Criticisms of the Model Course

• Military emphasis too strong• Essentially adult exercises were performed

by children• No account of children’s physical, mental

or emotional needs• No educational content• Use of NCO’s lowered the status of the

subject

1904 Board of Education Syllabus

The protests resulted in a governmental review including a committee to examine the Model Course and a number of Royal commissions

Committee summarised that the Model course was unsatisfactory because it lacked educational development and allowed no differentiation on the basis of age or gender.

1904 Board of Education SyllabusThe Committee drew up a revised syllabus which

replaced the Model Course.

Move back towards Swedish drill though still a strong emphasis on military exercise in the syllabus.

Also recognition that exercise could be used as a form of social welfare

This young lady is doing stretching exercises in the classroom circa 1905

1907 Board of Education Syllabus

• Update of 1904 syllabus• Board of Education now included medical

department and this was given responsibility for physical training in state schools

• A new team of inspectors was appointed and they researched system of exercise across Europe

• They summarised that the Swedish system was the most suitable for school aged children.

1909 Syllabus of Physical Training• Included sections on physiology and hygiene,

this syllabus was the first to differentiate between children of different ages(infants and juniors).

• It also allowed more recreational activities (dancing, skipping and games)

• Still therapeutic core and large class sizes and lack of space still required a drill style delivery.

• Syllabus also required local authorities to make provision for the training of their teachers ( so making the drill instructors surplus to requirements)

The Fisher Act of 1918Made provision for local authorities to set up:• Holiday and school camps• Centres and equipment for physical training, playing

fields and schools baths• Other physical training facilities for use in day or

evening

No compulsory requirement and not until 1944 that local authorities were require to provide playing fields.

•The 1919 syllabus came just after the first world war and was a considerable improvement on its predecessors.•Small sided games were included and playgrounds marked out to accommodate these.•Exercises were organised to benefit specific parts of the body.Partner work and group work were also included to augment the Dance steps and children’s games.This syllabus became the first that could be regarded as truly “child centered”•The new demand for women specialists was so great that new one year courses were set up to train women teachers. There was however no equivalent course for men.

Women's physical education class from c. 1918.What's with the sailor uniform? Did you know? - Just like the Navy, the schools had "blues" (dark

blue wool uniforms for winter) and "whites" as seen above (for spring and summer wear).

The war years were followed by the Depression, and life became very difficult

for the lower classes.

Throughout these years, though education continued to develop – school leaving age

was raised to 14 and new secondary schools were built many with gymnasiums and

playing fields.

•In 1926 the re-organisation of schools with the opening of Grammar schools led to a demarcation between primary and secondary education.•The resulting HADOW report of 1926 recognised the need for P.E. to reflect the difference in age groups.

1933 Board of Education Syllabus

In 1933 the last Board of Education syllabus was produced- a revised syllabus of Physical Training for Schools.

It had two separate sections, • part one suggesting activities for

primary school children (5-11)• part two suggesting activities for

children in senior schools (11-14)

1933 Board of Education Syllabus

The emphasis of all activities was now on posture, perhaps reflecting the problems the lowered standard of living during the depression years had caused.

Again games were encouraged and there was one major step away from the drills style of delivery – the introduction of group work, a clear move away form the command response style Model Course