The Physical Education and School Sport Environment Inventory: Preliminary Validation and Reliability

The study purpose was to assess preliminary validity and reliability of the Physical Education and School Sport Environment Inventory (PESSEI), which was designed to audit physical education (PE) and school sport spaces and
resources. PE teachers from eight English secondary schools completed the PESSEI. Criterion validity was assessed by researcher observations of schools’ spaces and facilities. To measure test–retest reliability, teachers completed the PESSEI twice within 14 days. Pearson’s correlations for teacher and researcher observations ranged from r = .8 through .99. Test–retest reliability was also very high (intraclass correlation coefficients = 0.93 through 1.0). Limits of agreement were acceptable for all variables with the exception of indoor spatial area. Results support the potential of the PESSEI as an objective measure of the school physical environment. To confirm these initial findings, further validity and reliability analyses are required in differing school contexts.