development, there remain concerns about the piecemeal nature of sport/PA opportunities for care experienced youth at a local level and their capacity to access these. To date, relatively few studies have considered the role of sport/ PA within the day-to-day lives of care experienced young people and, furthermore, these have often drawn more on the voices of adults than care experienced youth themselves. In response, the ‘Right to be Active’ (R2BA) project was developed to examine care experienced youth’s perspectives on/experiences of sport/PA. This paper seeks to provide a broad overview of the study and discusses key empirical findings. Adopting a predominantly qualitative, participatory approach, R2BA comprised four interconnected phases: (1) a rapid review of policy documents; (2) the distribution of adult and young people surveys; (3) focus group interviews with 63 care experienced youth; and (4) repeat focus groups with 40 care experienced youth. Informed by Bourdieu’s theoretical concepts and his perspectives regarding the multidimensional nature of social life, the analysis of data highlights the complex social landscapes that care experienced youth navigate on a day-to-day basis. Moreover, it demonstrates how the configuration of key factors (activities, places and people) can be influential in shaping care experienced youths’ attitudes towards, participation in and experiences of sport/PA within the broader field of the care context. It is argued that the study points to the need for a more holistic understanding of care experienced young people’s lives and for more thought to be given as to how different stakeholder groups can work in partnership to facilitate this population’s access to/engagements in sport/PA.

Young people living in care are among the most vulnerable groups in the community, have often experienced trauma, and exhibit a wide range of adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Physical activity (PA) is a health behaviour associated with numerous physical, psychological and social health benefits, yet research indicates that a majority of young people in care are not meeting the minimum recommended levels of PA. To date, there is a paucity of research that has specifically examined factors associated with PA engagement in the care population. A narrative review was conducted to summarise the literature examining outcomes for young people in care who engage in PA, and the barriers and facilitators of PA engagement among young people living in care. Findings of the review suggest that there are multiple factors that may impact young people in care from engaging in PA, including physical, psychological, family, interpersonal, and societal/environmental level factors. Given the unequivocal benefits of increased physical activity, empirical research is required to more comprehensively examine these factors in the care environment and should be couched within a trauma-informed approach.

This workshop aims to enhance understanding of how sport/physical activity can promote the wellbeing and belonging of care-experienced young people and care leavers. Drawing on the latest research from a British Academy small grant funded, national project, the workshop offers a carousel of interactive activities for participants to engage with. These activities draw on the voices of over 60 care-experienced young people and are designed to explore: (1) care-experienced young people’s perspectives of the place of sport/physical activity in their lives; (2) the challenges they perceive they face to access sport/physical activity and finally; (3) their understanding of how sport/physical activity enhances wellbeing and can, under the right conditions, serve to promote a sense of belonging. The interactive activities will involve participants working with and discussing various cartoon-based images (that reflect particular narrative accounts from young people) and individual stories from care leavers. Unpacking the cartoon-based images and individual stories will allow participants to identify how to help support and facilitate activities that promote wellbeing and belonging. The workshop will benefit anyone involved in the daily lives of care-experienced young people and care leavers including foster carers, residential children’s home staff, independent visitors, local authorities and other professionals.

Existing research has so far failed to provide opportunities for the stories of care-experienced young people to be heard, especially regarding their perspectives on sport and physical activity. As such, a key aim of this paper was to showcase the stories of three care-experienced individuals; stories that focus specifically on the role of sport and physical activity in their lives and highlight the complexities of being in care and the challenges they can encounter in this respect. In drawing on the creative analytic practice of creative non-fiction, and adopting the position of the storyteller, we seek to present three stories from individuals who each experienced care in their youth but have now left the care system. We argue that these stories can act as valuable pedagogical resources through which the reader can enter into the lived realities of care-experienced young people and better understand how they experience and manage challenging conditions and events. Moreover, in presenting the articulate reflections of these three care-leavers, they serve to offer a counter narrative to the dominant discourse of care-experienced young people as troublesome and uneducated, showcasing instead the nuanced lives they each have to navigate.

