BA (Hons) Physical Education (Primary Years)

This degree gives you practical, pedagogical, and academic training to teach physical education to primary-aged children (typically ages 5–11). It’s perfect if you’re passionate about both sport and teaching, and want to build a career in education or youth sport coaching.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

In your first year, you lay a strong foundation with modules like Foundations of Learning and Teaching, where you explore pedagogical theory and how children learn. You’ll also study The Enquiring Practitioner, incorporating biomechanical principles and enquiry-based practice, and Outdoor and Adventurous Activities in Education, which helps you plan and deliver adventurous-learning sessions suitable for primary settings. Practical modules include Knowledge and Understanding of Individual Activities (Aesthetics) (gymnastics/dance), Principles of Play Through Invasion Games, Pedagogical Skills in Athletics and Swimming, and Purposeful Practice for Games-Based Physical Education, helping you understand how to apply theory in real lessons.

Year 2

In the second year, your focus shifts toward inclusion and behaviour in primary PE: you study Managing Individual Differences and Behaviours, learning how to adapt your teaching and coaching for children with different needs. You also explore Enrichment Through Physical Education, where you engage with research-led debate on how PE contributes to health, well‑being, and social development in primary schools. Additionally, you study Promoting Best Principles in Physical Education, evaluating leadership, pedagogy and how primary PE should be run in schools, while building your professional practice.

Year 3

Your final year includes advanced pedagogical and academic work plus opportunities to shape your own path: you’ll take optional modules linked to your interests, such as policy, student leadership or curriculum design. You will also complete module work that deepens your understanding of best practices in primary-level PE, and you’ll engage in extended school placements to design and lead PE sessions in real primary classrooms. Throughout, you reflect critically on your professional identity and your role as a future PE teacher or coach.

Focus Areas

• Physical literacy and motor skill development in young children

• Pedagogical theory and practice specific to primary education

• Outdoor adventurous learning and forest school approaches

• Inclusive practices and behaviour management

• Curriculum enrichment, leadership, and professional development

• Research-driven teaching and coaching in a primary context

Learning Outcomes

By graduation, you will be able to design and deliver engaging PE lessons for primary school children, adapt your teaching for different learning needs, lead adventurous and outdoor activities, evaluate and improve your planning through research and reflection, and work confidently within primary school environments either as a teacher or coach.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

This course prepares you for teaching training pathways: graduates are supported and well-qualified to progress into teacher-training programmes such as PGCE Primary or PGCE Primary Physical Education, thanks to strong partnerships with local schools. The degree includes multiple school placements to build your classroom experience and professional network.

Reputation (Employability)

The University of Chichester has a long history of teacher training and strong ties with local primary schools. Its PE‑specialist staff, well‑equipped sports facilities, and student‑centred teaching make this degree a strong springboard into primary education, coaching, or further postgraduate study in education or sport.