The Primary PE Huddle: Recent Episodes
Dan Hays & Paul Warner
Through this podcast series, Dan Hays and Paul Warner from Aspire Sports aim to discover the power behind PE School Sport and Physical Activity in primary schools, the impact this has on the whole school, the impact it has on pupil’s holistic development and the secrets behind the successful implementation of a powerful physical curriculum. This is what makes up The Primary PE Huddle. We won’t be alone through this journey – we are joined by PE subject leaders, school and academy senior leadership teams and experts in the field of primary education, who share what physical activity means to them, how they use it as a tool to positively impact children and young people and what they believe, in The Primary PE Huddle.
Who is our guest?
Stephen Clarke has been a school governor for 15 years in the Staffordshire three-tier school system, firstly at Primary School, then Middle School and finally High School. He then stepped up to the challenge of being Chair of Governors back at the Middle School in 2019 and shortly after helping to guide the school with the Headteacher strategically through the COVID crisis, remote learning, and several risk assessments!
Outside of the school environment, Stephen has over 25 years of experience in education technology and running award-winning multi-million pound small to medium enterprises. This included managing teams of sales, marketing, finance and technical people. He has his own Education Technology business providing communication Apps for schools, offers consultancy services to other Education technology companies to provide them with insights and help them grow and is undertaking a part-time MBA at Keele University.
What do we discuss?
· Accountability in School Governance
· Communication and Engagement
· School Inspections and Governance Involvement
· Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Governance Support
· Preparation for OFSTED Inspections
· Emotional Support and Well-being in Schools
· PE Subject Importance and Governance Involvement
· Key tips for PE subject leads
Who’s our guest?
Luke Brown launched the Spiral Free Run CIC in Late 2016 during his time studying at university and has been working multiple jobs simultaneously since. In April 2021 he took the leap of faith to turn the company into a CIC (Community Interest Club) and run full-time.
He has been training Parkour for 10 years now. Parkour was only just beginning its rise back in 2011 and therefore he quickly realised that if he wanted someone to train with, He was going to have to inspire and help them on their journey also. Luke began teaching a few close friends who came to become part of the original Spiral Freerun team. He began officially coaching in 2014 and have worked hard to transfer as many of his skills (both Parkour and non-Parkour related) to those around him to benefit others.
Luke is responsible for the entirety of Spiral Freerun and its running on a day-to-day basis. He oversees employing and organising the team to run as a well-oiled machine and continues to provide their services to a high standard to the community.
What do we discuss?
- Personal Experiences
- Teaching Approach and Strategies
- Educational Impact and Development
- Importance of CPD and support
- Significance of a physically active ethos in schools
- Tip for influencing PE and Sport in schools
Who is our guest?Lee Davis is now Head of Finance at BDMAT. Before this, Lee was a School Finance Partner at BDMAT and had acted as the Chief Finance and Operations Officer for a short time. Lee also worked within the trust at St Clement’s Church of England Academy as a School Business Manager before taking up the post as a School Finance Partner in September 2018. Earlier in his career Lee worked in retail management accounting before moving to finance and accounting support in the Education sector.
What do we discuss?
- Providing a financial perspective on physical education in primary schools.
- Collaborative Financial Perspectives in Education
- The significance of inter-trust collaboration among multi-academy trusts
- Barriers and Challenges in Financial Management
- Future trends seeing collaborative efforts across educational institutions to enhance physical activity opportunities for children
- Tracking Success of Budget Allocations for Physical Activities
Who’s our guest?
Will Roberts is the Chief Operating Officer of the national children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust and led the process for the creation of their new strategy Inspiring Changemakers, Building Belonging which sets significant ambitions to 2035 and was launched in May 2022. Having joined the Youth Sport Trust in 2007 to run the then UK School Games (now School Games National Finals) as part of a drive to transform competition and talent support pathways in school and community sport, Will had the role of leading the Games in 2012 using the venues that would later that summer host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
On graduating from Loughborough University and going on to complete a Master’s degree, Will worked in the fitness industry and as a sports coach in his home city of Stoke-on-Trent before joining the staff of Volleyball England as the lead for youth development in the sport. He has also been an elected Board member for Volleyball England, a member of the Youth Development Committee for the European Volleyball Federation, and currently sits as an independent on the Badminton England selection committees. Will’s passion remains in coaching, and he can be seen coaching both girls’ and boys' groups football and volleyball every week in his local community in North Staffordshire as a volunteer coach and a club chair.
