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Re-engaging young adolescent girls in physical education

Physical education (PE) is widely recognised as contributing to physical, social and emotional wellbeing during adolescence. However, girls’ engagement in PE declines significantly between the ages of 14 and 16. This should not be attributed to individual deficits in motivation or ability, but rather to how PE structures often fail to accommodate girls’ changing bodies, identities and social experiences. Recent UK data highlight that girls are over three times more likely than boys to report low enjoyment and confidence in PE, and are more likely to feel a lack of belonging within school (Youth Sport Trust, 2025). With growing policy concern around girls’ physical inactivity, this issue is particularly relevant. Addressing disengagement therefore requires critical examination of how PE is conceptualised and delivered.

This blog post focuses on how PE can move from practices that reinforce reluctance to approaches that empower young adolescent girls through inclusive, student-centred provision.

Understanding female disengagement in early adolescence

Early adolescence is characterised by rapid physical and psychosocial change. Girls’ experiences in PE are influenced by body awareness, relationships with peers, and confidence in their own abilities (Fisette, 2011; Women in Sport, 2018). As girls progress through puberty, increased awareness of body image can make PE environments feel exposed and uncomfortable. Recent research shows that confidence and enjoyment decline during this stage, with girls reporting heightened self-consciousness in relation to uniforms, changing rooms, and peer observation (AfPE, 2024). These embodied concerns can lead to anxiety and withdrawal, even among previously engaged girls, highlighting how PE environments can intensify rather than alleviate body-related insecurities.

‘As girls progress through puberty, increased awareness of body image can make PE environments feel exposed and uncomfortable [which can] lead to anxiety and withdrawal, even among previously engaged girls.’

Disengagement is influenced by a combination of personal experiences, relationships with others, and the wider structures and practices within an institution (Bauman et al., 2012). PE curricula that prioritise competition and traditionally masculine forms of physicality can marginalise girls who do not align with these norms. When success is narrowly defined, many girls struggle to see themselves as legitimate participants, reinforcing reluctance rather than empowerment (Ní Chróinín et al., 2018). Fear of judgement further shapes experiences of PE, with practices such as public performance and peer comparison creating socially risky environments (Fisette, 2011; Women in Sport, 2022). From this perspective, disengagement can be understood as a rational response to these conditions. Creating empowerment therefore requires psychologically safe environments where girls can participate without fear of embarrassment or failure.

Implications for policy and practice

In response, school-based initiatives have sought to re-engage girls. In the UK, Girls Active, led by the Youth Sport Trust, promotes student voice, leadership and choice. Evaluations report improvements in confidence, enjoyment, and belonging (Youth Sport Trust, 2022). However, increases in physical activity are less consistent, suggesting that empowerment should not be measured solely through activity levels. Wider evidence suggests that strategies aimed at adolescent girls are most successful when they combine several approaches and respond directly to their specific needs (Camacho-Miñano et al., 2011). Giving girls an active role in shaping the PE curriculum can strengthen their sense of agency, increase ownership of their learning, and challenge assumptions that portray them as lacking ability or motivation (Lamb et al., 2018; Oliver & Kirk, 2016).

Re-engaging girls in PE therefore requires more than isolated interventions; it demands sustained pedagogical and cultural change. PE curricula should include adaptable and accessible activities that prioritise enjoyment, collaboration, individual improvement, and skill development. Teachers can reinforce this approach by limiting public comparisons, providing meaningful choice, and creating a positive and supportive peer culture (Fisette, 2011; Lamb et al., 2018). With girls’ activity levels remaining persistently low, change is essential. Empowerment in PE depends on creating inclusive, supportive environments that reshape how girls experience and engage with physical activity.

References

Bauman, A. E., Reis, R. S., Sallis, J. F., Wells, J. C., Loos, R. J. F., & Martin, B. W. (2012).     Correlates of physical activity: Why are some people physically active and others not? The Lancet, 380(9838), 258–271.

Camacho-Miñano, M. J., LaVoi, N. M., & Barr-Anderson, D. J. (2011). Interventions to promote physical activity among young and adolescent girls: A systematic review. Health Education Research, 26(6), 1025–1049.

Fisette, J. L. (2011). Exploring how girls navigate their embodied identities in physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 16(2), 179–196.

Lamb, C. A., Oliver, K. L., & Kirk, D. (2018). ‘Go for it girl’: Adolescent girls’ responses to the implementation of an activist approach in a core physical education programme. Sport, Education and Society, 23(8), 799–811.

Ní Chróinín, D., Fletcher, T., & O’Sullivan, M. (2018). Pedagogical principles of learning to teach meaningful physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 23(2), 117–133.

Oliver, K. L., & Kirk, D. (2016). Towards an activist approach to research and advocacy for girls and physical education. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 21(3), 313–327.

PE Scholar. (n.d.). Rethinking the PE kit.

Women in Sport. (2018). Puberty and sport: An invisible stage.

Women in Sport. (2022). Reframing sport for teenage girls: Tackling teenage disengagement.

Youth Sport Trust. (2022). Girls Active: Impact report.

Youth Sport Trust. (2024). Girls Active national reports 2024.

Youth Sport Trust. (2025). Girls Active national reports 2025.