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English schools had gym or physical education (PE) programs beginning in the 19th century. We are not sure just when they were first introduced. England lagged behind America, Germany, and Scotland in founding a public (state) education system. The impetus for gym classes,however, came from European countries like Germany, Sweden, and England. The idea of school sports was largely developed in England, mostly at public (private) schools. This was something the students themselves developed and not promoted by school administrations until Dr, Thomas Arnold at Rugby School began promoting the concept of Muscular Christianity. Gym classes were mostly gymnastics and drill. Only slowly did sports began to be seen as an appropriate part of gym vlasses. The Board of Education decree sports acceptable. Gym classes were primarily for the boys. Some girls in state primaries were included in drill, but gym eventually became seem as more suitable for girls. Her the focus was on posture and beauty, The 1869 Endowment Schools Act was a major step in establish a state education system. The idea of gym or at least was probably well established before many English state primary schools were founded. The Boer War shocked many British officials when it was found the large number of men who were not found fit for military service. Officials declared that that "physical training in elementary schools, should not be less and cannot well be more, than a preparation for the more specialized forms of physical training which may properly be undertaken at a later age." This was also on of the reasons for the oundation of the Boy Scouts by a Boer War fugure--Baden Powell. The Fisher Education Act of 1918 was another msjor strp. Holiday and school camps were organized. Centers and equipment were obtined for gym classes. Other facilities for day or evening social and physical training were organized. Worl War II fisrupted the educatiinal system. Children were evacuated. New equipment was unavailable. Many gym teachers went into the Servives. The Education Education of 1944 fundamentally reformned the English education system. It provided the basius for expanding the secondary system so that any child could attend ruition free secondary schools. These new secondary schools has required gym classes, more dicused than the primary schools that the children had attended.
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