What do we discuss?
• The importance of physical education, sport, and physical activity for children's development.
• The impact of collaboration with school leadership teams to promote sustainability and physical curriculum enhancement.
• Will’s background in sports coaching.
• Emphasis on personal growth through coaching experiences.
• Significance of creating a sense of belonging in community sports activities.
• Why aligning goals with leadership missions is important?
• Understanding the value, you bring to children.
• Celebrating student achievements both in and out of school.
• How to inspire change-makers within your team or organisation.
Who are our guests?
Dr Andy Daly-Smith is a Reader in Children’s Physical Activity and Health at the University of Bradford (UK). Within Bradford, he co-leads the Centre for Applied Education Research and research on the JUMP project; the UK’s first whole-systems approach to physical activity for children and young people. Andy’s research focuses on the implementation and effectiveness of whole-school approaches to physical activity- specifically Creating Active Schools. He also led a cross-European project, ACTivate, which developed a teacher training curriculum and e-learning modules to support physically active learning in schools.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-daly-smith-2184391b0/
Twitter/X: @brainercise Website: www.creatingactiveschools.org / www.wspa2024.co.uk
Alex Ogden has worked in the Education sector now for over fifteen years. He spent 12 years teaching in primary schools across Yorkshire, leading PE, Sport and Physical Activity provision in those settings, before becoming an education consultant specialising in active learning across the curriculum where he supported senior leaders nationwide to adopt a whole school approach to getting children moving across the wider curriculum.
He now leads the education team at the Yorkshire Sport Foundation where he supports local authorities, academy trusts and senior leaders in schools across West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire to embed physical activity at a strategic level, and is also the National Partnerships Manager for the Creating Active Schools Programme.
What do we discuss?
· Alex and Andy's Journey in Physical Education
· Deep Dive into Physical Activity in Schools with Alex
· Exploring Active Learning and Cultural Change in Schools with Andy
· The Role of Physical Environment and Social Culture in Active Learning
· Exploring Physically Active Learning: A New Approach in Education
· Challenges and Expectations in Integrating Active Learning
· Redefining Physical Activity in Education: Movement-Centred Pedagogy
· Practical Steps Towards Implementing Active Learning in Schools
Embedding Movement in School Policy and Cult
Who’s our guest?
Siobhán first found wheelchair basketball in 2010 following a playground to podium event which introduced her to the sport. As a junior, she first played for CWBA where she achieved great success at the School Games and Junior Championships. Alongside her junior game, she also competed with the clubs National League and Women’s League teams.
An award-winning player, Siobhán has an extensive junior career having co-captained the women’s team to back-to-back championship wins at the 2015 U25 Worlds and 2016 U24 Europeans – a feat not achieved by any other female GB junior team. In 2018 the squad retained their U24 European Title and in 2019 the team brought home the U25 World Championship Bronze Medal.
What do we discuss?
· Emphasises the importance of inclusivity in PE lessons
· Talks about the need for adapting sessions for young people with different abilities
· Discusses the challenges faced by teachers in incorporating PE into the curriculum
· Highlights the importance of assessment and finding alternative ways to assess pupil’s progress
· Encourages teachers to make small changes in their lessons and use funding effectively
· Advice for teachers to not overthink and to ask for help when needed
· Acknowledges the hard work of teachers and encourages them to try new approaches in PE
Who’s our guest?
Sam Horton is a passionate PE teacher who believes strongly in physical education, sport, and physical activity as essential contributors to children's love for healthy living and a tool to end physical inactivity. Sam possesses six years of experience at Wollescote Primary School and prior experience in sports coaching. He is particularly enthusiastic about sports and pursued a pathway into teaching to continue his passion on a professional level. He recently earned a promotion as the PE coordinator for Wollescote Primary School and is driven to enhance the PE culture within the school. His vision is based around the school ethos 'Be proud, be positive, be polite'.
Despite his achievements, Sam remains humble and continuously strives for self-improvement, both in his abilities and in pushing PE to the forefront of the school environment. This is evident in his initiative to start girls' football at the school, which demonstrates his commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, Sam is highly engaged with the community, desiring to involve guardians and parents in the school's activities and to make them aware of the benefits and importance of PE in children's development.
What do we discuss?
