Health belief model

- Several Year 5 pupils often skip PE, saying it’s “boring” and “not useful.” They don’t see why being active matters.

Transtheoretical model

- One student has started walking laps at break but still refuses to take part in PE lessons. They say, “Maybe I’ll try later when I’m fitter.”

Self-determination theory

- A Year 4 class loses enthusiasm when lessons involve structured drills. They prefer games where they can make their own choices.

Theory of Planned Behaviour

- In a Year 6 class, several girls say they feel “awkward” running or sweating in front of others. They think classmates will laugh.

Social Cognitive Theory

- A normally active Year 6 student has stopped trying during PE after seeing their friends sit out. They now say, “No one else cares, so why should I?”

It proposes that people are innately oriented toward growth, mastery, and integration of experience — but whether they thrive depends a lot on how their social environment supports or thwarts certain basic

It distinguishes between types of motivation (intrinsic vs extrinsic) and the quality of motivation (how self‐determined it is) — not just how much.

Case study: A year 4 class loses enthusiasm when PE lessons involve structural drills. They prefer games where they can make their own choices.

This tells us their motivation drops when the activity is controlling, but rises when they feel autonomous and engaged

SDT model shows that Motivation improves when autonomy, competence, and relatedness are supported

1. Support Autonomy

2. Build Competence

3. Enhance Relatedness

By making PE lessons more autonomy-supportive, competence-building, and relationship-rich, students’ intrinsic motivation should increase.

They’ll likely show greater enthusiasm, engagement, and persistence, even when skill practice is involved.