The Recruitment of Secondary School Physical Education Teachers in England: A Gendered Perspective?

Abstract

The current UK government’s concern with social inclusion in many aspects of educational policy has generated much professional debate amongst teachers in terms of what the new policy directives will mean for their practice. While this has highlighted the need to respond to pupils’ diverse learning needs, little has been said in respect of the recruitment of secondary school teachers within an all-inclusive framework. Under the provisions of the UK Education Reform Act (1988), governing bodies have increased responsibilities for all aspects of staffing, including appointments and promotion and have a legislative obligation with regard to equal opportunities both as a provider of services and as an employer. This article focuses on the recruitment of secondary school physical education (PE) teachers. Specifically, the research investigates gendered dimensions of this and assesses the extent to which secondary school employers in England use socially constructed perceptions of gender as a basis to advertise for PE staff. The article contends that secondary schools are restricting employment opportunities for male and female teachers through the vocabulary used in national advertisements and thus perpetuating gender divisions within PE.