L.O. 1810 State policy on school physical education in, Ireland, with special reference to the period 1960-1996 I By Patrick Duffy, B.A. M.S. Ph.D. Dissertation Education Department, St Patrick’s College, Maynooth Supervisor: Professor John Coolahan January 1997 Table of contents List of tables................................................................i List of figures..............................................................ii Acknowledgements.....................................................iii Definition of terms......................................................v Introduction Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and scope of the stucfy.............................................................................................................4 Methods..................................................................................................................................................6 The need for the study......................................................................................................8 Chapter 1: Policy on school physical education prior to 1970 Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 16 Developments in school physical education at the turn of the century.............................................. 16 Physical education within the new State................... 21 The emergence of a positive State policy on physical education........................................................30 Physical education within the broadening concept of education during the 1960's.........................40 Chapter 2: Sporting and physical education traditions in Ireland Introduction...........................................................................................................................................51 The sporting legacy............................................................................................................................ 51 Traditions in physical education....................................................................................................... 57 Chapter 3: The origins and establishment of N.C.P.E. Introduction.........................................................................................................................................82 Towards a national college of physical education.............................................................................83 The decision to proceed with N.C.P.E............................................................................................. 85 The location of N.C.P.E. in Limerick.............................................................................................. 91 The treatment of existing traditions..................................................................................................93 Chapter 4: Physical education within N.C.P.E. and Thomond College Introduction........................................................................................................................................97 Planning and early administration...................................................................................................97 Status and mission.................................................................................... .....101 Structures within the College...........................................................................................................108 Academic and religious influences..................................................................................................114 The performance of the College......................................................................................................119 Chapter 5: The registration of physical education teachers Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 136 Early attempts at registering teachers of physical training...........................................................136 The re-awakening of official interest in physical education....................................................... 138 The registration of teachers with qualifications gained in Great Britain....................................145 The case of N.C.P.E. and the degree/diploma discrepancy.......................................................... 147 The registration pattern of physical education teachers................................................................149 The Registration Council as a microcosm of the policy process.................................................. 153 Chapter 6: Department of Education policy following the establishment of N.C.P.E. Introduction......................................................................................................................................157 Department of Education policy on school physical education during the 1970's......................158 The move towards a curriculum framework............................................................ 160 The role of the professional association in influencing policy.....................................................164. The move towards a legislative framework..................................................... 177 Chapter 7: The curriculum in primary and second-level physical education since 1960 Introduction. ..................................................................................... 188 The primary school syllabus in physical education.......................................................................188 Second-level syllabi.........................................................................................................................193 Physical education syllabi within academic and cultural contexts.............................................203 Chapter 8: The implementation of policy in school physical education Introduction.....................................................................................................................................207 Provision for primary school physical education.......................................................................207 Provision for physical education at second-level.......................................................................210 Specialist teachers and the time allocated to physical education..............................................216 Grants for major facilities.................................................................................................. 224 Qualitative aspects of physical education provision at second-level.........................................227 Actual gains in the context of stated policy............................................................................... 238 Chapter 9: The link between sports policy and school physical education Introduction..................................................................................................................................243 The early operation of the Sports Section of the Department of Education............................245 A change of Government and the formation of Cospoir.........................................................254 Sports policy within the context of overall government policy...............................................262 Chapter 10: School physical education - key developments, influences and future directions Introduction................................................................................................................................271 Stages in the development of physical education....................................................................271 Key policy themes in the re-appraisal of physical education..................................................287 Appendices................................................................................................................................ 297 Bibliography..............................................................................................................................301 List of tables Table Title Page 1. Family and State responsibilities in the education of the child.................26 2. Chronology leading to the enactment of the Constitution, 1937..............27 3. N.C.P.E. and Thomond College graduates in physical education...........120 4. Number of applicants for the physical education course 1981-1990.......121 5. Main elements of the primary school syllabus in physical education.......191 6. Facilities recommended for the implementation of the primary school physical education syllabus............................................. 192 7. Major stages of the 1987 physical education syllabus..............................199 8. Comparison of 1973 and 1987 syllabi in terms of facility recommendations.....................................................................................202 9. Facilities for physical education at primary school................................ 208 10. Time allocation to physical education at colleges of education.............209 11. Percentage of students taking physical education..................................210 12. Schools offering physical education at junior and senior cycle............. 214 13. Schools with qualified physical education teachers.................................219 14. Percentage