Duration and barriers of physical education teaching in primary schools in 6 French departments

Purpose Regular physical activity plays an important role in preventing sedentary lifestyles and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. In French primary schools, Physical Education (PE) represents the main compulsory opportunity for structured physical activity during school hours. This study aimed to assess self-reported weekly PE duration among primary school teachers in six French departments and to identify teacher- and school-related factors associated with PE duration, as well as the main obstacles to PE delivery reported by teachers. Methods Between March 2021 and June 2024, as the survey implementation in the different areas took place, an anonymous online questionnaire was sent to primary school teachers in six French departments about the time spent teaching PE and their professional habits in this subject. Results A total of 1,967 responses (overall response rate 3.9%) were collected and analysed: mean weekly PE duration reached 2 h 23 min ± 1 h 04 min in preschool and 2 h 28 min ± 51 min in elementary school, both below the mandatory programme durations. Higher PE duration was associated with longer seniority, fewer pupils in class, longer peri-activity around PE (transportation, locker room), multigrade class, suburban schools, the implementation of APQ (Activité Physique Quotidienne, a novel compulsory subject focused on daily physical activity), a higher feeling of competence and fewer obstacles declared. Conclusions In this sample of primary school teachers from six French departments, self-reported PE duration was below the durations recommended by nationals programmes, consistent with previous French studies. Because of its cross-sectional nature, self-report survey conducted in a limited number of departments, no causal relationships can be inferred and the findings should not be generalized to France as a whole. Nonetheless, this study identifies several teacher- and school-related factors associated with PE duration that may warrant further investigation, including through longitudinal or intervention research. Given the essential role of physical activity in the health of children and future adults, addressing barriers to PE delivery in schools remains a public health priority.