Students' perspectives on the organisation of health in physical education

Purpose: This study explored students’ perspectives of the approaches to organising health in secondary school physical education lessons.
Method: Utilising a qualitative methodology, forty-seven students (aged 11 to 16 years) from four secondary schools were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically, with Harris’ ‘approaches to organising health in physical education’ conceptual framework used to support the analytical process.
Results: For the focused approach, many students reported that a positive aspect was its functional nature. They valued a dedicated lesson specifically for health-related learning and appreciated not having to concentrate on two aspects at once. For the permeation approach, views were mixed, while the combined approach was hardly mentioned from either a positive or a negative perspective.
Conclusion: We provided the first insight into students’ perspectives of the organisation of health in physical education and highlighted the importance of consulting students in the development of effective health education programmes.