"It's Been a Bit of a Rocky Start": Attitudes toward Physical Education following Transition.

Background: Previous research has identified a number of factors that appear to influence attitudes toward physical education, but little research has focused upon the transition between Key Stages (KS) 2 and 3, when many children transfer from primary to secondary schools. Nevertheless, there are clues that this transition can be a significant event in children's school careers. Aims: The aim of this paper is to present data related to the attitudes of children and young people toward physical education, and specifically to their transition from KS2 (7–11 year olds) to KS3 (11–14 year olds). The research was informed by the critical realist stance that seeks to show causal explanations in a social world where structures and processes are constantly changing. Method: Participants were selected from schools in one borough in the south-east of England that represented a range of school types: two from a boys' grammar school, two attending a girls' grammar school, three from a large comprehensive school and ...