Background: In Physical Education (PE), trauma may manifest in a range of different actions/behaviours (e.g. small fouls escalating into physical conflict, students refusing to be part of a team, and struggling to adhere to the rules of the game). Without knowledge of the effects of trauma, teachers often defer to punitive responses, which exacerbate rather than mediate the needs of trauma-affected youth. It is therefore critical that prospective physical educators can enact trauma-aware practices to better support their learning and development. Purpose: The aim of this novel paper was to reflect on the principles underpinning trauma-aware pedagogies and, from this, co-create tangible strategies that could be employed by future PE teachers to better support all students, but especially those who have experienced trauma. Methods: We worked with three distinct groups of pre-service PE teachers(n= 22) from a range of different institutions, delivering a total of 12 hours of online workshops (2 × 2-hour sessions per group). The workshops were designed to support pre-service PE teachers in becoming trauma-aware and were grounded in the principles of trauma-aware pedagogies, namely: (1) ensuring safety and wellbeing, (2) establishing routines and structures, (3) developing and sustaining positive relationships that foster a sense of belonging, (4) facilitating and responding to youth voice and, (5) promoting strengths and self-belief. Through a range of academic content, individual activities and group tasks, participants were invited to consider, in conversation with us (as the workshop leaders) and each other, how these principles could be enacted in practice during various ‘PE moments’(e.g. transitions into PE, getting changed, responding to incidents). Audio recordings of the workshops were transcribed, and along with copies of the online ‘chats’, were thematically analysed. Findings: The workshops led to the co-creation of a host of tangible strategies–things that could be done to enact trauma-aware pedagogies in PE. While the strategies are noted here in relation to specific principles, we are not suggesting that these are in any way rigid categorisations. Rather, strategies are associated with principles reflecting how these were framed by pre-service teachers during the workshops. Each of the individual strategies is subsequently explored in relation to the relevant principle. For instance, strategies associated with the principle of ‘establishing routines and structures’ included: (1) being predictable, (2) ensuring consistent transitions within and between PE lessons, and (3) forewarning of changes. Conclusions: This novel paper provides a range of strategies that could be used by both future and current teachers to enact trauma-aware pedagogies in PE. We argue that these strategies are reflective of ‘good pedagogy’ more broadly–and would benefit all students – but especially those who have been impacted by trauma. However, there remains a need to consider the context of the school, the students, and broader cultures when implementing these within practice.

Background: Several studies demonstrate the benefits of socially critical work in sport pedagogy, which value young people’s strengths, capabilities, knowledge, and resources. This body of research argues that young people have the agency to analyse their social contexts and to negotiate the forces that impede their choice of possibilities. While advocacy for a more transformative education process through sport has grown over the years, there is little research that aims to explore pedagogical practices with care-experienced young people (e.g., those who have been removed from their families and placed in the care of the ‘state’). Purpose: This article draws on Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy as a theoretical framework to examine pedagogical practices with care-experienced young people in a sport-based programme. Participants and settings: This case study took place at a football-in-the-community programme in the West Midlands region of England, which aimed to develop the skills necessary to support care-experienced young people’s transition from primary to secondary school. Participants included eight key adult stakeholders involved with the delivery, and ten care-experienced young people. Data collection/analysis: The research was conducted in two phases to understand the specific pedagogic practices employed within the programme. In the first phase, all adult participants took part in semi-structured interviews designed around their understanding of the programme and their perceptions about what care-experienced young people gained from it and why. For the second phase, observations of the programme were employed as well as a variety of participatory methods with young people such as drawings, mind mapping and photo-elicitation. Findings: The analysis resulted in the identification of three key themes relating to pedagogic practices: (a) problem-based learning with spaces of freedom; (b) contextualised learning activities; and (c) developing mutual trust and respect. By critically analysing a sport-based programme, this paper highlights how specific pedagogic practices might create spaces for empowering care-experienced young people, and the challenges and tensions in this process. Implications: We conclude by outlining how a Freirean critical pedagogy could be better utilised for care-experienced young people within sport-based programmes, in order to recognise their knowledge in naming, critiquing and negotiating barriers to their engagement in their sport context.

This chapter explores an often under-represented group, children in care, when discussing critical issues in youth health and physical activity. The role of the family in shaping young people’s health and physical activity dispositions is crucial; enabling children to develop knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about physical activity and other health behaviours. Undoubtedly, family remains a powerful symbol in our cultural imaginations and a central feature in today’s neo-liberal society. For instance, children in care are four times more likely to have a mental health problem compared to their peers and therefore, the link between activity and mental health is especially relevant for these young people. For most, a lack of financial support was cited as a major barrier to their involvement in leisure and social activities, with cost appearing to be a primary reason for many children and young people not participating in positive activities.

This chapter will first offer a critical discussion of how “family” is conceptualised for care-experienced youth, given that contact with their biological family will vary depending on their reasons for being in care and the type of care context they are in. Framed by a social justice lens, the chapter then draws on theory and empirical data to explore how care-experienced young people might be stigmatised and stereotyped by adults and other young people who have limited understanding of the complex social landscapes in which they live. Noted as a “hidden” group in research, policy, and practice, the chapter discusses how engagement in sport and physical activity may offer opportunities for care-experienced young people to develop positive (intergenerational) relationships and generate a sense of identity beyond that of simply being “in care”. The chapter outlines how engagement in sport and physical activity may play a significant role in their negotiation and performance of identity which, for some, may be shaped and/or restrained by social actors who work with/for them.

Despite the clear benefits of engaging in regular physical activity (PA), research suggests that young people in Out-of-Home Care (OoHC) are less likely to achieve the recommended levels of PA than their same-aged counterparts in the general community. To date, there has been limited examination of the barriers to PA engagement specific to young people living in residential OoHC. This qualitative study aimed to better understand the barriers and/or challenges to regular PA engagement for young people in residential OoHC. The voice of young people, residential care staff, and key stakeholders in the OoHC sector were included through the use of interviews and focus groups. Three key barriers were identified including: (1) the residential OoHC setting is not conducive to PA; (2) young people require additional support to be physically active; and (3) there are community barriers which impact young people’s engagement in PA. Discussions identified a number of individual barriers or challenges faced by young people, which are impacted or exacerbated by the barriers faced at the system and community level. Findings suggest there is a need for governments, agencies involved in OoHC and community sports and recreation facilities to re-examine current practices and policies and address barriers related to workloads of residential care staff, funding, resource allocations, and capacity to support young people’s participation in PA. The need to take action is urgent and warranted. It is recommended that future intervention approaches develop innovative partnerships—that bring together research, practice, community, and policy resources—to ensure access to PA does not become an equity issue for YP living in residential OoHC.

