•The 1944 Education Act had no accompanying syllabus but did bring about a range of changes.

•Mandatory regulations were laid down in respect of playing field allocation and the provision of Gymnasia.

•In the immediate post war period 17 new P.E. specialist colleges were created.

•Another post war development was the range of experimental initiatives into developing “Outdoor Apparatus”.

•Modified versions of Assault Course Apparatus were used to enhance the range of Environmental experiences, particularly in inner-city settings.

POST WAR PHYSICAL EDUCATION

•In the immediate post war years, attention continued to focus on a much wider setting for Physical Recreation, both generally and in schools.

•Cycling and the YHA had allowed a freedom of movement around the countryside and the “Outward Bound” schools came about from this. By the middle 1950’s the testing and building of “Character” was to be based in Wild and Mountainous settings as opposed to “on the public school playing field”. Ironically the aims were very much the same: Developing Courage, Initiative, Co-operation and Leadership.

•From such beginnings came “the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme”- A badge scheme.

MOVEMENT,DANCE AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

•In 1940 Rudolph Laban’s modern Dance first appeared in P.E. circles.

•There was much antagonism towards what they considered the latest gimmick. The P.E. profession was divided into two camps with Men more resistant than women. WHY?

•In 1952/53 the ministry of education produced Moving and Growing and Planning the Programme both intended to replace the 1933 syllabus.

Moving and GrowingPost war educational philosophy also led to a movement away

from prescribed syllabuses and in 1952 the Ministry of Education published Moving and Growing and in 1954 Planning the programme. All PE teachers received copies. These publications offered advice and suggestions rather than commands and represented the final move towards a child centred approach to physical education.

Key emphasis was now on educational gymnastics

There was no other central instructions until 1988 with the introduction of the National Curriculum.

•Educational Gymnastics became the new valuable currency in P.E. and “Going with Weight”, “Taking Weight”, “Obtaining Flight” and “Small and Large Parts” became part of the new language that accompanied it.