The historical evolution, existing problems and development prospect of physical education curriculum in primary and secondary schools in China
Ying zonghao   Hong ChenZhuang

School of Physical Education and Health Science, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province，321004;

Abstract：Since the founding of New China, the physical education curriculum in primary and secondary schools has gone through four historical stages: the initial construction and exploration period (1949-1966), the stagnation period during the Cultural Revolution (1967-1976), the recovery and development period following the reform and opening up (1977-1999), and the rapid development period in the new century (2000 to present). The curriculum goals have shifted from the political orientation of 'national defense labor' to the quality-oriented education principle of 'health first.' The content has evolved from imitating the Soviet model to localized innovation. The evaluation system has transitioned from a single skill test to a multi-dimensional assessment of core competencies.Currently, two major issues remain: the evaluation system for physical education in the high school entrance examination is one-sided, neglecting mental health and process evaluation; the implementation of curriculum standards at the grassroots level is inadequate, and teachers' independent innovation capabilities are weak. Future development should focus on four key areas: leveraging the role of physical education in promoting mental health, exploring models for physical education homework, promoting interdisciplinary thematic learning, balancing localization with an international perspective, and building a Chinese-characteristic physical education curriculum system.

keyword：Elementary school physical education process; evaluation system; mental health

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