Physical Education
Physical education in secondary schools has a purpose that goes well beyond teaching games and sport. It develops physical literacy, the ability and confidence to be physically active in a wide range of contexts throughout life, and it contributes to the health, wellbeing, social development and resilience of young people during some of the most formative years of their lives. A degree that leads directly to Qualified Teacher Status in PE prepares you not only to teach effectively but to understand why physical education matters and to advocate for it within and beyond the school.
At the University of Chichester this three-year programme provides the practical, professional and academic skills needed to become a secondary school PE teacher, and on successful completion you will receive a recommendation for Qualified Teacher Status, enabling you to teach in schools in England and Wales. You will study physical education curriculum design, child development, sport science, educational psychology, and inclusive practice, developing the theoretical understanding and practical teaching skills that a career in school PE requires. Sustained school placement experience is embedded in the programme, giving you real teaching experience in secondary schools under professional supervision.
QTS in physical education opens a direct career pathway into secondary school teaching, where demand for well-qualified PE specialists remains strong. Beyond classroom teaching, physical education graduates with QTS develop careers as department heads, school sports coordinators, pastoral leaders, special educational needs coordinators, and school sport partnership managers. Some move into sport development, coaching, elite performance environments, or the growing world of school sport and physical activity policy.
Postgraduate study in physical education, sport coaching, or educational leadership is an option for those seeking to develop specialist expertise or move into senior leadership roles within the education system.