-The importance of communication and sportsmanship in PE
-The role of sports leaders in promoting sportsmanship
-Debunking myths about PE teaching
-The power of networking and collaboration in PE leadership
-The importance of sportsmanship in school culture
-The role of in-house competitions in promoting sportsmanship
-The use of resources in enhancing PE teaching
-Engaging the community in promoting physical activity
-Feedback and reports: enhancing parental engagement
-Setting goals: The journey to high standard PESSPA
-Tracking physical activity: The future of school fitness
-After school clubs: Enhancing pupil engagement
-Empowering pupils in sports decision making
-Fostering leadership skills
-Launching a girls football team
-Creating a vision for PE: A guide for new teachers
-Creating effective PE resources: A personal journey
-Best practices for PE lessons: A comprehensive guide
-Top five tips for influencing PE and creating an active ethos
Taking the plunge: The evolution of primary school swimming
Who’s our guest?
Kaylë has been a swimming teacher for 23 years and specialises in baby and pre-school swimming. With 19 years of tutoring experience, she is passionate about encouraging people to learn to swim and be safe in water. She has spoken internationally about the importance of learning to swim within a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment with participants at the centre of the lesson.
Kaylë managed a swim school before joining STA in 2012. Recently appointed as the Director of Education at STA, Kaylë heads up the Qualification Development and Compliance team, creating fit-for-purpose, high-quality training qualifications and supporting the expanding Approved Training Centre workforce to ensure compliance and quality assurance for learners and employers across the sector. She is passionate about swimming - her happy place - and believes in its transformative power, both for individual health and social benefits.
What do we discuss?
· The Importance of Swimming in Primary Schools
· Interview with Kaylë Brightwell from STA
· The role of STA in promoting swimming education
· The challenges and solutions in school swimming education
· The challenges of incorporating swimming into the school curriculum
· The importance of prioritising swimming in schools
· Practical tips for implementing swimming lessons in primary schools.
· The role of teachers and resources in promoting swimming
· The impact of swimming on pupils and the community
Who’s our guest?
Natalie Weir is an ardent advocate for physical education and bodily literacy. With over 15 years of experience in the field, Natalie has worked in national sporting bodies, including a twelve-year stint at British Orienteering in positions ranging from sport development to being on the senior leadership team.
She is also the Chief Playmaker and mother to two children, whose physical growth and development have further instilled in her the importance of physical activity from a young age. Following this trail, she is currently chasing a PhD at the University of Derby exploring the correlation between movement and physical literacy in three to five-year-olds. Her primary focus is to encourage more activity among these age groups as she believes that early engagement in physical activity is integral to setting up young ones for healthier futures. She is dedicated to her mission of challenging the current state of physical education and promoting a more holistic approach to young people's physical activity. Natalie is known and respected for her insightful research, passionate advocacy, and continued contribution towards making physical inactivity a thing of the past.
What do we discuss?
- Natalie's journey in physical education
- The importance of early physical activity
- Natalie's research on physical activity on under fives
- The role of physical literacy in children's lives
- The impact of physical activity on health and society
- The role of education in promoting physical activity
- The importance of physical education in schools
- Challenges and obstacles in implementing physical activity in schools
- Quick wins for promoting physical activity in schools
- The importance of choice in physical education
- Building a relationship between children and physical activity
- The changing nature of physical activity in childhood
- The role of competition in physical education
- The challenge of disparity in physical abilities
- The importance of physical activity in learning
- The role of data in physical education
- The role of teachers in promoting physical activity
Who is our guest?
On our new season of PE Huddle Podcast, we had the pleasure of hosting Glenmead Primary School's class teacher and PE Lead, Hannah Davis. Hannah has been teaching for 4 years and has been in the PE Lead position for 3 years, having shadowed and supported the Deputy Head with PE previously.
Her background includes obtaining a degree in PE and Sport Studies combined with Childhood and Youth Studies, before completing a SCITT in Primary Teaching. Hannah has a strong passion for sports and PE, enjoying competing in athletics and cross country running regularly throughout my childhood and attending regular Aston Villa football fixtures to date.
Stay tuned for more such engaging conversations on the PE Huddle Podcast!
What do we chat about?
- Making PE Integral Across the School
- Team Effort and Communication:
- Support and Networking for Teachers
- Effective Professional Development
- Pupil Leadership and Independence
- Involving Families and Community
- Data-Driven Improvements
- Ideal PE Lessons
- Listening to pupil input
The series 3 finale of The Primary PE Huddle is here and what a series it’s been!
For this final episode, we’re taking a look back over the series to bring you the very best insights, advice and words of wisdom.