Background: More and more children are experiencing what have been termed adverse childhood experiences. An individual’s response to these stressful events determines whether or not they are considered traumatic – whereby the experience is so overwhelming that it engulfs their coping mechanisms leading to lasting negative effects on wellbeing. Notably, childhood trauma is now recognised as a global health epidemic. Physical education (PE) is a unique context whereby participation is public, and the body plays a central role. Our work with care-experienced young people (who are likely to have experienced trauma) tells us that the depth of vulnerability felt by students who have been exposed to trauma is unlikely to be fully be recognised by PE teachers. Purpose: This paper therefore seeks to enhance practitioners’ understanding of how trauma manifests and the impact it can have on children and young people’s engagements in PE. It is driven by two key questions. First, why is it important for physical educators to have an awareness and understanding of trauma? Second, what principles might underpin trauma-aware pedagogies for PE? Discussion: We note how childhood trauma has been found to consistently impact neurological, physiological and psychological development. Understanding the impact of trauma, and the responses it might evoke, is beneficial for those working with/for children and young people so as to help them comprehend the underlying reasons why some children and young people have difficulties with learning, building relationships and managing behaviour. In an effort to help mitigate the impact of trauma and prevent re-traumatisation, drawing on our collective experiences of working with care-experienced youth and practitioners in PE, physical activity and sport-related contexts, we suggest that the following five evidence-informed principles might be helpful when seeking to enact trauma-aware practice: (1) ensuring safety and wellbeing, (2) establishing routines and structures, (3) developing and sustaining positive relationships that foster a sense of belonging, (4) facilitating and responding to youth voice and, (5) promoting strengths and self-belief. Conclusion: The principles we identify all point to the need for creating safe environments, shaped by consistency, positive connections and opportunities for interaction and engagement. It is not our intention, however, to suggest that there is only one way to enact a trauma-aware pedagogy, rather that an understanding of trauma may enable physical educators to ask when, and for whom, it might be best to draw on particular models in the teaching of PE, through which these principles can be applied.

Much research highlights the potential of physical education and school sport (PESS) to provide personal, social and educational benefits for young people. As such, it is suggested that PESS contexts could be particularly relevant to pupils who might be considered marginalised or ‘at risk’—including care-experienced young people—affording opportunities to gain skills, connections and experiences to aid a positive educational trajectory. This paper presents findings from an empirical project that explored the role of sport/physical activity within the day-to-day lives of care-experienced young people in England. A participatory methodology, underpinned by a youth voice perspective, was employed to generate data via semi-structured, activity-based focus groups with care-experienced young people (aged 8–21 years) and via narrative interviews with care leavers (aged 23–32 years). Data were analysed using inductive and deductive procedures in a process also informed by the work of Bourdieu. Drawing on data related specifically to PESS contexts, this paper looks to theorise the potential of PESS to support the educational engagement, transitions and outcomes of care-experienced young people. It demonstrates how this context can support the acquisition of physical, social and cultural capital, which can both facilitate engagement and support personal outcomes. In addition, it documents how social support provided within/through PESS can be promotive of positive transitions into further and higher education contexts. As such, it can be recognised as a valuable site within the educational landscape for care-experienced young people.

Pupils in alternative provisions face unique educational, health, economic, and behavioural challenges. Sport and exercise-based interventions represent an innovative means of addressing these challenges. However, given the sparsity of peer-reviewed research, little is known regarding the what, how, and for whom, that facilitates successful intervention implementation. The purpose of this realist review is to address this gap and provide recommendations as to how interventions can be implemented successfully. Due to the absence of peer-reviewed literature; evidence was drawn from wider fields including interventions conducted in mainstream schools including children with similar characteristics to the target population. Nine initial-rough-programme-theories were developed including two rival theories. These data are formed to highlight the interweaving interactions within context-mechanism-outcome configurations. Sport and exercise-based interventions can influence pupils’ academic attainment, attendance, and relationships by promoting citizenship, facilitating exposure to green environments, and fostering belongingness. However, circumstances exist where changes in context or mechanism can result in contrasting outcomes. The context-mechanism-outcome configurations formed the foundations of the recommendations made to intervention developers and implementers aiming at making sport and exercise-based interventions in alternative provisions accessible and successful. Finally, findings of this paper are underpinned by the fundamental need for adequate space and resources within alternative provisions.

