This paper focuses on a small-scale research study which evaluated the impact and effectiveness of different reflective learning strategies on PGCE PE students during their training. The strategies were used to identify possible stages of development against Dewey’s stages of learning. Reflective learning strategies such as action learning sets, focus groups and reflective journals were introduced to the programme to encourage reflection at various points in the year. Results show that a pre requisite of positive emotion is necessary to reflect through Dewey’s five stages of learning and a negative pre requisite attributes blame to an external source. The conclusions are that students need to have a positive pre requisite in order to reflect in depth and that action learning sets although communal, enhance individual spoken reflection.