PE Insights Podcast

Welcome back to the PE Insights Podcast!

After taking a short break due to moving house, my new role and a recent Ofsted visit. We are back with episode 81, and episode 3 of our Exam PE deep dives.

In today's episode, I am joined again by Will Swaithes, and our guest Kieran Palmer. Kieran brings experience of teaching NCFE's Technical Award (Level 1/2) in Health and Fitness, and in this conversation we unpack the specification, pupils' misconceptions, assessment and top tips for teaching the course.

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts, so please share on social media should you wish. Now, sit back, relax and let's dive in!

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In this episode, we dive deep into the realities of examination Physical Education through an honest and practical conversation with James and Wayne — two experienced educators working across different OCR pathways.

While the discussion begins with the OCR GCSE PE specification, James quickly clarifies his context, teaching the OCR Cambridge National (Level 1/Level 2) Sports Studies course. What follows is a rich comparison between GCSE PE and CNAT Sports Studies, grounded in lived classroom experience rather than exam-board rhetoric.

Wayne reflects on nearly two decades in education, from Colchester Royal Grammar School to his current role in an independent setting, leading GCSE PE and co-curricular provision from Year 7 to Year 13. He breaks down why OCR GCSE PE works logistically, how students respond to the exam structure, and the realities of cluster moderation, practical assessment, and NEA delivery — warts and all.

James shares his journey from higher education into secondary teaching in challenging contexts, offering a clear-eyed view of the CNAT Sports Studies course. He explores its flexible structure, practical units such as Sport and Leadership and Outdoor Adventurous Activities, and why early organisation and strong teacher paperwork can make or break student outcomes.

Across the episode, we unpack:

• The differences between OCR GCSE PE and OCR CNAT Sports Studies

• Practical assessment, moderation, and grading challenges

• NEA delivery, time constraints, and common pitfalls

• What students enjoy most — and find hardest — across both pathways

• How assessment models impact different learner profiles

We close by looking forward. Both guests share thoughtful hopes for the future of examination PE: qualifications that better reflect real-world physical activity, value diverse learner strengths, and allow schools to adapt provision without being penalised.

A must-listen for PE teachers, Heads of Department, mentors, and anyone navigating curriculum choices in secondary PE.

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Examination PE doesn’t have to feel like a minefield.
In this episode of the PE Insights Podcast, we’re joined by Jackie Brookes, founder of PE Active, alongside Will Swaithes, to unpick the complexities of the AQA GCSE PE specification and explore how teachers can deliver academic PE with confidence, clarity, and impact.

Drawing on her extensive work with trainee teachers and early career teachers (ECTs), Jackie shares why so many teachers feel underprepared for examination PE — and, crucially, what can be done about it. Together, Jackie and Will offer practical, experience-led insights into mastering command words, assessment objectives, and exam technique, while keeping learning active and meaningful for pupils.

• Why trainee teachers often receive limited support with exam specifications

• Common gaps in content knowledge and assessment literacy

• Jackie’s journey into academic PE and the origins of PE Active

• Teaching theory through movement for kinaesthetic learners

• Why AQA’s prescriptive nature can actually be a strength

• Understanding the three Assessment Objectives (AOs):

  • AO1 – Knowledge

  • AO2 – Application

  • AO3 – Higher-order thinking

• The “magic four” AO3 skills: analyse, evaluate, justify, discuss

• How AQA explicitly signals where AO3 is assessed

• Why command words are central to exam success

• Jackie’s B.U.C. method for breaking down exam questions:

  • Box the command word

  • Underline the topic

  • Circle the sport or context

• A clear breakdown of Paper 1 and Paper 2, question types, timings, and mark allocations

• Where AO3 is most heavily assessed in extended responses

• How the 30% practical performance is assessed across three activities

• What examiners look for in skills and application

• Making sense of the 10% Analysis & Evaluation coursework

• Why precision matters — and what not to include

• How NEA supports AO3 development beyond the exam hall

• Making the most of AQA’s official resources

• Teaching theory actively, not passively

• Planning with AO3 at the forefront

• Using examiner reports to inform teaching

• Why Jackie believes teachers should sit the exam themselves

• Broadening sporting examples with equality, diversity, and inclusion in mind

• Should GCSE PE be renamed?

• The case for modernising content

• Removing outdated concepts (like body types)

• Why menstrual cycles and hormonal impacts on performance belong in the curriculum

• Protecting the physical and applied heart of PE

Delivering AQA GCSE PE successfully isn’t about cramming content — it’s about understanding how knowledge is assessed, embedding AO3 thinking from the outset, and bringing theory to life through active, purposeful learning. When teachers are assessment-literate and confident with the specification, students are far better positioned to succeed.

