Stay ConnectedThe PE Umbrella is a podcast for primary teachers & those working in the primary PE space who want practical, actionable ideas they can use straight away.
Hosted by Ryan Ellis, each episode features honest conversations with educators from around the world, sharing real strategies, lessons, and experiences from the field.
With over 200 episodes to date, the focus is simple: cut through the noise and help you deliver better primary PE with confidence, clarity, and impact.
In this weeks episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I want to talk about something very important. Every primary PE lesson has one. The child in the middle. Not struggling visibly, not causing disruption, not standing out in any way. Just doing enough. Going through the motions. Present in the lesson without really being in it.
This child is the hardest to reach in primary PE. Not because they’re difficult but because they’ve learned not to be and in a busy lesson with 29 other children to manage, not causing a problem can look a lot like being fine. In this episode, I speak more about this child and what it means for us as teachers as we shape the future relationships with physical activity of all children that we teach
So what are you waiting for? Come and join me under The PE Umbrella.
I have spent the last year in conversation with researchers, academics, and practitioners from across primary PE and beyond and somewhere in the middle of all of it, I realised something, I was being taught as much as he was teaching.
This week I am back to my PE Umbrella roots. No guest, no interview chair. Just me reflecting honestly on what recent conversations have done to how I think about primary PE.
What’s been confirmed and given better language. What’s been challenged and pushed toward something more precise. What’s been deepened in ways that change what I emphasise, what I notice and what questions I now ask of every lesson and every curriculum.
If you’ve been following the podcast, this is the episode that ties it together. If you’re new, this is a pretty good place to start.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join me under The PE Umbrella.
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by Kev Sanders, Lecturer in Primary education at Liverpool Hope University.
Kev and I have a brilliant conversation about what really makes primary PE meaningful, going beyond simply planning and delivering a lesson. We chat about engagement, the power of games, giving children meaningful choices and creating experiences that leave them wanting to come back for more.
We also explore the importance of reflection, questioning and creating a positive learning environment where children can develop physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.
There are plenty of practical ideas and honest reflections along the way, with a real focus on keeping PE purposeful, enjoyable and something children want to be part of.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by Zoie Golding MBE.
Zoie and I get stuck into a fascinating conversation about dance, movement and some of the perceptions that can surround them. We explore why dance can sometimes feel like a difficult word to use in education, particularly for boys, and how challenging those perceptions can open up some really powerful experiences for children.
We talk about emotional intelligence, the impact dance can have on boys’ lives, and whether simply using the word ‘movement’ might help more children feel that creative movement is for them.
It’s a conversation full of honest reflections, fresh thinking and plenty to get you thinking differently about how we approach dance and movement with children in your settings.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by AfPE CEO Kate Thornton-Bousfield.
We have a wonderful conversation about where primary PE is heading, the changes taking place across the curriculum, and what all of this might mean for the experiences children have in PE.
We explore physical literacy, inclusion and what it really means to put the learner at the heart of our decision-making. We also talk about the important role of teachers and coaches, the opportunities that curriculum change can bring, and why we shouldn’t wait for someone else to tell us what great PE should look like.
It’s an honest conversation about taking ownership of our curriculum, making thoughtful choices and, ultimately, creating PE experiences that children genuinely want to be part of.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by Gill Connell for a conversation about something that sits at the heart of everything we do in PE, movement.
Gill shares her fascinating perspective on how movement helps shape the developing brain, and why it matters so much for children's learning, development and readiness for school. We explore everything from crawling and the development of the midline to the way children move from real experiences towards more abstract learning, and why movement is about so much more than physical development.
We also talk about the growing impact of technology, the importance of movement-rich environments, and how teachers can use movement intentionally to support children's cognitive, social and emotional development.
Above all, this is a conversation that challenges us to think differently about movement, not as something that sits alongside learning, but as a fundamental part of how children learn and grow.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by Nicola Cosgrove for a fascinating conversation about student ownership and what can happen when we give children more of a say in their PE experiences.
