ABSTRACT
Boys and girls arrive at school with very different pre-school experiences, both in terms of general behavioural expectations and in terms of access to physical activities. Campbell and Brooker give many examples of blatantly sexist behaviour by primary school boys, which illustrate ways in which boys sought to control the educational agenda, including a boy feigning a sprained ankle rather than be beaten by a girl in an outdoor games lesson. In such situations the emphasis upon pupil decision-making which underpins many National Curriculum recommendations may have to be set against the consequences of giving pupils this responsibility, at least in the short term. Activity opportunities outside the timetabled curriculum take form of formally organized extra-curricular activity both at school and in community and informal activity opportunities available at playtimes. Equal opportunity in physical education is whole-curriculum issue and one which primary school teacher, because of class teacher system operating in United Kingdom, is well placed to address.
