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The Ethnic Minority Foundation (EMF) in partnership with the
Association for Physical Education (afPE) is leading on a
research project funded by the Capacitybuilders ‘Improving
Reach’ grants programme to address the low percentage of
Physical Education Initial Teacher Training (ITT) recruits from
minority ethnic backgrounds.
Evidence shows that in 2004/05 only two per cent of new Physical
Education ITT recruits in England alone were from minority
ethnic backgrounds, leaving Physical Education as the least
ethnically diverse national curriculum subject in ITT
recruitment. An added problem is the high drop-out rate from ITT
courses among non-white students (nine per cent compared to five
per cent for their white counterparts).
Against this background, the main aim of the joint project is to
explore patterns of minority ethnic recruitment into Physical
Education ITT, identifying barriers to access as well as
suggesting ways to widen participation and improving recruitment
practices.
As part of the
research and dissemination processes, the project’s preliminary
findings were presented to Higher Education Institutions at the
Physical Education ITT Network National Conference in Woodside,
Warwickshire on 11th October 2007. In addition, three
further regional seminars are being held in Bristol (24th
October 2007), Manchester (25th October 2007) and
London (22nd November 2007). Featuring workshop
sessions, the seminars are specifically tailored to minority
ethnic voluntary community sector organisations and
stakeholders, whose feedback is being sought to help us develop
a toolkit for the Physical Education ITT sector.
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