Although Nicola teaches secondary PE, there are plenty of ideas here that can translate directly into primary settings. We explore what genuine ownership actually looks like, moving beyond simply letting pupils lead activities and towards giving them meaningful opportunities to make decisions, take initiative and shape their own learning.
We discuss the role of choice, trust and flexibility, and how giving pupils greater ownership can influence motivation, engagement, confidence and the way they think about themselves as learners.
Nicola also shares some wonderfully practical approaches, including how simple routines can become stepping stones towards greater independence, and how technology can help children and teachers reflect on learning.
It's a conversation that challenges us to consider whether we're giving children enough opportunity to have a voice in PE and what might happen if we trusted them with a little more.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by Daniel Lycett for a thought-provoking conversation about what great primary PE can look and feel like for children.
We explore the importance of physical competency, helping children see themselves as capable movers, and creating PE experiences that give them opportunities to explore, make choices and challenge themselves.
We also get into gamification, motivation and autonomy, asking whether we've sometimes made PE too focused on competition when children may actually value the opportunity to simply move, play and discover what they can do.
Along the way, Daniel shares some of the common traps we can fall into when designing PE and challenges us to think carefully about the experiences we're creating and the impact they might have on how children view themselves as movers.
It's a conversation about movement, motivation, confidence and, ultimately, creating a positive culture around PE that children want to be part of.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined by Dominic Tollan for a wide-ranging conversation about what primary PE is really for, and what we might be missing when we reduce it to sport and physical skills.
We talk about the role of the primary teacher, the lasting impact of COVID-19 on children's movement experiences, and why fundamental movement skills still matter, but perhaps not in the way we sometimes think they do.
We also explore the Make Time for PE campaign and the case for giving primary PE the time, attention and support it deserves. Along the way, we have a really interesting conversation about the relationship between play and PE, and whether we've sometimes made children's movement experiences more complicated than they need to be.
We also get into something that sits at the heart of The PE Umbrella: purpose. Why are we teaching PE in the first place? What do we want children to take from it? And how might a clearer sense of purpose influence the confidence, enjoyment and engagement we see in our lessons?
It's a conversation about confidence, purpose, play, movement and enjoyment and a reminder that primary PE has the potential to influence far more than what a child can physically do.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
In this episode of The PE Umbrella podcast I am joined again by Dr Emma Powell for a fascinating and thought-provoking conversation about the role of swimming within primary physical education and why we may need to rethink what success in school swimming really looks like.
Together, we explore the place of swimming within the wider PE curriculum, discussing how we can move beyond a narrow focus on outcomes and consider the broader experiences children have before, during and after entering the water.
We delve into the concept of aquatic literacy, examining why confidence, competence, understanding and meaningful experiences in and around water matter just as much as the ability to swim a certain distance. Along the way, we discuss some of the challenges schools face in delivering high-quality swimming provision, including assessment, access, inequalities and the realities of adapting practice to meet the needs of all learners.
One particularly powerful part of our conversation focuses on children's lived experiences of swimming. We explore the emotions that often accompany school swimming, from excitement and enjoyment to anxiety, self-consciousness and vulnerability. We also consider how seemingly small factors, such as changing room experiences, can have a significant impact on a child's relationship with swimming and water-based activities.
We discuss swimming as a vital life skill and a form of 'protective armour' for children, while also reflecting on the barriers that prevent some young people from developing confidence and competence in the water. Throughout the episode, Emma shares practical insights, research findings and ideas that can help teachers create more positive, inclusive and meaningful swimming experiences for every child.
Whether you're a class teacher, PE lead, swimming coordinator or simply passionate about helping children develop a lifelong relationship with movement, this conversation will challenge your thinking and leave you reflecting on what truly matters when it comes to school swimming.
So what are you waiting for? Come and join us under The PE Umbrella
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