Working with trauma-affected youth in physical education (PE) can be a challenging and, at times, stressful and emotionally demanding process. Whilst little is known about how student trauma affects in-service teachers, even less is known about how it might impact pre-service PE teachers. The aims of this paper are therefore to (1) explore pre-service PE teachers’ experiences of working with students affected by trauma, and (2) consider the potential implications of this for their well-being. Through an online professional learning programme, we worked with three distinct groups of pre-service PE teachers (n = 22). The workshops generated data through individual activities and group tasks that allowed participants to reflect on their experiences. Findings revealed that pre-service teachers had several encounters during their school-based placements with young people who may have experienced trauma. These experiences were felt by the pre-service PE teachers – both emotionally and physically. Pre-service PE teachers were encouraged to develop self-care strategies; however, our participants indicated that this was not always easy to do. That said, pre-service PE teachers were able to describe some of the strategies they engaged with to take care of themselves and safeguard their own well-being. Many of these strategies were relational and involved spending time with others – such as school colleagues (teachers and/or mentors) – who were available to offer both practical and emotional guidance and support. Thus, our findings reinforce the importance of pre-service teachers learning about self-care and emotional regulation as part of initial teacher education courses.

This chapter reflects on research undertaken as part of the “Right to Be Active” (R2BA) project, which sought to explore care-experienced young people’s (aged 8-25 years) engagements with/experiences of sport/PA within England. Underpinned by a youth voice perspective, the project aimed to examine the strategies in place to support care-experienced young people’s engagements with sport/PA and to explore their lived experiences of these. The chapter begins by outlining the rationale for the study and detailing key elements including the research structure, participants, methodology, data analysis process and main findings. It then moves on to reflect on the R2BA project in light of the CREATE principles and consider if/how the study could be re-imagined to offer a closer alignment. In closing, it is noted that the CREATE principles offer a valuable opportunity for reflection and aid the development of a researcher mindset that can shape more meaningful research with/for children and youth.

Care-experienced youth include those children and young people who have - at some point in their lives - spent time under the care of the state. They are, arguably, one of the most vulnerable and marginalised youth populations, likely to have experienced a range of adverse experiences during childhood. Such adverse experiences can lead to trauma. Drawing on research from our Right to Be Active (R2BA) project, which utilised several participatory methods including character creation and comic strips, this chapter explores who care-experienced youth are, how and why they might experience trauma, and how we might effectively shape research with these young people using the five principles for trauma-aware pedagogies. Reflecting on our research, we propose that these principles can be used to guide researchers working with trauma-affected youth populations.

Purpose This article sought to extend the understanding of primary school pupils’ experiences and perceptions of physically active lessons (PAL) compared to traditional classroom lessons. Method The study draws from qualitative data captured through nine focus group interviews (utilizing writing, drawing, show and tell, and puppets) with year 5 and year 6 pupils. Results Data were analyzed using inductive and deductive procedures. Findings highlight that pupils perceived traditional lessons to be teacher-centered, boring, and sedentary. In contrast, pupils recognized that the teacher became a facilitator of learning in PAL, which created more social interaction and enjoyment. Conclusion PAL offers an alternative pedagogical approach to didactic teaching, and pupils demonstrated preference for more fun, engaging, and active lessons.

Fostering the growth, development, health, and wellbeing of children is a global priority. The early childhood period presents a critical window to influence lifelong trajectories, however urgent multisectoral action is needed to ensure that families are adequately supported to nurture their children's growth and development. With a shared vision to give every child the best start in life, thus helping them reach their full developmental potential, we have formed the International Healthy Eating Active Living Matters (HEALing Matters) Alliance. Together, we form a global network of academics and practitioners working across child health and development, and who are dedicated to improving health equity for children and their families. Our goal is to ensure that all families are free from structural inequality and oppression and are empowered to nurture their children's growth and development through healthy eating and physical activity within the context of responsive emotional support, safety and security, and opportunities for early learning. To date, there have been disparate approaches to promoting these objectives across the health, community service, and education sectors. The crucial importance of our collective work is to bring these priorities for early childhood together through multisectoral interventions, and in so doing tackle head on siloed approaches. In this Policy paper, we draw upon extensive research and call for collective action to promote equity and foster positive developmental trajectories for all children. We call for the delivery of evidence-based programs, policies, and services that are co-designed to meet the needs of all children and families and address structural and systemic inequalities. Moving beyond the “what” is needed to foster the best start to life for all children, we provide recommendations of “how” we can do this. Such collective impact will facilitate intergenerational progression that builds human capital in future generations.

This chapter explores how teachers can support trauma-affected pupils in physical education. Initially, it examines the impacts of trauma on children and young people broadly, before outlining how it can impact learning and development within the school context. Next, consideration is given to how the impacts of trauma might ‘play out’ within the subject of physical education specifically, taking into account some of the particularities of this context. Utilising a case study of working with a trauma-affected pupil within physical education, principles and strategies for enacting a trauma-aware approach are subsequently discussed. Finally, the chapter offers some concluding thoughts around supporting pupils through trauma-aware pedagogies within physical education.

This chapter explores how teachers can support trauma-affected pupils in physical education. Initially, it examines the impacts of trauma on children and young people broadly, before outlining how it can impact learning and development within the school context. Next, consideration is given to how the impacts of trauma might ‘play out’ within the subject of physical education specifically, taking into account some of the particularities of this context. Utilising a case study of working with a trauma-affected pupil within physical education, principles and strategies for enacting a trauma-aware approach are subsequently discussed. Finally, the chapter offers some concluding thoughts around supporting pupils through trauma-aware pedagogies within physical education.