Who’s joined us on the podcast this series?
Series 3 has seen us welcome a whole host of experts from the field of primary education:
Episode 1: “We don’t move for functional reasons, we move for the joy of it” with Greg Dryer, co-founder and CEO of miMove
Episode 2: “Once you’ve got the ear of SLT, then it’s about delivering on your promises” with John Haycock, PE lead at Chilcote Primary School
Episode 3: “Let's make learning irresistible” with Bryn Llewellyn, founder of Tagtiv8
Episode 4:“My PE teachers were my heroes” with Shaun Dowling, Head of Sport at United Learning
Episode 5: “Engagement over compliance” with Deputy Headteacher Liam Gould and PE Lead Teresa Shackleton from Wodensfield Primary School
Episode 6: “You’re not on your own” with Louisa Mulvey, class teacher and PE Coordinator
A big thank you to all our series 3 guests for joining us and sharing your experiences, thought-provoking insights, and inspirational ideas to embed a “top-down physically active ethos” in primary schools!
This week on the podcast we’re joined by class teacher and PE Coordinator Louisa Mulvey.
Who is Louisa Mulvey?
Louisa is a qualified teacher based in Hampshire. Louisa has been working in primary schools since 2014 where her career began on the sunny, leafy side of Wimbledon Village. Louisa spent three years teaching PE exclusively before qualifying in 2017 where she managed the role of class teacher alongside PE coordinator.
Louisa’s teaching journey began after graduating university armed with a 2:2 in Sports Science and minimal career advice. During summers Louisa worked as a children’s camp manager. The company proceeded to offer Louisa a job as a site manager/PE teacher/lunchtime supervisor/afterschool club manager/ competition coordinator. The following three years saw Louisa manage numerous apprentices alongside the continuation of full-time teaching.
At the beginning of Louisa’s third year in teaching she decided she needed to progress her career and gained qualified teacher status (QTS) through Schools Direct. Louisa began at a new school, training on the job whilst assisting the PE coordinator with competitions.
Louisa then moved schools to begin her NQT year, settling into the role with ease; before the end of the year Louisa was promoted to PE coordinator. Balancing class work and the PE coordinator role could be a challenge, but because Louisa’s role was clearly outlined within the school, she felt like she had full control over it whilst enjoying great support from the head. Louisa continued to enjoy her PE teaching and took children to numerous tournaments across the borough.
And then Covid…
After leaving London and a brief hiatus from teaching and working in a pie shop, Louisa began a new role in Hampshire. Louisa began the role mid-year, and it was on her second day that the country went into lockdown. As a result, Louisa was unable to get to know colleagues and was given a jumble of classes on her second day with absolutely no knowledge of the logistics of how things worked around the school.
After around 3 months, Louisa started to get the hang of things and was allowed to begin PE teaching, with the addition of strict cleaning protocols. The following school year saw things get back to normal, PE was allowed to resume properly, and Louisa was delighted to take on the role of PE lead alongside an already established team of three. Working alongside a larger team was new to Louisa and at times it was confusing to ascertain who was meant to be doing what. At times there could be divided opinions on things such as how the PE budget could be spent. However, Louisa was pleased to get stuck into the role and quickly began organising lunchtime athletics trials and drawing up school teams for interschool competitions.
Louisa’s advice to anyone taking on the role of PE coordinator is to take charge of your role, ensure to clearly establish and (where necessary) divide responsibilities as there is nothing more frustrating in teaching than ‘too many cooks’…
What’s discussed in the episode?
- Communication is the key
- Play to the strengths in your team
- Prove that it works and benefits everyone
- Get children moving
- Let the children explore
This week on the podcast we welcome United Learning’s Head of Sport Shaun Dowling.
Who is Shaun Dowling?
Shaun is Head of Sport at United Learning, a national group of primary, secondary and all-through schools across the state and independent sectors. As Head of Sport, Shaun supports Heads of PE and Directors of Sport in further improving the quality of their PE curriculum, school sport programmes and physical activity provision; Shaun ensures they’re using the power of sport to assist young people with their wider educational development.
Shaun is a former Head of PE and Director of Specialism, having progressed to Deputy Headship in two specialist sports colleges.
Having trained at the West Sussex Institute of Higher Education, Shaun later gained his MA(Ed) from Southampton University. He achieved his NPQH before the opportunity arose to undertake a national role in the education team at the Youth Sport Trust (YST).
