I'm new to the role of PE lead - Where Do I Start?

Guidance and Insights for Navigating Your PE Leadership Journey

The role of a Physical Education (PE) lead is both vital and challenging within the educational landscape. With the responsibility of shaping the PE curriculum for an entire school, understanding where to start can often seem overwhelming. To shed light on this crucial topic, we've brought together insights from Imogen, the founder of imoves, and Jools Pearson, an independent educator specialising in PE.

Their conversation aims to provide valuable guidance and support for PE leads at any stage of their journey.

Gain valuable insights from Jools in this discussion:
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The conversation between Imogen and Jools offers a wealth of advice for PE leads, emphasising the importance of confidence, community engagement, and a thoughtful approach to curriculum planning. By considering the unique needs of their schools and adopting the SOAR principle, PE leads can create a more inclusive, active, and relevant PE programme that encourages lifelong engagement in physical activity.

Ready to transform your PE curriculum and inspire your students?

Watch the full video (it's only 10-min 29-secs) to gain deeper insights on leading with confidence and creativity in the world of physical education.

Embracing Your Role with Confidence

The world of PE is expansive and can be intimidating, especially for those newly appointed as PE leads. Jools emphasises the importance of not getting lost in the vastness of the subject and the lack of detailed directives from educational authorities, which can sometimes lead to uncertainty and fear. 

However, she encourages PE leads to believe in their capabilities as primary school teachers and to define their own vision of what PE should look like in their schools.

Understanding and Engaging Your Community

Jools advises looking closely at the school's community to understand its unique needs. She also suggests considering splitting the PE lead role into two separate positions, one focusing on competitions and the other on curriculum development, to manage responsibilities more effectively.

A key principle that Jools highlights is the SOAR framework, which stands for Safety, Openness, Activeness, and Relevance. This principle encourages PE leads to ensure that activities are safe, inclusive, engaging, and meaningful for all students.

Maximising Resources and Impact

When addressing the efficient use of PEST funding, Jools recommends conducting an audit of staff competencies and community needs to make informed decisions that prioritise sustainability, support for staff, and the right equipment. Moving beyond traditional, sport-dominated PE lessons to include more play, exploration, and adaptation is crucial for fostering a love for physical activity among students.

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