Curriculum is at the heart of education. It has been said that a broad and balanced physical education curriculum can contribute to young people developing socially, cognitively, affectively, and physically. As such, in this article, we draw on Antonio Gramsci's ideas of culture, power, and ideology to explore the physical education curriculum in alternative provision schools in England. We did this by generating qualitative data using semi‐structured interviews with 13 physical education practitioners working in 13 different alternative provision schools. Interviews were audio recorded, and audio recordings were transcribed verbatim, before being subjected to reflexive thematic analysis. The themes generated through these analytical processes were (1) Physical education curriculum should be tailored to the needs and preferences of pupils; (2) The National Curriculum, national qualifications, assessment arrangements and Ofsted inspection expectations influence curriculum decisions; and (3) Group sizes influence the physical education curriculum. We end this article by encouraging physical education and/or curriculum scholars to learn more about alternative provision settings because, at present, there is a dearth of research‐informed knowledge about them despite them becoming a much more prominent feature of the education landscape in England.

The use of external providers to deliver primary school physical education (PE) shows no signs of slowing in England. Longstanding concerns into outsourcing primary school PE have highlighted the extent to which external providers often lack appropriate teaching qualifications and pedagogical knowledge. That said, when compared to primary school generalist teachers, external providers have been argued to be the ‘best fit’ to deliver primary school PE due to their greater knowledge base and experience of delivering curriculum activities, such as competitive team games. There is a paucity of research however surrounding external providers’ perspectives on their delivery of primary school PE, with their important insights and experiences underrepresented in the literature. This study, therefore, seeks to explore external providers’ perspectives and reflections on curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices as delivered by them in outsourced primary school PE lessons. Semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone and Skype (video call) with 10 external providers, from four different outsourcing companies in the North of England. Penney et al.’s (2009, Curriculum, pedagogy and assessment: Three message systems of schooling and dimensions of quality physical education. Sport, Education and Society, 14(4), 421–442) three message systems of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment were used as a theoretical lens that aided the analysis of the data. The findings demonstrate that external providers: (1) developed and followed their own curriculum frameworks formed by their outsourcing companies to deliver in schools; (2) utilised various student-centred pedagogical approaches to deliver curriculum content that was driven by their formal and informal educational experiences to engage young people and (3) unlike some of the literature suggests, they provided assessment practices that were integrated into their curriculum frameworks. It was concluded that careful consideration must be taken by schools when contemplating whether to employ (or not) external providers to provide their curriculum content, deliver their primary school PE lessons, and to assess their pupils.

Background: It is argued that regular engagement in physical activity (PA) has the potential to mitigate the negative health and educational outcomes that disadvantaged children living in care frequently face. However, little is currently known about children in care’s participation in PA. This scoping review primarily aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to PA participation for children in care. Methods: The main phases of the scoping review were: (1) identifying relevant studies; (2) selecting studies based on pre-defined inclusion criteria; (3) charting the data; and (4) collating, summarising and reporting the results. All relevant studies were included in the review regardless of methodological quality and design. Results: The seven articles that met the inclusion criteria were published between 1998 and 2013 and conducted in the USA (3), England (2) and Norway (2). A social ecological model was incorporated to map results against levels of influence. Conclusions: Various factors influence PA engagement for children in care. Barriers include low self-efficacy, instability of their social environment, which impacts on schooling and maintaining friendship groups and, specific institutional practices and policies that may prevent access to PA. Before fully considering policy implications, further research with children in care is warranted in this area.

Numerous youth development outcomes are thought to ensue from participation in ‘positive’ activities (including leisure activities), yet little is known about how care-experienced youth access and benefit from such activities. Underpinned by a positive youth development perspective and informed by the socio-ecological model, this study aimed to: (1) identify how care-experienced youth spent their leisure-time and what shaped their participation; and (2) explore how care-experienced youth think leisure-time activities contributed to their positive development.

There is currently no literature that considers the practicalities of delivering physical education (PE) in alternative provision schools, nor the challenges that this might entail. As such, this paper offers a unique contribution to knowledge by highlighting the key factors that influence the delivery of PE within alternative provision schools in England from the perspectives of practitioners (i.e. those tasked with delivering it). Following a Freedom of Information request, an online survey was distributed to all alternative provision schools in England (n=335, 48 responses). A purposive sample of practitioners (n=14) were then invited to take part in online semi-structured interviews. Qualitative responses from the survey (extracted into an Excel spreadsheet), along with the transcripts from the interviews, were analysed using inductive and deductive procedures. The data were subsequently mapped to the socio-ecological model (McLeroy et al., 1988) to identify what influenced delivery at multiple levels. This included factors at the intrapersonal level (e.g. staff confidence and competence, their pedagogical and content knowledge and feelings of isolation), interpersonal level (e.g. pupil needs/abilities, their behaviour and trauma, confidence, negative experiences of mainstream PE and lack of motivation), institutional level (e.g. spatial constraints, the facilities and equipment available and class sizes), community level (e.g. stigma and a lack of engagement with National Governing Bodies), and public policy level (e.g. recruitment of staff, financial constraints and attainment pressures). This paper presents a range of intersecting factors that influence what happens and how in PE in the context of alternative provision schooling.

