Subject Choice in Scottish Secondary School Physical Education: Higher Grade Physical Education

This article investigates the notion of subject choice in physical education and the factors that encouraged or discouraged students from studying Higher Grade Physical Education (HGPE). The increase in the type and number of school subjects students are now able to choose from is addressed as is the pressure that market-based reforms of state schooling have put on teachers to attract students to their particular subjects. The affective and utilitarian reasons that Woods (1984) has reported as affecting subject choice are used to frame the issue of subject choice in physical education (PE) and the subsequent discussion of results. Results are reported from two groups of students (17 to 18 years old) from one Scottish secondary state-run school. One group had chosen to study HGPE while the other group had chosen not to. Affective factors such as liking or disliking the subject area and utilitarian factors such as the perceived usefulness of the subject in pursuing a particular career were found to be important reasons for choosing (or not) HGPE. Students' expectations of examinable PE and teachers' promotion of such an opportunity are identified as two issues that require further research.