Shaun’s extensive experience also includes:
- Curriculum, teacher-training and sports & school leadership work in America, South Africa and Iraq
- 2013: Appearance before the Education Select Committee to give evidence on ‘School Sport following London 2012’
- 2014: Co-wrote and edited ‘The A-Z of School Improvement through PE and Sport: Principles and Practice’, a not-for-profit book published by United Learning and sold around the world.
- 2017: Gained the Level 7 Executive Coaching and Mentoring qualification from the Institute of Leadership and Management.
- 2020: Shaun is elected Chair of SLQ Sports Leaders
- 2020: Shaun wrote ‘Pivot Flex Adapt. Physical Education through the 2020 Pandemic’
- 2020: Invited to be part of the afPE Taskforce
- 2021: Invited to be part of Ofsted’s PE Working Group
What’s discussed in the episode?
- How we can be prepared for a range of needs
- Why the primary phase is so pivotal
- The importance of resilience
- Failure is OK
- What is your vision?
- Getting whole school and community ‘buy in’
In the words of a Key Stage 2 pupil, this week’s podcast guest “is a genius”.
For episode 3 of The Primary PE Huddle, we welcome Tagtiv8 founder Bryn Llewellyn.
Who is Bryn Llewellyn?
Bryn worked in multiple UK schools for over 20 years as a teacher and school leader. In 2012, Bryn founded Tagtiv8. His pioneering approach to Physically Active Learning (PAL) provides a valuable and enjoyable alternative to classroom-based learning – crucial when challenging the increasing problem of sedentary lifestyles.
Research by Leeds Beckett University demonstrates that Tagtiv8 PAL solutions tackle inactivity and obesity levels, as well as impacting positively on academic performance. Following this research, Dr Andy Daly-Smith and Bryn Llewellyn co-delivered their TEDx Talk.
And Bryn’s work doesn’t stop there, he’s also co-director of Move & Learn (CIC), and education consultant for the BBC and Premier League Supermovers & Live Lessons.
What’s discussed in the episode?
- Physically Active Learning for continued marginal gains.
- Let's break up sedentary learning.
- How do we get off the hamster wheel?
- What are the obstacles and how do we overcome them?
- Listen to the children, if they enjoy it, they will benefit.
This week on the podcast we’re joined by primary school PE lead John Haycock.
Who is John Haycock?
John has been a teacher at Chilcote primary school for 11 years, both as PE and class teacher.
Joining the school with a view to take over PE, John completed his NQT and became PE lead in his second year. 10 years on, John’s passion for sport and physical activity combined with his drive has put PE, school sport and physical activity at the heart of school life.
What’s discussed in the episode?
- Where to go to get support as a PE lead
- The role of a PE lead over the last 10 years
- Observing lessons - best practice
- Making PE and physical activity the heart of school life
- Helping children to become young leaders
- Opportunities for those less active
- Split role as a class teacher and a PE lead
The Primary PE Huddle is back for Series 3 with a whole new host of experts from across the sport and physical activity sector.
To kick off the series, we welcome Greg Dryer, co-founder and CEO of miMove.
Who is Greg Dryer?
Greg is the co-founder and CEO of miMove, the world’s first bespoke app enabling schools to help pupils make physical activity a normal and regular part of their lives.
Prior to the creation of miMove, Greg was founder and director of the Centre for Physical Education, Sport and Activity at Kingston University (CPESA) after a long teaching career that afforded him the opportunity to work with all ages from pre-school through to post-grad.
Greg is a highly experienced physical educator and critical thinker, having led PE departments in three London schools before moving into higher education.
Greg’s work disrupts exclusive practices in PE and sport. Drawing inspiration from psychology, critical theory, pedagogy and economics, Greg reimagines PE and sport practices to create more equitable and fulfilling experiences that will enable our profession to deliver more effectively on our universal goal: More young people finding a place for physical activity in their lives.
What’s discussed in this episode?
· Never stop learning, don’t shortcut what goes wrong.
· Let’s trigger the conversation.
· Everyone needs to find their playground.
· Experiences that trigger an emotional response, embed life habits.
· Stay in your lane and cut the confusion.
· What is the clear journey?
Episode 9: Don't be scared of healthy competition
With just shy of 30,000 followers, Emily is well-known in the Teacher Twittersphere. She’s known for her love of books, stationery, and initiating #TeacherSelfcareSunday which aims to help teachers focus on their own wellbeing and banish Sunday blues.