Physical education has the potential to achieve the desired outcomes of alternative provision schooling by re‐engaging young people in learning, supporting their social and emotional development and facilitating their reintegration into mainstream schooling. To do so, however, it requires sufficient and appropriate space because, unlike other subjects, its focus on embodied curriculum, embodied pedagogy and embodied learning requires the mind–body–self of young people to move across, within and between space(s). As such, we embrace what Soja (Seeking Spatial Justice, University of Minnesota Press, 2010) termed the ‘spatial turn’ in research and draw on the concept of spatial (in)justice to explore social, economic and environment inequalities in the education and alternative provision landscapes in England. To do so, we gathered empirical evidence via individual interviews with 13 physical education practitioners working in alternative provision schools in England. With the permission of participants, interviews were audio‐recorded and audio transcribed, and the transcripts subjected to reflexive thematic analysis. We discuss spatial injustices in alternative provision physical education through the following themes: (1) accessing space for physical education off‐site; (2) low expectations for appropriate space and making the most of the limited space available for physical education; and (3) weather determining usage of outside space and difficulties gaining external funding for on‐site spaces. We end this article by calling on others to join our efforts to lobby government to ensure that alternative provision settings, new and old, are not exempt from the School Premises Regulations so that a clear, legally binding expectation is created so that sufficient space is provided to teach physical education.

Much has been said and written about the purpose and value of mainstream education generally and physical education (PE) specifically. However, in contrast, little attention has been given to the purpose and value of alternative provision, and none about PE in those education settings. In this article, we draw upon the concepts of culture, power, and ideology to address this shortcoming. To do so, we conducted individual interviews with eight PE practitioners to generate rich qualitative data. With the permission of participants, all interviews were audio recorded, before being transcribed, and then subjected to thematic analysis. We discuss participant perspectives on the purpose and value of PE in alternative provision schools in relation to the following themes: (1) PE to develop life skills; (2) PE to improve mental health; (3) PE as physical activity and healthy lifestyles; and (4) PE to support young people to engage in sport and physical activity outside of school. During this discussion, we cast light on the PE ideologies and cultural practices that saturate alternative provision settings, before ending by suggesting how PE practitioners can increase the likelihood of their beliefs about the purpose and value of PE being achieved through their practice.

Objectives: Assess feasibility, acceptability and costs of delivering a physically active lessons (PAL) training programme to secondary school teachers and explore preliminary effectiveness for reducing pupils’ sedentary time. Design and setting: Secondary schools in East England; one school participated in a pre-post feasibility study, two in a pilot cluster-randomised controlled trial. In the pilot trial, blinding to group assignment was not possible. Participants: Across studies, 321 randomly selected students (51% male; mean age: 12.9 years), 78 teachers (35% male) and two assistant head-teachers enrolled; 296(92%) students, 69(88%) teachers and two assistant head teachers completed the studies. Intervention: PAL training was delivered to teachers over two after-school sessions. Teachers were made aware of how to integrate movement into lessons; strategies included students collecting data from the environment for class activities, and completing activities posted on classroom walls, instead of sitting at desks. Primary and secondary outcomes: Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to assess feasibility and acceptability of PAL training and delivery. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and ~8 weeks post-training; measures included accelerometer-assessed activity, self-reported well-being, and observations of time-on-task. Process evaluation was conducted at follow-up. Results: In the feasibility study, teachers reported good acceptability of PAL training and mixed experiences of delivering PAL. In the pilot study, teachers’ acceptability of training was lower and teachers identified aspects of the training in need of review, including the outdoor PAL training and learning challenge of PAL strategies. In both studies, students and assistant head-teachers reported good acceptability of the intervention. Preliminary effectiveness for reducing students’ sedentary time was not demonstrated in either study. Conclusions: No evidence of preliminary effectiveness on the primary outcome and mixed reports of teachers’ acceptability of PAL training suggest the need to review the training. The results do not support continuation of research with the current intervention.

This paper explores why teachers adopt physically active learning (PAL). Data were collected through ‘go-alongs’ supplemented by individual interviews with 13 teachers in seven Norwegian lower secondary schools. Data were then analysed thematically. Results indicated that as well as to enhance their teaching and pupils’ learning, teachers adopt PAL to adhere to school policy (The Conforming Teacher), to be an innovative educator (The Innovating Teacher), and, because it matches past positive personal experiences (The Connecting Teacher). The findings can be used to shape PAL teacher training programs to increase the likelihood of adoption.

