Teaching PE and Sport in Primary Schools

A) Staff directly employed in schools

Teachers and other staff employed within schools (ie on the school payroll) are able to teach PE and sport activities where they have had specialist training as part of their Initial Teacher Training or through further INSET.

Apart from technical training, we strongly recommend key staff involved in curriculum development should also have undertaken a PESS Level 5 or 6 course. This course is also recommended for staff wishing to develop their professional knowledge related to PE and sports teaching within Primary schools.

PESS courses can be booked via The Learning Zone

Matrix of qualifications / experience for primary school staff

(NB for swimming, consult the HCC Safety in Physical Education and Sport document in EVOLVE)

Staff with QTS status

Activity / Minimum Qualification
Key Stage One / Two PE (all aspects except Gymnastics) / QTS
Key Stage One / Two Gymnastics / QTS which included ‘Principles of educational gymnastics’ or British Gymnastics Primary Intermediate Teachers Award
Key Stage One / Two Curriculum Lead for PE / QTS, (plus PESS Level 6 recommended)

Staff without QTS Status (eg LSA)

Activity / Minimum Qualification
Key Stage One / Two PE (all aspect except Gymnastics) / Multi Skills Level 2
L3 Dance
Key Stage One / Two Gymnastics / As above, plus British Gymnastics Primary Intermediate Teachers Award
Key Stage One / Two Curriculum Lead for PE / PESS Level 5 (Hampshire combined course to include multi skills, BG gym and L3 dance)

B) Third party providers /coaches of PE and sport activities

A database of providers of Physical Education and sport coaching has been created based on information provided by organisations working in Primary schools.

A link to the database is available on the EVOLVE system, under the Resources tab. If you do not have access to the EVOLVE system please contact

The providers on the database meet the minimum safety management and safeguarding requirements of Hampshire County Council. It should be noted that it is for the establishment employing these coaches to determine whether or not they meet individual requirements.

Primary Schools should:

•ensure contractual arrangements are in place which are compliant with HCC PE and Sport requirements (as below)

•confirm the coaches qualifications are registered with / accredited by a recognised national governing body of sport (see matrix below)

•confirm that coaches have a minimum of £10 million public liability insurance

•confirm that a current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is in place.

•ensure a risk assessment for the activity is in place and share with the coaching company

•ensure an induction process is in place for the coach

•select a named qualified person who will retain responsibility for the pastoral care of the young people involved in the activity

•ensure that a monitoring and evaluation system is in place*.

*Where more specialist monitoring is appropriate, a request can be made to the Outdoor Education and PE Service for an external advisor monitoring session to be scheduled

Please note: any schools with an early years setting, or providing breakfast club, after school or holiday club activities for children up to the age of 8, may have staff providing ‘childcare’ in those settings, and therefore the staff assessed as providing that childcare need to be checked that they are not disqualified, either directly or ‘by association’.

If you are using a company that is NOT listed on the database, they will need to complete the questionnaire and then email . If they meet minimum requirements, that company will then be included on the database.

When engaging or forming any contract with providers or coaches, establishments need to be aware of and adhere to the safety advice and guidance as set out in Hampshire’s Safety in Physical Education and Sport document. Particular regard should be made to the qualifications required for PE and sport coaches who are not direct employees of the school.

If any clarification is needed contact:

Charley Mills - Team Manager

Outdoor Education, PE & DofE Service, Hampshire Futures, Four Chimneys, Winton Close, SO22 6AB tel: 01962 876218 email:

Qualification matrix for PE / sports coaches who are not school employees:

Activity / Minimum qualifications to lead / Alternatives to lead / Alternatives to support (with Teacher or Level 2 Coach also present)
Key Stage One PE / basic movement / PESS Level 3 + Multi-Skills Level 2 / A National Governing Body Level 2 award in an activity appropriate to the teaching of generic PE skills (requires Head Teacher approval) / N/A
Lower Key Stage Two PE / basic skills / PESS Level 3 + Multi-Skills Level 2 / A National Governing Body Level 2 award in an activity appropriate to the teaching of generic PE skills (requires Head Teacher approval) / N/A
Key Stage Two – Discreet sports (eg, FA 5-11 Football, Netball, Quick Sticks Hockey, Kwick Cricket, Basketball, etc), tag rugby / PESS Level 3 + Multi-Skills Level 2, plus a Level 1 Coach Award a National governing body of the specific sport / Level 2 Coach Award from that Sports’ National Governing Body / Level 1 Coach Award from that Sports’ National Governing Body
Key Stage Two Gymnastics / British Gymnastics Level 2 Coach Award / N/A / British Gymnastics Level 1 Coach Award

Coaches may, with the right experience, support the development of schemes of work and programmes of study but will require a PESS L5.

Coaching degrees are not considered as Technical Qualifications and do not form part of the accreditation framework above, although they may provide evidence of wider sports understanding.