10 blogs every PE and Sport trainee/ECT needs to read this summer

Dear PE colleagues,

As well as working for The EverLearner, I've spent the best part of my teaching career as a PE subject mentor, and honestly, it's one of the most rewarding parts of the job. I've been fortunate to work alongside a number of brilliant ITT and ECT PE colleagues, and I've also acted as a visiting PE lecturer at a university, delivering aspects of their ITT PE courses.

There's something genuinely special about watching a PE trainee or an ECT walk into their first lessons nervous and unsure, and then, a year or two later, watching that same teacher stand confidently in front of a class, explaining and modelling a concept with clarity and excellent subject knowledge. To play even a small part in that journey is a privilege.

So if I had a trainee or ECT joining me this September, these are the 10 blog posts I'd point them towards first. Not because they're the only things worth reading, but because between them they cover the four things I believe every new PE teacher needs to nurture early: subject knowledge, pedagogy, curriculum knowledge, and a bit of cognitive science thrown in for good measure. All of these areas are covered as part of The EverLearner PE Teacher Academy, our PE-specific CPD platform, which has a number of courses relevant for ITT and ECT practitioners.

So here they are in no particular order: 

1. Ten most common misconceptions in PE theory teaching 
James unpicks 10 errors that even confident PE teachers repeat without realising. A brilliant subject-knowledge check before you're standing in front of a class.

2. 20 mistakes I’ve made in 20 years of classroom-based PE teaching
An honest reflection from an experienced PE teacher, covering everything from over-relying on PowerPoint to undervaluing memorisation and starting lessons with definitions instead of examples. 

3. PE classroom formats - Which ones to choose and why
James walks through five different classroom layouts - rank-and-file, horseshoe, console, boardroom and zoned - and explains what each one is actually designed to cause, not just how it looks. A practical read for anyone about to set up their own theory classroom for the first time.

4. Blending theory and practice: Transforming core PE with the EverLearner
Written by Jake Dyer when he was Head of PE at Bluecoat Trent Academy (he is now at South Nottinghamshire Academy), this post shows how theory and practical PE can work together in core lessons rather than existing as separate silos. Useful curriculum thinking for anyone trying to make theory feel relevant beyond the exam classroom.

5. Teaching the musculoskeletal system for AQA, Edexcel and OCR GCSE PE - Setting the standard
A board-specific breakdown of how the musculoskeletal system differs across the three major GCSE PE specifications. Essential curriculum knowledge if you're not yet familiar with the quirks between exam boards. Also relevant, as this is often a topic that’s sequenced to be taught by departments at the start of the course. 

6. James’s PE classroom rules - They might not be what you’re expecting! (Part 1)
10 rules James lives by in his own classroom, including "straight lines," "label, label, label," and performing a skill before writing about it. A great model for anyone still developing their own classroom routines and expectations.

7. What Jim told James (conversations between an experienced Head of PE and ECT)
Framed as a dialogue between a Head of PE and an early-career teacher, this post covers subject knowledge, teaching to the full breadth of a mark scheme rather than "teaching to the spec," and how to differentiate meaningfully. It reads like the mentor conversation every ECT should have in their first term.

8. The CUB technique: Earning PE and Sport students extra exam marks right now
A simple metacognitive routine students can apply to any exam question, from a short answer to an extended response. A quick win you can teach in your very first lessons.

9. The E-I-O model: Scoring higher on AO2 in PE exams 
The E-I-O model (Example, Impact, Outcome) gives students a clear structure for writing exam examples that actually score marks, rather than examples that stop short of showing impact. Another quick win for students to hone regularly during the course.

10. A mode of one - The use of slides in PE and Sport classroom teaching
James makes the case for using far fewer slides than most PE teachers assume they need (sometimes just one per lesson) and explains the thinking behind stripping back presentations in favour of active teaching. A thought-provoking one to finish on.

So there you have it, some reading to get you thinking and questioning ready for the start of the new academic year. In teaching, there will be days that go brilliantly and the days that don't, and often a good cup of tea and a debrief with your PE mentor afterwards will help. But hopefully these 10 give you a bit of a head start, and a few ideas to try out along the way.

Please don’t forget to check out our PE Teacher Academy page to get more information on the bespoke CPD opportunities available to you and your colleagues.

Whoever you are reading this, whether you're a trainee, an ECT, or a PE mentor pointing someone towards these resources, I hope these 10 blog posts will help you to build confidence, sharpen your PE practice and remind you why you wanted to teach PE in the first place. It is the best job in the world, after all! 

Happy reading! 

Andy