BCU Research: How to teach PE in Ramadan

Groundbreaking guidance developed by Dr Irfan Khawaja, Course Director and Senior Lecturer in Physical Education at BCU, will help create a more inclusive school environment for Muslim students and staff engaging in physical education (PE) during Ramadan.

Thought to be the first of its kind in the United Kingdom to support curriculum and extra-curricular PE, the guidance gives schools practical advice for supporting fasting Muslim students and staff during Islam’s Holy Month so they can continue to participate in physical activity.

Dr Khawaja collaborated with the Association for Physical Education (afPE), the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the Youth Sport Trust (YST), and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) to produce the paper, which has been published by the afPE and is available to view here.

In it, he advocates for inclusive activities and timetabling that minimise adaptations and avoid drawing attention to Muslim students during Ramadan.

To that end, the guidance includes practical adaptations for a comprehensive list of PE activities, including swimming, trampolining, athletics and gymnastics, so fasting students and staff can take part in the same activities as their non-fasting colleagues.

Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

To read more on how PE lessons changed during Ramadan, click here.