LJMU PESSPA and LSSP PE (Teacher) Conference
Date: Wednesday 11 March 2026
Time: 9am to 3.45pm
Venue: Partnership for Learning, Training and Conference Centre, Speke
Download LJMU PESSPA and LSSP PE (Teacher) Conference programme (PDF, 123KB)
Innovative Practices in PE, School Sport and Physical Activity: Sharing Ideas and Developing Solutions!
Date: Tuesday 1 July 2025
Time: 1pm to 5.30pm
Venue: LJMU Student Life Building/Sports Hall
Join us at the LJMU PE, School Sport, and Physical Activity Network Event for an exciting opportunity to share knowledge, develop new practices and engage in a range of workshop activities. This event is designed for PE teachers (primary or secondary), trainee PE teachers and coaches who are passionate about improving physical education and school sport. Don't miss the chance to connect with colleagues, exchange best practices and support the future of PE in our schools.
Supporting PE for Pupils with Learning Disabilities
Date: Wednesday 12 November 2025
Venue: Teams (Online)
Our 2025 Annual November Webinar was delivered by Dr Alex Consterdine. Drawing on her work with co-author Imogen Dhanda, Alex introduced her paper exploring PE for pupils with learning disabilities. This is essential work because reports from Ofsted show that inclusion in PE remains a challenge. Indeed, barriers include peer and social prejudices, lack of training for teachers and limited resources.
In particular, the study focused on the perceptions of carers, parents and support workers. Via interviews, the findings revealed insights into perceptions of schools, social attitudes and the wider context that influences PE. Recommendations for more inclusive practices were provided and discussed in the webinar.
The webinar brought teachers, researchers and policymakers together, as will future PESSPA events.
The Integrated PE Curriculum: improving pupil activity and wellbeing!
Date: Wednesday 20 November 2024
Time: 5 to 6pm
Venue: Teams (Online)
Dr Katie Fitton Davies will share her innovative integrated curriculum that recently improved physical education in a primary school. This is a great opportunity to hear from the forefront of good practice.
Aligned with the PESSPA ethos, we will also have time for PESSPA members to share their own examples of good practices in their PE curriculum from key stage 1-4. That way everybody will gather good ideas.
Tuesday 25 June 2024
9.30am to 3.30pm, Student Life Building (Sports Hall and Outdoor Learning Zone)
This face-to-face event is for primary and secondary teachers, Sport/PE students, trainee teachers and sports coaches working in schools.
The event will:
- disseminate the research activity and projects across LJMU PESSPA network.
- reflect upon the findings and recommendations of the Ofsted subject PE report series (Sept 2023)
- celebrate collaborative activities/events.
Workshops
- Co-development of a gamified physical education movement competence Intervention (Jenna Rice PhD)
- Exploring the impact of physical education video tasks on practical performance. An evidence based analysis (Dave Horrocks)
- How can we facilitate the engagement of Muslim students in PE? What are the requirements and considerations for students and PE teachers (YST)
- St Hilda’s CE High School Gymnastics Club (ECT Perspective Ella Robinson)
Keynote speaker: Professor Ken Green PE review, reflection, and recommendations for change.
If you would like further information, please email PESSPANetwork@ljmu.ac.uk.
Monday 27 November 2023
Online, 4 to 5pm
Join us for a discussion where we look at the key findings of the recent Ofsted PE subject review. We will summarise the insights, consider the research evidence and explore the practical applications of the review in schools.
We will consider what is working in PE and what areas of PE provision can be improved?
PE, School Sport and Physical Activity (PESSPA) Network Event
Date and time: Tue, 27 June 2023, 09:30 – 15:15 BST
Location: LJMU Student Life Building, Copperas Hill, Liverpool L3 5AJ
About this event
This face-to-face event is for primary and secondary teachers, Sport/PE students, trainee teachers and sports coaches working in schools.
The event will:
- disseminate the research activity and projects within the LJMU PESSPA network
- facilitate practical workshop activities that showcase innovative examples of work in PE, School Sport, and Physical Activity
- provide opportunity for membership discussion and networking
Summary of Event Schedule
- Introduction and welcome
- Key workshop (physical literacy)
- Network members forum
- Lunch (provided)
- Practical workshops: Outdoor learning using the Natural Curriculum approach and Gamification in practice (sports kit required)
- Event brief / depart
If you would like further information, please email Ceri Magill at PESSPANetwork@ljmu.ac.uk
PE, School Sport and Physical Activity CPC Event - Gamification approach to delivering PE in schools.
Date and time: Thursday, 3 November 2022, 4 to 5pm
Location: Online
About this event
The event addressed the Gamification approach to delivering PE in schools. The session opened by Dr Katie Fitton Davies shared her knowledge and project work on ‘Gamifying Physical Education’. The event also provided opportunity to discuss methods to support implementation across all the key stages and how it can support the PE National Curriculum aims.
Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity Network Launch
On 22 June 2022, LJMU officially launched the Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity Network (PESSPA). We welcomed over 50 delegates to the Student Life Building, including staff, students, teachers, coaches and practitioners for a day of networking and sharing ideas.
The day began with network lead Ceri Magill introducing delegates to PESSPA and the aims of the network, followed by fellow LJMU colleagues explaining the purpose and scope of each of the network strands; LJMU Sport: Events, Facilities and Community Sport, Research Projects, Programme Related Professional Learning and Continued Professional Development.
LJMU alumni and current Head of Faculty at Calday Grange Grammar School, Paul Miller, shared his experiences of connecting with the university from the perspective of a practitioner.
Following a break for lunch and some very successful networking, Stephen Grace, LJMU Sports Participation Manager, introduced the group to the sport of Kinball which provided a great platform for Senior Lecturers Dr Sigrid Olthof and Dr Colin Lewis to demonstrate the Catapult system.
We then welcomed Jon White, PE Teacher, Sport Premium and Inclusion Specialist from Clare Mount Specialist Sports College discussed the development of a toolkit alongside Youth Sport Trust, to support girls with autism.
The day ended with our very own Dr Katie Fitton-Davies and Dr Lawrence Foweather sharing the outcomes of the SAMPLE PE research project and how this can help to inform practice.
Thank you to all those that attended and presented across the day, contributing to a successful launch of our PESSPA Network!