Just as she is always generous with her ideas and resources, Emily has taken time out of her busy week to give us her views on PE, in this week’s episode of The Primary PE Huddle.
Who is Emily Weston?
Emily has been teaching for eight years, predominantly in Year 6, although she has also spent one year working in Secondary as a Transition Teacher. With a real passion for this area of education, she now leads CPD on the subject, as well as creating resources and finding new ways to make the process easier for children. Alongside this, she has been Reading Lead, which is another area she has passion and drive to develop in schools.
Having played a whole range of sports throughout her own childhood and teen years, she knows what a vital place it has within schools not just to stay physically healthy, but mentally too.
Twitter and Instagram: @primaryteachew
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, Emily and Dan talk about:
- Using PE to teach the resilience that is needed across the curriculum.
- Why getting reluctant pupils involved is essential – and how to do it.
- How PE Leads can support teachers who haven’t always had a positive relationship with PE
In the penultimate episode of this series of The PE Huddle, Dan meets Ryan Ellis to talk about what Ryan sees happening in schools and his tips and tricks for juggling the many demands on you as a PE Lead, including pointing out that the National Curriculum for PE doesn’t actually require you to teach specific sports.
Who is Ryan Ellis?
‘The PE Umbrella Man’, as he is often called, lived a childhood filled with sport and physical activity and always had a burning desire to teach PE. After several years of coaching and then teaching, Ryan turned his full focus towards making a bigger impact in primary PE.
In 2015, Ryan set up The PE Umbrella which has evolved from a podcast platform into a consulting career allowing him to provide training for schools, universities and SCITTs.
Listen to this week’s episode of The PE Huddle: Make PE the golden thread in your school to hear Ryan’s words of wisdom.
In the podcast, we discuss
- Why you don’t need to pressure yourself to think of new activities every week.
- How, as a PE Lead, you can look at PE through different lenses.
- Why it’s important to take every opportunity to be the PE advocate.
- Why you shouldn’t let your own past experiences of PE affect how you approach teaching it.
Whole school improvement is no small matter. As a teacher, SLT member, or school governor, it is your responsibility to plan for and make changes that will have a positive impact on not only assessment data but also the wellbeing of all members of the school community.
As an experienced school governor, Andy Heald is no stranger to school improvement and he believes that physical activity is key to success.
Listen to this week’s episode of The PE Huddle: Physical Activity for Whole School Improvement to find out more.
In the podcast, we discuss
- The importance of asking “What is the bigger picture?” when looking at the PE curriculum
- Why you should focus on the WHY, before the How and the What
- Andy’s belief that Activity + Achievement = Fun
- The need to create great physical activity experiences for children
International athlete Ryan Bradley champions holistic development through gymnastics
An ex-international gymnast, Commonwealth Games Bronze medalist and five times British Champion, Ryan Bradley is now the Director of RB Gym & Sport, working to develop and enhance the teaching of gymnastics in schools and supporting both teachers and pupils.
In his conversation with Dan Hayes in this week’s episode of The PE Huddle, Ryan reflects on his experiences working in schools and discusses ways in which teachers can raise their gymnastics game.
The podcast covers:
· Teaching gymnastics vocabulary
· The importance of building on fundamental skills, not just sequence difficulty
· Why gymnastics is key for building skills in all sports
· Challenging all children to reach their potential
· Why using a combination of types of CPD is vital
In episode 5 of this series of The PE Huddle, Dan is joined by teacher (and five-ball juggler) Brendan Rouse.
Who is Brendan Rouse?
Brendan is a primary teacher who specialises in teaching PE. He works across two different schools and also leads Forest School.
In 2002 Brendan won the LTA Tennis Teacher of the Year Award, which opened the door to becoming a School Sports Coordinator. He has since visited and supported over 60 primary schools. He has also been a Youth Sport Trust Tops Tutor and lectured on the Bath Spa University Primary PGCE PE specialist course.
During lockdown, Brendan set himself the challenge of learning to juggle with five balls!
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, Brendan and Dan talk about:
· The A, B, C, D, E and F of Primary PE
· The impact of physical activity on behaviour and concentration
· Why you should develop your Leadership and Management skills, as well as your PE teaching
Helen Lowe took over as Headteacher at Penns Primary just two months before the first lockdown. Despite all the disruption that ensued, she has worked hard to raise the profile of PE and physical activity in the school and to put it at the heart of school life.
Helen joins us on this week’s episode of The PE Huddle to share her nuggets of wisdom.