🔍 What’s covered in this episode?

The challenge of examination PE

Deciphering the AQA GCSE PE specification

Command words & exam technique

NEA: The practical component

Top tips for teachers delivering AQA GCSE PE

Looking ahead: the future of GCSE PE

🎯 Key takeaway

Delivering AQA GCSE PE successfully isn’t about cramming content — it’s about understanding how knowledge is assessed, embedding AO3 thinking from the outset, and bringing theory to life through active, purposeful learning. When teachers are assessment-literate and confident with the specification, students are far better positioned to succeed.

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What does it really mean for Physical Education to be fit for purpose?

In this episode of the PE Insights Podcast, I’m joined by Amy, Head of Physical Education in a large secondary school, who shares how she has led a bold shift away from a traditional, sport-centric curriculum towards one rooted in meaningful experiences, inclusion, and lifelong physical activity.

With over 16 years of experience and a background in leading a whole-school skills and competency-based programme, Amy unpacks how her philosophy around confidence, well-being, and student voice has shaped a radically different approach to PE. We explore how her department has redesigned curriculum intent, introduced innovative leadership pathways, supported learners who sit on the margins of participation, and embedded mental health and physical activity through initiatives such as the Rise Up programme.

Amy also discusses the challenges and opportunities of overhauling assessment in PE, moving away from linear grading towards a more holistic model that values knowledge, skill, effort, and leadership. Central to this work is the shift from “assessment weeks” to meaningful feedback conversations that help students understand success in PE in more than just physical terms.

This episode is a must-listen for PE teachers, leaders, and anyone interested in curriculum design, inclusion, and rethinking how we measure success in Physical Education.

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In this episode of the PE Insights Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Emma Whewell, Associate Professor at the University of Northampton, for a rich and reflective conversation about identity, mentorship, and the evolving purpose of physical education.

Drawing on over twenty years in Initial Teacher Education, Emma explores how PE teachers’ identities are largely shaped long before training begins, through acculturation and what Lortie famously described as the “apprenticeship of observation”. We discuss why this makes identity so resistant to change, and the pivotal role mentors play in either nurturing confidence and autonomy, or unintentionally doing harm.

The conversation delves into the tensions mentors face between supporting innovation and complying with school systems, the importance of relational mentoring, and why trainees should be viewed as agents of change rather than problems to be managed. Emma also challenges the mismatch between what PE claims to do — preparing young people for lifelong physical activity — and what it often delivers in practice.

Looking ahead, Emma shares how she is embracing digital and AI-supported pedagogies within ITE, using technology to enhance reflection, efficiency, creativity and confidence. From AI-supported interview preparation to lesson planning and content creation, this episode explores a future-focused, possibility-led approach to teacher education.

Throughout the episode, I also share reflections linked to my own MA research on mentoring, professional identity and occupational socialisation, making this a particularly meaningful conversation for mentors, trainee teachers, teacher educators and PE leaders.

Emma’s central message is clear: be curious. Watch widely, borrow thoughtfully, build relationships first, and give yourself permission to become the teacher you want to be.

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In Episode 76 of The PE Insights Podcast, I’m joined by David Wallace, speaking to us from Bangkok, Thailand, where he currently teaches Junior Physical Education.

David’s journey into primary PE was anything but linear. Trained in the UK as a secondary PE teacher at the University of Cumbria, he taught briefly in Burnley before taking a leap into international education. That move, initially described as a shock, became career-defining. With the support of a mentor who “took me under his wing,” David discovered a deep passion for primary PE, later leading Junior School PE in Hong Kong before returning to Bangkok.

This conversation explores what it really means to put movement, inclusion and human experience at the heart of Physical Education.

We discuss how PE has evolved to foreground social, emotional and cognitive learning alongside physical development, while still protecting movement as the core of the subject. David shares his honest reflections on lesson balance, feedback habits, and how the messages we send as teachers shape what children believe truly matters.

A powerful moment in the episode centres on grouping and inclusivity. David reflects on witnessing a child left alone during partner selection and how that moment fundamentally changed his practice. From simple conversation-based grouping strategies to using digital tools like Team Shake, he explains why taking an extra minute to group intentionally is always worth it.

The episode also offers valuable insight into international teaching. David explains why UK QTS acts as a global passport, how international schools have raised standards, and the professional freedom that comes with adapting curriculum to diverse contexts. He shares practical advice on accreditation, career progression and life overseas.

We then dive into David’s Master’s research on online PE teacher communities, charting the shift away from Twitter/X towards Instagram and LinkedIn, and why maintaining external professional networks matters more than ever to avoid working in an echo chamber.