Executive Summary Alternative provision includes settings such as pupil referral units (PRUs), alternative provision academies, free schools, and hospital schools. There are increasing numbers of children and young people with mental health needs in alternative provision, and there is a growing recognition that pupils’ mental health and wellbeing influence their educational attainment. Importantly, sport and physical activity – provided through the physical education curriculum in alternative provision schools – may offer a viable means to reengage disaffected youth in learning and development. However, little is known about what physical education in alternative provision does and/or should involve, how it is experienced by pupils, how staff are trained to teach it, or how well the subject is resourced. This research aimed to explore the role and value of physical education and sport in alternative provision through the following objectives: (1) to map the provision of physical education and sport in alternative provision schools in England (2) to foreground the voice of children/young people and key stakeholders (e.g., teachers) to gain insights about the nature, purpose and value of physical education and sport (3) to identify barriers and facilitators to engagement with physical education and sport (4) to examine the resourcing of physical education and sport and what training is provided for those who teach the subject (5) to identify evidence-based implications for policy and practice, and future research directions relating to physical education and sport in alternative provision schools. The research was conducted across three distinct phases. In Phase 1, an online survey was distributed to lead practitioners of all alternative provision schools across England. Phase 2 involved a purposive sample of lead practitioners who were invited to take part in individual (n=14) and focus group (n=1, 15 participants) interviews. Finally, Phase 3 drew on four case studies of children/young people (n=25) who took part in focus group interviews using a range of different creative methods. Survey findings revealed that 90% of alternative provision providers deliver some form of physical education, though less (78%) suggested that physical education was compulsory. In addition, physical education seems to be delivered by a range of individuals with just 57% suggesting it was delivered by a specialist physical education teacher, 46% suggesting it was delivered by a generalist classroom teacher, and 30% reporting that it was delivered by a sports coach. In addition, one of the main purposes for physical education and sport in alternative provision schools is the development of physical and mental health, emphasised because of its claimed role in improving cardiovascular health and reducing childhood obesity. Developing social skills was also seen to be an important purpose to ease the transition back to mainstream school, and for life in general, both outside of and once young people have left school. A range of barriers were identified to delivering physical education and sport in alternative provision schools. These include, but were not limited to, teacher confidence and competence, and a perceived lack of pedagogical content knowledge. Pupil needs and abilities, their behaviour, confidence and competence, and motivation were also reported as key barriers. Most prominent however, was the space available to teach in. For instance, just 57% reported having access to an outdoor playground, while more than half (51%) did not have access to a dedicated indoor space for the delivery of physical education. Furthermore, the standard of equipment and facilities, and the challenges of employing staff with relevant expertise were also cited, with qualitative data highlighting a ‘recruitment crisis’. Finally, negative perceptions and stigma of the young people who attend alternative provision from those in the local community, and a lack of financial support were also reported as key barriers. This research proposes the following recommendations for policy, practice, and research: • Recommendation 1: The provision of a dedicated (and maintained) space to support a wider variety of activities would help to support young people’s development. • Recommendation 2: Pre-service teachers to be provided with a teaching placement in some form of alternative provision school. • Recommendation 3: Reconsider how funding is allocated for the provision of physical education and sport in alternative provision schools. • Recommendation 4: The creation of a formal or informal network to provide opportunities for teachers to feel connected and share ideas • Recommendation 5: Facilitate the inclusion of pupil voice in curriculum decision making processes. • Recommendation 6: Reframe competition to focus more on fostering internal motivation and provide opportunities for pupils to feel a sense of achievement. • Recommendation 7: Identify ways to foster positive relationships between teachers and pupils. • Recommendation 8: Provide off-site opportunities for young people to engage in physical activity and sport, to help them (re)engage with the outside world. • Recommendation 9: Further research funding is required to continue to explore the alternative provision landscape as it relates to physical education and sport.

Visiting Natural Green Spaces (NGS) is an important lifestyle factor that contributes to quality of life. Whilst NGS can be used to combat health issues, many of which are experienced by South Asian Muslim communities in the UK, it is concerning that such communities face the largest disparities in access to NGS compared to other ethnic minority groups. This paper responds to the paucity in research of South Asian people’s experiences of NGS. Data were generated through individual semi-structured interviews with 20 South Asian Muslim men and women. Using Bourdieu’s concepts of field, habitus and capital, data underwent thematic analysis. This paper reports on the key findings of the study: defining the field of NGS; enhancing wellbeing in NGS; and challenges of accessing NGS. The study concludes that we understand NGS as fields in which capital is shaped by race, religion and gender, and provides suggestions for how policy and practice can consider NGS in health enhancing interventions.

Physically active lessons present a key paradigm shift in educational practice. However, little is known about the barriers to implementing physically active lessons. To address this, 31 practising primary teachers (23=female) from nine primary schools across West Yorkshire, England, were engaged in focus group interviews. Drawing on the socio-ecological model, findings revealed that barriers influencing the implementation of physically active lessons are multifaceted. Teacher’s confidence and competence, concerns over classroom space, preparation time and resources, coupled with the wider school culture that is influenced by governors and parents, reinforce a didactic approach and act as barriers to physically active lessons.

