Frontiers in Sports and Active Living | 2026
Authors: Nolan R.T.; Barkell J.F.; Peralta L.R.
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2026.1701809
Journal: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
Year: 2026
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Cited by: 0
Introduction: Fitness testing is widely used in school physical education (PE) yet is often criticised for demotivating students and being misaligned with educative aims. This study investigates its enactment in a “critical case”: a high socioeconomic status (SES), independent boys' school with extensive resources and a strong sporting culture. Theoretically, if the dominant performance-oriented testing model were to succeed anywhere, it should be in this “ideal” context. Methods: Semi-structured interviews with PE teachers (n = 7) and focus groups with Year 8 students (n = 11) were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis with Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a sensitising lens. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) a Curriculum-to-Practice Disconnect, driven by a “hidden curriculum” of Talent Identification that displaced educative aims; (2) Emotional Dimensions, where public testing necessitated teacher “buffering” to mitigate shame; and (3) a Motivational Gap, where administrative pressures transformed teachers into auditors, providing data without actionable feedback. Discussion: The study demonstrates that “active demotivation” is a structural defect of fitness testing that persists even in resource-rich environments. We argue that adding resources without changing the pedagogical model merely shifts pressure from equipment scarcity to time scarcity. To address this, we propose a set of Refined Design Principles, mapping need-thwarting practices to evidence-based alternatives to support a shift from Performance-Oriented Testing to Process-Oriented Fitness Education. 2026 Nolan, Barkell and Peralta.
fitness education; fitness testing; PE; physical education; secondary school; student voice