Finally, we tackle one of the most sensitive topics in PE: the relationship between PE and Games. David unpacks competition, ability grouping, student choice, and how carefully separating these spaces can allow both to serve young people well.

This is a thoughtful, honest and practice-rich conversation about belonging, balance and building meaningful experiences through Physical Education.

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In this episode, Senior Lecturer David Redfern (Birmingham City University) joins us to explore what truly shapes positive experiences in Physical Education. From a childhood immersed in PE culture to leading subject mentoring for hundreds of trainee teachers, David shares a career defined by passion, purpose, and connection.

We unpack the “trauma trend” in PE, why early experiences matter, and how teachers can consciously break cycles of fear, judgement, and fixed mindset. David dives into social constructivism, experiential learning, growth mindset, and the role of teachers as “actors” who model positivity and possibility for every learner.

Listeners will hear practical, classroom-ready strategies including:
• Breaking skills into manageable, achievable steps
• Modelling and peer-modelling approaches
• Visual scaffolding that supports EAL learners
• How to develop genuine physical literacy beyond FMS
• Ways to nurture confidence, curiosity, and movement beyond the gym

David also shares innovative ideas – like sending home PE activity bags to shift parental perceptions and deepen movement habits outside school.

We finish with quickfire insights: what PE must stop doing, what it must protect, and why David believes teachers should think less like coaches and more like facilitators of learning.

If you care about meaningful PE, physical literacy, mentoring, or transforming learners’ experiences, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Welcome to the PE Insights Podcast!

Epsiode 73 is a conversation with Bilal Saddik. Bill is super passionate and a real advocate for holistic development. In the episode, we explore Bill's thinking, holistic development, play, coaching vs. teaching, expectations in new teachers and experienced teachers with relation to adaptive teaching, gender, and no 'one size fits all'. The episode covers lots of ground... as always, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Want to take your learning further? Unlock exclusive PE resources, research, and CPD courses with PE Scholar Membership — your one-stop hub for professional growth and impact. Use code POD10 at checkout or visit https://psch.la/POD10 for 10% off today!

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In this episode of the PE Insights Podcast, Nathan speaks with Dr Josie Perry, chartered sport psychologist, author of six books and director of Performance in Mind. Josie’s work shines a light on identity, inclusivity and the realities of supporting neurodiverse children in movement and sport.

Josie shares why so many adults lose a sense of themselves as active people, often rooted in school experiences where PE centred narrowly on team games. She argues that broader, more varied activities can protect a young person’s identity as someone who can move, play and be physically active.

The conversation then explores the themes behind her book ADHD in Sport. Josie explains how ADHD traits show up in performance anxiety, emotional dysregulation and perfectionism, and highlights the growing need for understanding neurodiversity, something missing from her own training a decade ago. She unpacks why physical activity can be transformative for children with ADHD, while also acknowledging the limited research on overcoming sport-specific barriers.

Listeners will hear practical and highly relatable strategies for PE teachers. Josie explains how motivation differs across neurotypes, why autistic learners seek safety and predictability, why neurotypical children may respond to importance and consequence, and why ADHD learners crave novelty and challenge. She offers simple adaptations that help everyone: sending pre-session information, offering demonstrations, using peer buddies, varying levels of challenge and involving learners in setting up equipment.

The discussion also covers emotional regulation ideas, such as budgeting daily “energy coins”, and powerful approaches to self-talk. Josie explains why outcome-focused goals can undermine confidence, and why shifting learners towards inputs like effort, technique and small progressions supports lifelong participation. Her reflections on identity and belonging include a clear message: never let children pick teams. Instead, she returns to the true meaning of competition, rooted in the Latin idea of being “better together”.

To close, Josie poses a question for every teacher: What are the children in my class motivated by?

This episode is full of practical insight, compassion and clarity for anyone teaching neurodiverse young people, and is essential listening for PE teachers who want to create environments where every learner can thrive.

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In this episode of PE Insights, Nathan Walker is joined by Carla Howard, Head of PE and founder of the Heads of PE Network. Together, they explore how inclusive, holistic, and collaborative approaches are reshaping the PE curriculum.

Carla shares how her department is reframing PE as “for all”—focusing on physical, cognitive, social, and affective development rather than elite performance. She discusses how student voice drives curriculum design, the power of small-sided games for engagement, and why assessment should reflect non-linear progress.

The conversation also delves into Carla’s creation of a national Heads of PE Network that supports middle leaders and aspiring heads, and her reflections on the Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report—from redefining PE’s purpose to renaming GCSE PE for the respect it deserves.

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