Physical education is for life (part 1) redefining school physical education for the 21st century

This series of articles focuses on a lifelong and life-wide vision for physical education (PE) called ‘Physical Education is for Life’ (PEL). Based on ideas from complexity thinking, PEL makes the case that school PE should actively seek to become the ’connective catalyst’ that sets the foundation for the lifelong and life-wide PE journeys of all children and young people. In this first article, we set up the series by sharing two hypothetical school PE scenarios: a multi-activity scenario at ‘Fixed’ High School and a PEL scenario at ‘Flexible’ High School. While we focus these scenarios on secondary (high) schools, the issues raised are equally relevant to the early years and primary school setting. Importantly, these scenarios are the backdrop for the discussions that follow throughout the series as they raise issues and challenges for those PE stakeholders, particularly teachers, who seek to make the transition towards a ‘Physical Education is for Life’ vision. In addition, this first article also presents an overview of the key complexity thinking concepts, or commonalities, that underpin this re-focussing of school PE.