Who is Helen Lowe?
Helen hails from Merseyside but having moved to Birmingham to study she now considers it to be home. A teacher since 2003, Helen worked her way up the leadership ladder and has now been a Headteacher for four years.
As Headteacher of a one-form entry school, she is proud of the family feel of the school and feels lucky to be part of the school’s fantastic community. She strongly believes that the role of a Headteacher in school improvement goes hand in hand with being ‘on the ground’ working with the children and modelling the behaviours she wants to see.
As a lifelong Liverpool football club fan and a keen cricketer, Helen has been known to get her PE kit on to play sport with the children, showing them that even the Headteacher enjoys being active!
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, Helen and Paul talk about:
- Encouraging conversation with parents about children’s activity levels
- Assessing and tracking the fitness of all pupils
- Embedding more physical activity into every day.
When Karl Rogerson walked into his Headteacher’s office and declared that PE teaching in the school wasn’t good enough and that he could make it better, he probably didn’t realise he was taking the first step in a career which would involve using PE to improve schools at all levels.
Karl joins us on this week’s episode of The PE Huddle to share his experiences
Who is Karl Rogerson?
Karl started his career as a teacher and is now the Principal of a three-form primary school in Birmingham. Along the way, he worked as an Advanced Skills Teacher for Physical Education and as a Curriculum Consultant for Birmingham Local Authority.
He is also Headteacher Ambassador for Youth Sports Trust and a facilitator on the Education Development Trust Schools partnership programme.
Karl is passionate about school improvement and the impact that high-quality teaching and learning can have on young people's lives, especially the most vulnerable in our society.
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, Karl and Dan talk about:
- The importance of PE across the whole school
- How PE Leads and SLT can work together to develop PE
- Ways of engaging stakeholders at all levels
- The importance of celebrating your successes
- How innovation can be a game-changer
In this week’s episode of the PE Huddle, Dan talks to Vanessa King, a PE consultant who knows that every school is different and believes that whatever the circumstances, one of the most important things you can do is always be looking for ways to develop yourself and your team.
Who is Vanessa King?
Vanessa is a qualified teacher with an MA in Primary Education. Vanessa has taught in schools in the UK as well as abroad and was a PE lead for many years. She’s soon due to finish a doctorate examining the contextual factors that impact upon PE, physical activity and sport experiences in primary schools in the UK.
In her current role as a consultant, she has worked with hundreds of teachers across the UK, supporting them in the delivery of PE to improve their knowledge and confidence of the subject.
Vanessa has also supported a number of organisations with the development of content including Association for Physical Education, Oak Academy, Hampshire PE and School Sport, Energise Me and a number of coaching organisations. She has presented at a number of conferences, including afPE initial teacher training and the afPE national conference.
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, we discuss:
- Benchmarking in PE
- Implementing an action plan
- Creating a team and ethos focused on PE, school sport and physical activity
- How to build a team around you
- Developing staff for whole school impact
The PE Huddle podcast is back for a second series!
Episode 1 is now live, and Paul is in discussion with Stuart Jones.
Who is Stuart Jones?
Stuart is a busy man. In a one-form entry primary in Birmingham he holds many roles. Along with teaching Year 5, being Deputy Headteacher, managing Inclusion and leading History, Stuart is the school’s PE and School Sport Lead.
In the first episode of the new series of The PE Huddle, we meet Stuart and hear about his mission to make physical activity something that happens naturally and that is effortlessly integrated across the curriculum.
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, Stuart:
- tells us how he supports early career teachers to become confident in teaching PE.
- shares how he ensures CPD is targeted to support individual teachers with what they really need.
- explains the approach the school is striving towards, where physical activity is naturally and effortlessly integrated in a cross curricular way.
- talks about how to get staff to see the benefit of physical activity within all lessons.
- discusses the importance of good high-quality PE that addresses not only the physical movement and learning of life skills but supports the wellbeing and mindfulness of the children.
Guest Helen Battelley is a world-renowned expert in physical activity in the Early Years. In this episode of The PE Huddle, Helen shares from her wealth of experience, and will inspire you to overhaul your provision. Helen’s enthusiasm for her work is infectious and her top tips will add creativity and fun to the learning in your school.
Who is Helen Battelley?
Helen is an Early Years PE and physical development specialist. As a consultant, trainer, author and speaker she is highly respected for her contribution to raising the profile of early years physical activity.
