Abstract

China's New Era educational reforms position Physical Education (PE) as central to holistic child development, emphasizing creativity, cooperation, and well-being. These reforms call for a decisive shift away from traditional exam-driven models towards student-centered practice. Yet, tensions remain between the aspirational discourse of national policy and the realities of classroom implementation. It is currently unclear how these reforms are being experienced by key social actors, the teachers and pupils. Using a qualitative interpretivist approach, lesson observations and 34 follow up individual teacher interviews and subsequent student focus groups were conducted at 12 schools in Changsha, Hunan Province. Data were analyzed using Framework Analysis (FA), guided by the Epistemic Judgement Framework (EJF), with two main themes established; Current practice conflicts; and Future challenges on the path of change. Findings reveal a pronounced disparity between reform rhetoric and practice. While policy documents promote holistic development and student well-being, many schoolteachers continue to prioritize performance-oriented models, exam preparation, and competitive outcomes. Teachers often framed success in terms of skill development and assessment scores, thus maintaining a cultural regime of monitoring and assessment. Students desired a more diverse, choice-rich, well-being-focused subject, yet simultaneously expected fitness testing and exam pressures to intensify. This hybrid reality represents both institutional constraints and enduring pedagogical legacies. Systemic and professional development needs are discussed highlighting the need and importance of developing teachers' assessment literacy and pedagogical skills.