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Physical education teachers are responsible for keeping your pupils active, igniting a passion for sport, and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. With this in mind, it’s important to ensure that you have the right person in this role at your school.

In this article, we uncover which skills you should look for in a physical education teacher, and why our sports coaches are the perfect fit.

Top physical education teacher skills

There are numerous skills that are important in P.E. teachers. These include:

1. Qualified

A physical education teacher with the right qualifications is a must, as this will provide confidence in their ability to teach your pupils. There are many different qualifications that a P.E. teacher can hold. At Sport and Health Academy, our coaches have the following certifications at a minimum:

  • BSc sports related degree
  • Recognised National Governing Body (NGB) Level 2 Coaching Certificate in a sport
  • Level 2 Safeguarding and Protecting Children Certificate
  • Level 2 Emergency First Aid Certification

2. Effective planning

The ability to plan excellent lessons is a skill that all teachers should have, including those who teach physical education. Effective planning ensures the lesson has a focus, that children will gain new skills and knowledge from the lesson, that pupils will be engaged throughout, and that everything is well organised in terms of timing and equipment.

3. Communication

Communication skills are key for successful physical education teachers. P.E. is a lesson where health and safety are paramount, so being able to hold the attention of children and communicate with them effectively is vital. Rules and instructions are central to P.E., and being able to share and implement these to a class of children is an important part of being a physical education teacher.

4. Safety

On the topic of safety, a P.E. teacher should be first aid and safeguarding trained to ensure your pupils are in the best possible hands. As a headteacher or P.E. coordinator, you need to have peace of mind that your physical education teacher will know exactly what to do in the unlikely event that a child sustains an injury during their lesson, making safety skills and knowledge extremely important.

5. Passion

Perhaps a skill that gets overlooked, passion is key for physical education teachers as keeping children active and engaged can be challenging. However, if a teacher is passionate about promoting a healthy lifestyle and a love of sport, pupils are far more likely to listen, take part, and gain all of the great benefits that successful P.E. lessons can provide.

At Sport and Health Academy, our coaches have the skills, knowledge, qualifications, and passion required to teach engaging and memorable P.E. lessons. Whether you’re looking for PPA P.E. cover, long-term cover for an injured sports coach, or additional P.E. sessions to keep your pupils active, we’re here to help.

Contact us today and find out more about the P.E. services we provide. We’d love to discuss your school’s requirements with you.