Physical education teachers' engagement with health-related exercise and health-related continuing professional development: a healthy profile?

Over the past decade there have been increasing amounts of academic, political and media interest in Physical Education. teachers and their role in promoting healthy, active. lifestyles. Indeed, there is a long-standing assumption that schools play a fundamental role in producing 'a healthy nation' arid that Physical Education is responsible for promoting sport, physical activity and health amongst young people. This research was located within the context of Health-Related Exercise (HRE), a statutory component of the National Curriculum for Physical Education in England which aims to promote in pupils the knowledge, skills and understanding necessary to lead healthy, active lifestyles. An extensive and critical review of literature revealed that there were continuing concerns over the status, organisation and teaching of HRE within the curriculum, and that questions had been raised over Physical Education teachers' knowledge of HRE and the extent to which they have engaged with continuing professional development (CPD) in the area (HRE-CPD). The reasons underpinning these concerns have been relatively unexplored and this thesis represents a contribution towards understanding the social processes which have served to influence the nature and extent of Physical Education teachers' engagement with HRE and HRE-CPD. [Continues.]