Dr Rhys Pritchard

Senior Lecturer in Primary Education (Physical Education)

Primary Education

Contact Details

Rhys worked across a number of school settings in the UK, Dubai and Australia as a Primary Class Teacher, Head of Games and PE Lead before entering into Higher Education as a Lecturer in Sport Pedagogy at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Aside for a year away where Rhys was Head of Sport at another University, he has been part of the primary ITE team specialising in PE where he led the subject for 6 years which included the ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted in March 2023, with PE being one of the subject areas of interest.

After completing a Masters in Sports Coaching, Rhys was one of the first graduates of the Doctorate in Sports Coaching programme at Cardiff Metropolitan University. Rhys thesis titled ‘Vygotsky in Practice: Applying Vygotskian notions to improve coach education in rugby union’ aimed to show how Rhys used Vygotskian notions to improve novice coaches conceptual understanding of game principles and how to apply them in practice. Using an Action Research approach enabled Rhys to develop student coaches practice over a 10-week programme which highlighted the use of language, importance of the more capable other, embedding learning in context and providing time to internalise ideas as being key to the learning process. Findings have been used to support the development of junior rugby programmes and underpin the primary PE provision at the University.

Rhys is a Level 4 Welsh Rugby Union certified coach. He has coached across many levels of the game and has coached semi-professionally since 2019 and has coached Wales Women’s u20s and the WRU Development XV in the inaugural Celtic Challenge in 2023.

Rhys is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Qualifications

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Doctorate in Sports Coaching (2020)
MSc Sports Coaching (2016)
BSc (Hons) Sports Development (2008)

University of Worcester

PGCE Primary (2010)

Teaching and Research

Teaching Interests

Physical Education
Pedagogy
Teacher Development
Leadership

Research Interests

PE and Sport Pedagogy
Primary PE
Teaching Pedagogy
Learning Theory
Rosenshine Principles of Instruction
Leadership and Teacher Development
Creative Approaches to Teaching and Coaching

Professional Bodies

Rhys is a member of the Cluster for Research into Coaching (CriC). The group aims to promote and support research concerning the socio-pedagogic considerations of sport coaching.

Rhys is also a member of the Coach Developer and Performance Analyst Research Group at the university.

Publications

Publications

Pritchard, R. & Dockerty, F. (2024) Game on! Enhancing primary physical education through a Rosenshine-inspired approach, Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, DOI: 10.1080/25742981.2024.2314057

Dockerty, F. and Pritchard, R. (2023) Reconsidering models-based practice in primary physical education, Education 3-13, https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2023.2263470

Pritchard, R. and Morgan, K. (2022) Developing coach education to enhance rugby coaches’ understanding and application of game centred approaches— The importance of questioning, International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, pp 1-10

Pritchard, R. (2019). Marrying theory to practice: Using Vygotsky to underpin game sense pedagogy. In C. Corsby & C. Edwards (Eds.), Context and Contingency: Exploring research in sports coaching pedagogy. Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Pritchard, R. (2017). Developing Physical Literacy: A Reflective Case Study. Physical Education Matters, 12(2), pp.40-42.

Pritchard, R. (2017). Improving Physical Education by Mentoring Primary Teachers. Physical Education Matters, 12(2), pp.63-64.

Conference Presentations

Pritchard, R., & Dockerty F. (2023) Mobilising Rosenshine in Primary Physical Education

In: University of Worcester, Institute of Education Research Conference, 17.05.23, University of Worcester.

Pritchard, R. (2023) ‘Unlocking Player Learning Through Game-Based Coaching.’ Coach development presentation, North Midlands RFU Coach Development Group, Birmingham Newman University, United Kingdom

Pritchard, R. (2019). ‘Rethinking the delivery of Game Centred Approaches: A focus on understanding’ Conference presentation, 4th International Coaching Conference, University of Worcester, United Kingdom.

Pritchard, R. (2017). ‘Coach and player development through action research: developing game sense pedagogy by implementing Vygotsky’s theory of concept formation in the coaching of rugby union.’ Conference presentation, 3rd International Coaching Conference, Cardiff Metropolitan University, United Kingdom.