Objective. Identify co-produced multi-stakeholder perspectives important for successful widespread physically active learning (PAL) adoption and implementation. Method. Thirty-five stakeholders (policy-makers, n=9; commercial education sector, n=8; teachers, n=3; researchers, n=15) attended a design-thinking PAL workshop. Participants formed five multi-disciplinary groups with at least one representative from the different stakeholder groups. Each group, facilitated by a researcher, undertook two tasks (i) using post-it notes: within the school day, what are the opportunities for learning combined with movement? (ii) washing line task: how can we establish PAL as the norm? All discussions were audio recorded and transcribed. Inductive analyses were conducted by four authors. Once complete, main and sub themes were assigned to four predetermined categories; (i) PAL implementation, and priorities for (ii) practice, (iii) policy and (iv) research. Results. PAL implementation main themes: opportunities for PAL within the school day, delivery environments, learning approaches, intensity of PAL. Priorities for practice main themes: teachers confidence and competence, resources to support delivery, community of practice. Policy priorities main themes: self-governance, The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skill (Ofsted), policy investment in initial teacher training and curriculum reform. Research priorities main themes: establishing a strong evidence base, school-based PAL implementation, whole-systems-approach. Conclusion. The study is the first to identify PAL implementation factors using a combined multi-stakeholder perspective. To achieve wider PAL adoption and implementation, future interventions should be evidence-based, addressing implementation factors at the classroom- (e.g approaches and delivery environments), school- (communities of practice) and policy-levels (e.g. initial teacher training).

Abstract

Background UK and global policies recommend whole-school approaches to improve childrens’ inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Yet, recent meta-analyses establish current interventions as ineffective due to suboptimal implementation rates and poor sustainability. To create effective and sustainable interventions which recognise schools as complex adaptive sub-systems, multi-stakeholder input is necessary. Further, to ensure ‘systems’ change, a framework is required that identifies the many components of a whole-school PA approach. The aim of this paper was to co-develop a whole-school PA framework using the double diamond design approach (DDDA); a four-stage reflective process to discover, define, develop, and deliver an innovative solution to a problem. Framework development process Fifty stakeholders engaged in a six-phase DDDA workshop undertaking tasks within same stakeholder (n=9; UK researchers, public health specialists, active schools coordinators, headteachers, teachers, active partner schools specialists, national organisations, Sport England local delivery pilot representatives and international researchers) and mixed (n=6) stakeholder groupings. Six draft frameworks were created before stakeholders selected one ‘initial’ framework through an individual voting process. Next, stakeholders reviewed the ‘initial’ framework, proposing modifications. Following the workshop, the original stakeholders voted on eight proposed modifications using an online questionnaire. Following voting, the final Creating Active Schools (CAS) Framework was designed. Summary To the authors knowledge, this is the first time practitioners, policy makers and researchers who understand the powerful driving agents of school systems and teacher and pupil PA behaviour, have co-designed a whole-school PA framework from initial conception. The novelty of the CAS framework resides in formally identifying the multitude of interconnecting elements of a whole-school adaptive sub-system; exposing the complexity required to create systems change. The CAS framework can be used to shape future policy, research and practice to embed sustainable PA interventions within schools. To enact such change, the CAS framework presents a potential paradigm shift, providing a map and method to guide future co-production by multiple experts of PA initiatives ‘with’ schools, while abandoning outdated traditional approaches of implementing interventions ‘on’ schools.

Drawing on four areas of our ongoing work, each with its own distinctive relevance to the Healthy Stadia agenda, this paper addresses the tension inherent to programmes aiming to promote physical activity through sport. Our experiences highlight often unresolved, but certainly resolvable, tensions between the aspirations of the respective agendas. These are not small matters; better Public Health is a powerful driver of the Healthy Stadia agenda. In particular, we notice that the desire for sporting, over health, improvement can be an important challenge point. In the hard-to-reach groups we work with, sport often has strong – and only occasionally positive – connotations. Equally, the importance of generating powerful social experiences is seen in the PA ‘camp’ as being an imperative for encouraging the involvement of hard-to-reach groups. In contrast, in sport-oriented programmes, this is more likely to be seen as a happy bi-product of a good sport experience.

Children’s participation in physical activity (PA) has important positive benefits for their health and academic outcomes. Within the school day, physical education (PE) is increasingly endorsed as a key time for children to accumulate PA. Despite this increasing emphasis, research papers and policy documents frequently identify PE lessons as ‘not active enough’. However, contemporary objectives for sufficient PA in PE may not be based on the highest quality evidence. Furthermore, while the objectives appear compatible, they contain profound differences. Continued pursuit of these objectives may be detrimental to achieving positive experiences of PA in PE. For instance, an exclusive focus on PA objectives may encourage teachers to prioritise fitness-based activities over others that young people enjoy. Pursuing short-term goals for PA also risks investing limited lesson time to develop important elements of physical literacy that only become developed after prolonged engagement and practice. Importantly, what is at stake is not only achieving sufficient PA in PE, but also encouraging lifelong participation in PA and the long-term health of today’s children.

© 2017 European Council for High Ability This study explored the extent of financial constraints experienced by athletes on the England Talent Pathway, as perceived by talent leads from various sports. Using a mixed-methods approach, 34 participants completed online surveys with 26 follow-up interviews. Findings showed the prevalence of financial constraints on individuals within the system, with three emerging themes: costs; demands on athletes; and potential funding support. “Pinch points”, causing the greatest severity of financial constraint, emerged further along the pathway and there were infrequent examples of mechanisms to identify talented athletes experiencing financial hardship. A means-tested system, premised on the demonstration of potential, is suggested by talent leads as a way of providing funding for athletes to ameliorate financial constraints in the future.