OECD future of education 2030: making physical education dynamic and inclusive for 2030 international curriculum analysis

This thematic report is the culmination of the OECD’s first comparative education policy focus on physical and health education in school systems around the world. Conducted
under the auspices of the OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030 project as part of the International Curriculum Analysis, this report presents new insights into the physical
education curriculum in 18 countries and jurisdictions.
Schools the world over are under pressure to improve student learning outcomes in traditional academic subjects. But schools are not just places where students go to pursue
academic achievement: schools should be nurturing environments that develop the whole child, including their social, emotional, physical and mental well-being. If children and young people are to become responsible, productive and happy members of society, they need a holistic education that prepares them not just for cognitive tasks, but for the broad gamut of personal, social and professional opportunities, challenges and duties in life. In this context, physical and health education curriculum reform has become a policy focus in many OECD and partner countries and jurisdictions looking to promote student health
and well-being.

However, while student health and well-being are a priority, robust research evidence and policy knowledge on which policies and practices in physical and health education support student health and well-being are lacking. The evidence base on comparative policy in physical and health education curriculum is comparatively under-developed relative to core academic learning areas such as literacy and numeracy.

The OECD therefore launched a comparative stock-taking exercise as part of its international curriculum analysis to shed light on this important curriculum area. The resulting collaborative study covering 18 countries and jurisdictions included desktop research, international working groups, an international comparative survey on physical education, and national/jurisdictional case studies with input from experts, academics, policymakers, teachers and school leaders.