Life skilled through physical education Key Findings … · Life-skilled through physical education...
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Life-skilled through physical education Key Findings and Impact October 2016
Transcript of Life skilled through physical education Key Findings … · Life-skilled through physical education...
Life-skilled through physical educationKey Findings and Impact October 2016
MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Introduction
My Personal Best (My PB) is based on investigative research conducted by the TOP Foundation. It aims to develop character traits and essential life skills through an explicit approach to teaching character in curriculum PE lessons with the potential to reach 100% of pupils within the year groups chosen. It is a new, innovative and sustainable approach for young people (aged 11-16) that will help them succeed in education, work and life.
Good character is educable; it is not fixed... It is the foundation of improved attainment, better behaviour and increased employability but, most importantly, healthier societies.
A Framework for Character Education (2014), Jubilee Centre, University of Birmingham
It feels good to know that what you are doing will help you in the rest of your life, no matter what you do.
Female pupil, aged 12
During 2015/16 a DfE grant opportunity came at a perfect time to pilot this early development work with more schools. The pilot of 25 schools came from three multi-academy trusts across the West/East Midlands and Eastern Counties, trained 161 teachers and reached 5,106 pupils (aged 11-16). These schools had varied intakes from some areas of challenge including coastal communities.
This summary shares the findings and early impact from the year-long pilot through the monitoring and evaluation undertaken jointly by Loughborough University and the Youth Sport Trust’s Research and Insight Team.
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Teachers and Schools
• School policy and vision emphasising development of life skills in andthrough PE.
• Developing life skills of pupils in and through PE lessons.
• Teachers incorporating/embedding life skills explicitly into PE lessons/learning objectives.
• Changing assessment methods to focus on pupils’ whole development.
• My PB in PE linking to other subject areas/whole school approaches.
• Sharing changes in teaching and learning approaches with colleagues,senior leaders, and other schools.
Key Findings
My PB reinforced the recognition in SLT of the value of what we deliver beyond the physical. It improved the motivation of students to develop their character.
Male PE Teacher
Changes in practice as a result of My PB:
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Impact – the benefits of delivering My PB for teachers • 79% have greater knowledge of how to explicitly develop learners’ life
skills in and through PE.
• 77% were more motivated to improve delivery of PE and physical activity.
• 75% improved their skills to explicitly develop learners’ life skills in andthrough PE.
• 67% were more confident to explicitly develop learners’ life skills in andthrough PE.
• 63% improved their ability to reflect on their own practice in the delivery ofPE.
Whilst planning I have endeavoured to create opportunities to be explicit about life skills in PE. Through delivery I have used the My PB terminology which I didn't use before.
Female PE teacher
My PB has enabled me to teach more to my chosen style which concentrates on the individual as a whole person rather than the 'athlete' so more students can engage – not just those that are typically 'good at PE'.
Female PE teacher
Always have a My PB objective.
Male PE teacher
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Teacher perceptions of the changes in pupils’ life skills
Teachers felt that pupils have improved their ability to demonstrate resilience and responsibility the most. The findings suggest that PE lessons provide a strong base for developing a range of life skills amongst pupils.
Impact – the changes seen in pupils
Teachers reported a range of positive changes amongst their pupils:
• 77% improved engagement in PE.
• 67% improved behaviour in PE.
• 68% improved participation in physical activity.
• 67% improved enjoyment of physical activity.
• 26% had improved their general behaviour in school.
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Helping pupils prepare for adult life
• More than 90% of teachers felt that the My PB approach develops pupils’life skills to be better prepared for adult life.
Overall experience of My PB
• Three quarters of teachers rated their experience of My PB as very goodor good.
• 99% rated the training and support for My PB as good/very good.
Embedding the My PB approach
• More than 60% of teachers felt that the My PB approach was easy toembed into the delivery of PE classes.
Young People
Changes in awareness and development of life skills
• 70% of pupils were more aware of the increased focus on life skills in MyPB PE lessons.
• 75% of pupils enjoyed their life skill PE lessons – they enjoyed workingtogether, that everyone is treated fairly, there was a focus and time toreflect.
• Pupils understood more about the My PB Life Skills than at the start of theyear.
• Since taking part in My PB over 70% of pupils like taking part in physicalactivity and PE more.
These findings suggest that My PB has positively influenced pupils’ attitudes towards physical activity, participation in PE and learning.
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Pupils’ feelings towards taking part in physical activity and PE and learning at school, since the start of My PB (based on 311-314 responses)
Impact – the positive outcomes for young people
Pupils have experienced a wide range of positive outcomes during the pilot year; most notably their understanding of how PE can help them to develop their life skills, with over 80% of pupils reporting that this has improved. Two thirds of pupils also report that their confidence and happiness have improved.
81% improved their understanding of how PE can help them develop their life skills.
67% improved their confidence and happiness.
64% improved their confidence in leading or influencing other young people.
63% improved their ability to appreciate how other people are feeling.
62% have improved feelings that they can achieve anything they want to achieve.
61% improved their ability to come up with and apply new ideas and their ability to stick at tasks.
60% improved their behaviour in PE lessons.
51% improved their behaviour in school.
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
Wider benefits experienced by pupils
Pupils most commonly reported they had gained ‘confidence’ and had ‘improved’ when describing the benefit of taking part in lessons that focused on life skill development.
Resilience and self-motivation have emerged as the two strongest life skills that pupils identified they have developed since the start of My PB. Interestingly, resilience along with responsibility were the two life skills where the majority of teachers felt pupils had made greatest improvements . This shows clear connectivity between teacher observation and pupils’ own recognition.
A summary of the wider benefits pupils have experienced as a result of taking part in lessons that had a focus on life skills
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
The pilot for My PB reached over 5,100 pupils
The demographic breakdown:
• 50% males and 50% females.
• 23% have a disability (including special educational needs).
• 13% were from a minority ethnic background.
• 23% received free school meals.
• 32% received pupil premium.
What pupils said about My PB PE Lessons
It feels good to know that what you are doing will help you in the rest of your life; no matter what you do.
Female aged 12
I have liked them because they give us time to reflect on our current feelings and state.
Male aged 13
I like them because they help you appreciate everything you can do.
Female aged 13
Because you can focus on becoming a better person and influencing others in the community.
Male aged 13
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MY PERSONAL BEST — KEY FINDINGS AND IMPACT
The evaluation identified a number of positive outcomes for both pupils and teachers over the course of the My Personal Best pilot in the 25 schools. Not only did pupils have a greater awareness that their PE lessons focused on life skills; they enjoyed these lessons more. Teachers who were leading and driving this delivery felt that they have greater knowledge, are more motivated and have developed their skills in character development.
Teachers and pupils alike have reported a range of benefits. Pupils have developed a greater awareness and have a more informed self-judgment across the key life skills and character traits. There was increased recognition of the value of key skills to their life and future employment. Much of this learning is supported and reinforced by teachers.
A set of recommendations have emerged from the Youth Sport Trust and Loughborough University evaluations. These recommendations have been positioned under three themes:
My PB development – embedding the approach for long lasting change; sharing practical examples; broadening the access to My PB as an intervention for schools.
Schools – encouraging PE departments to share their learning with senior leaders and colleagues to demonstrate the impact on student personal development, behaviours and wellbeing. Sharing practice between schools through varied forums.
Future research – build upon the findings from the pilot to grow and develop My PB and engage more schools in the future; be mindful of the needs in schools for readiness, for time to embed and to access learning in life skills.
Conclusionsand Recommendations
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