• Perceptions of the influence of Adults other than Teachers on PE and School Sport in West Midlands Primary Schools

      Benton, Victoria (2015-01)
      What is the perceived influence of Adults other than Teachers on PE and School Sport in West Midlands Primary Schools? – By Victoria Benton. Over the last decade a body of academic literature has emerged, suggesting that PE is in a state of neglect. As a result of this, numerous researchers state that the National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) is therefore being delivered ineffectively in primary schools. This thesis makes a contribution to the knowledge produced by recent studies by examining the perceived influence of Adults Other Than Teachers (AOTTs) in West Midlands Primary Schools on PE and school sport. The data were collected within the West Midlands area between January and July 2011. Nine schools and nine coaching companies participated in the study and data were collected using questionnaires and follow up interviews for selected participants. In keeping with previous studies on PE and school sport, foundation chapters are concerned with the factors affecting teacher’s confidence and competence to teach PE and school sport and the consequent increase in the number of AOTTs to combat this. Closer scrutiny highlights a number of emergent themes which provide basis for more detailed discussion later in the study. Data indicates that the use of AOTTs is perceived to impact PE and school sport in the West Midlands area and in support of previous research, the use of coaches continues to be widespread. Similarly, like previous research, key factors such as poor childhood experiences, lack of motor ability, poor Initial Teacher Training (ITT), insufficient content knowledge and a negative attitude towards the subject remain issues surrounding the implementation of AOTTs. With an ever changing curriculum, schools are facing constant battles to achieve set curricular demands. This research therefore suggests how teachers and coaches, in this case study, could best be utilised to ensure a high quality of PE and school sport is delivered in their schools in the future.
    • ‘We just have to get on with it’: Inclusive teaching in a standards driven system

      Duncan, Neil; Manktelow, Ken; Brown, Zeta (University of Wolverhampton, 2013-09-18)
      Q-methodology was used alongside semi-structured interviews with primary school teachers to explore their positions on two key areas of education ideology: inclusive schools and standards in education. The study explored in depth the views of 26 teachers in 6 schools, selected through purposive sampling to give a range of individual and institutional demographics. Key statements were compiled from the literature that offered a wide spectrum of personal and professional positions on the two issues of standards and inclusion in education. These statements were produced as sets of cards for participants to arrange in order of strength of agreement or disagreement. The results were factor-analysed via Q-method software to render visible factors of items that had statistical significance for the participants (Brown 1997). These factors were then interpreted in the light of subsequent semi-structured interviews and returned to the participants for discussion. The study found that teachers developed their own ‘practical’ notion of inclusion, in which specialist systems, such as p-scales, are needed for the inclusion of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN). These teachers held contrasting views on whether they felt constraints or experienced flexibility when implementing the strict standards objectives. Crucially, in considering the agendas simultaneously, these teachers suggested that the practical implementation of the inclusion and standards agendas is as disparate as their objectives. The agendas are seen as separate entities, with standards assuming an apparent dominance, ensuring that the inclusion agenda is implemented within a standards driven system.