She has been working as a dance and movement specialist for over 19 years and continues to work directly with children as a researcher for Birmingham City University
The embodiment of her practice is to raise confidence and value in the areas of music, movement and physical activity.
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode, Helen:
- explains why PE, physical activity and physical development are so important in the Early Years (and Key Stage 1) and why an understanding of neuroscience is so valuable to Early Years educators.
- tells us why she believes that change needs to be made through a bottom-up approach rather than a top-down one.
- shares what she thinks are the key ingredients for a strong ethos towards PE, sport and physical activity in schools.
- discusses what the biggest challenges are that primary schools are facing at this time.
In episode 3 of The Primary PE Huddle, guests James Latham and Jonathan Smart from Excelsior Multi Academy Trust join hosts Dan and Paul to talk abouttheir professional relationship and why it is key to the success of PE and Physical Activity in the Trust’s schools.
Who is James Latham?
James is PE Lead at Excelsior MAT. Alongside teaching and engaging children in regular activity, his role is to work with staff to increase their confidence, knowledge and skills in teaching PE & sport, and to raise the profile of PE and sport across the MAT.
With a degree in Sports & Exercise Science and Business Management, James has been involved with young people in sport and education throughout his career. He holds several coaching badges and a Level 5 Certificate in Primary School Physical Education Specialism.
James has also represented England as part of the England Lionhearts Rugby League and often uses this to inspire children work hard and strive for success.
Who is Jonathan Smart?
Jonathan was a Head Teacher for many years before becoming Deputy CEO at Excelsior MAT in 2018.
Jonathan has many strings to his education bow. He is a former Ofsted inspector, a Lead Reviewer for the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), President of Birmingham Branch of NAHT and is a Local Leader of Education.
Jonathan believes that quality PE and Physical Activity in schools is essential and as a Senior Leader his support is instrumental in ensuring the success of James’ work.
What’s covered in the podcast?
- Jonathan gives us an SLT viewpoint on the importance of PE and Physical Activity in schools.
- We discuss how to create a successful collaboration between a PE Lead and SLT.
- We share ideas on how to embed a positive ethos and culture towards PE and Physical Activity.
In episode 2, Dan and Paul sit down to chat with guest Ian Griffiths.
Who is Ian Griffiths?
Ian is a Deputy Head Teacher at a primary school in Birmingham. Having grown up doing a lot of sport, he chose to study for a Sports degree and earned coaching badges in cricket and athletics.
After a stint of working as a cricket coach in schools, Ian decided to train as a teacher and with his passion for sport, was soon made PE subject leader in his school.
Ian has been teaching for 15 years and has also worked with Early Years developments for Birmingham City Council, as well as supporting with the delivery of the Level 5 PE accreditation.
As a member of senior leadership, he still has a very active role in PE delivery and development within his school. He is in a position to ensure that physical activity is integrated into the curriculum, although he is of course aware of the challenges that this can entail.
What’s covered in the podcast?
In this episode we:
· delve into Ian’s journey through sport and into teaching.
· find out Ian’s thoughts on the power of physical activity in primary schools.
· discuss how to ensure PE, sport and physical activity are at the heart of school life.
· get Ian’s top tips for embedding a top-down physically active ethos.
In the first episode of our new podcast series, The Primary PE Huddle, hosts Dan Hays and Andrew Stanton are joined by Dr Andy Daly-Smith, Children’s Physical Activity Researcher.
Who is Dr Andy Daly-Smith?
Dr Daly-Smith’s passion is supporting schools, teachers and children to embrace physical activity.
His practice driven research focuses on the impact and implementation of physically active learning.
Key themes within his work include physical activity across the segmented school-day, whole-school approaches to physical activity and the efficacy, effectiveness and implementation of physically active learning.
As Senior Lecturer in Physical Activity and Behavioural Science at Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University, Dr Daly-Smith oversaw the physically active learning research project which featured the Aspire, Maths on the Move programme and evidenced the programme’s success in driving activity and improving maths attainment.
Dr Daly-Smith is currently a Reader in Healthy Childhood at the University of Bradford.
What’s covered in the podcast?
- What we can learn from the research surrounding physical activity and learning
- The barriers preventing physically active learning from taking place
- How to best utilise physically active learning in the curriculum
- The tracking of physical activity at primary age
- Teaching approaches and programmes which boost physical activity
- The key ingredients to achieve whole school engagement in physical activity
- Tips for practitioners who would like to embed Physically Active Learning in their primary school