Health and physical education - navigating the chasm of school policy, management and practices to enact the intended curriculum

The learning area of HPE is marginalised and compromised through policies that result in lower numbers of HPE specialists than necessary to cover workload being employed, particularly primary schools; negative perceptions and misconceptions about the learning area; lack of professional respect and professional development and misguided pedagogy that fails to engage the 21st Century learner. This qualitative research examines the policy, practices and management barriers to Health and Physical Education(HPE) curriculum delivery. It examines the disconnect between the implementation and enactment of the curriculum in schools with the intended curriculum and education authority directives identifying HPE as a learning entitlement for all Australian children. This places HPE in the mainstream of curriculum delivery yet the reality of the enacted curriculum is that HPE is not prioritised, nor is it presented to children and their parents as an essential element in the health and wellbeing of young people. This research examined how the reputation of HPE has been shaped and to some extent, undermined, and examine factors that prevent the intended valuing of HPE in individual school curriculum and timetabling decisions. Recommendations are made for countering the barriers and building on the enablers to implement effective HPE learning that encompasses curriculum intent and delivers learning appropriate to 21st century learners