Executive's PE targets have failed to shape up

Scotland on Sunday has obtained a letter from the minister in which he admits the Executive will be unable to meet its target if it uses fully qualified PE teachers, and will instead have to rely on using primary teachers who will be given extra training in physical education.

In the letter to Robert Brown MSP, the convener of the Parliament’s education, culture and sport committee, Peacock said: "As the majority of PE teachers undertake a four-year BEd course, it is not possible to achieve that figure [of 400 teachers] by that route."

The minister, who acknowledged the targets for teacher numbers were "extremely ambitious", said he had taken advice from local authorities which "suggest that many schools would prefer a teacher with a primary school background".

The deal to recruit additional PE teachers is part of the Executive’s commitment to increase teacher numbers to 53,000 by 2007, with 1,000 visiting specialist teachers including sport teachers.

Politicians and union leaders last night accused the Executive of not delivering its promises.

Jim Docherty, general secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers Association, accused the minister of changing his targets when he realised he could not meet his original commitment. "This is not the route the minister should be going down," he said. "Young people are entitled to have specialist teaching in physical education, especially given the Executive has expressed concern that pupils are not taking enough exercise and have problems with obesity."

An Executive spokeswoman said: "There was never an expectation that the additional teachers would be achieved through initial teacher education alone. Continuing personal development for existing primary teachers was always expected to play a role and this is being taken forward in discussion with higher education institutions."