In Sweden, the school subject Physical Education and Health (PEH) is understood as part of public health policy. Having skills and knowledge related to physical activity and health is described as an asset for both the individual and society (Swedish National Agency for Education, 2011). Despite new curricula in Sweden calling for teachers to address equity (Skolverket [Swedish National Agency for Education], 2011), PEH teachers still have problems catering to the needs of all their pupils (Ekberg, 2016; Larsson et al., 2018) with achievement and higher grades in PEH often being linked to active participation in sport clubs (Svennberg, 2017). Pupils who do not participate in organized sport in their leisure time experience feelings of anxiety and inability (Ekberg, 2016). The PEH teachers themselves tend to focus more on making the pupils interested in and motivated to do (more) physical activity and sport rather than health (Schenker, 2018). Further, higher grades are generally attained by boys with a Swedish background and who have well-educated parents (Svennberg & Högberg, 2018). In this paper we will present some our initial findings from an ongoing critical participatory action-research (CPAR) project at two different upper-secondary schools in Sweden. The schools and teachers involved in the study was selected through purposive sampling (Bryman 2016) located in two different cities in southern Sweden. The participants involve the entire PEH departments at these schools with a total of 14 teachers with the study forming part of their professional development. The first cycle of the CPAR will run from June 2022 – June 2023. Data from the action-research with teachers will be analysed through thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2013) and consistent with principles of teaching for equity and social justice (Freire, 1970). Data will more specifically be analysed through a six-phase thematic analysis approach that will consist of familiarisation with data, initial and advanced coding, identifying and naming themes and reporting findings (Braun & Clarke, 2013). The initial themes will report on the teachers’ perceptions of social justice, the identification of social justice issues in their teaching practice and their efforts to enact social justice pedagogies. The paper concludes with some reflections on the challenges of doing CPAR with PEH teachers and bringing about social change.

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