Review

In England, recent years have witnessed unprecedented central government policy commitment to in-vestment in physical education and sport. The rationale for investment variously lies with the state of the health of the nation, obesity levels with associated health care costs predicted at £2 billion annually, seden-tary lifestyles and in high drop-out rates of young people from sport. At the same time, research into effects of physical activity and cognitive functioning, influence on development of positive psycho-social qualities, and studies showing rising levels of attendance and attentiveness when children engage in regular exercise while exclusions and disruptive behaviour fall, provide evidence that a sports (broadly defined) active life-style can improve health, counter anti-social behaviours and foster social inclusion. Such juxta-positioning of apparent opposites is rather paradoxical. The government’s investment commitment has resonance in such a context by attempting to reconcile the historical duality of physical education and sport in partner-ship approaches. This article addresses physical education/sport partnership issues along with government and quasi non-governmental agency interventions and the response of a higher education training provider, University of Worcester, to consequent occupational opportunities in present day England. Additionally, as a precursor to, and in order to provide a more informed contextual setting for the issues, interventions and provider re