This research explores the process of becoming a teacher of primary physical education (PE)
within an English University based Initial Teacher Training context. Despite the introduction
of a National Physical Education and school sport subject strategy in 2003, academics and
professionals in the UK and elsewhere have continued to suggest that primary PE is highly
problematic, echoing the views of others expressed consistently over four decades. There have
been regular calls for a significant increase in the time allocated to the subject within the
structure of primary ITT and some have suggested that primary PE is best taught by
‘specialists’ as many class teachers feel most comfortable delegating this task to others.
However, although some researchers have suggested that trainee primary teachers are more or
less disposed towards the teaching of PE, little is known regarding the dual role of
dispositional and structural factors, or the way in which they combine to result in particular
primary PE practices.