In response to a recent BBC Education News article “PE ‘Cinderella subject’ for too long, says report” by Katherine Sellgren, we are speaking up about what we can do to help.
A recent report by All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has stated that PE in schools is a subject that has been neglected for too long. It stresses the importance of reducing childhood obesity by instilling a genuine love for physical activity that lasts a lifetime.
Co-chair of the APPG Baroness Benjamin said; “The long-term adverse effects of obesity and overweight in childhood are now generally recognised. The need to combine sport with the knowledge of good nutrition and a healthy diet is now understood.”
Here at The Bugs Group, we believe that taking part in exercise that you actually enjoy makes all the difference. This love for sporting activity can make a huge positive impact in the life of a child, meaning that they grow to become a healthy and happy adult.
A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “We want to encourage all young people to get into the healthy habit of playing and enjoying sport – both inside and outside school.”
The emphasis of the report details how schools must offer a wider range of activities, where children can explore different sporting opportunities; to be less ridged with their old school approach and scrap “skill drill lessons”. Over £450 million has already been given to schools to improve the quality and quantity of PE sessions, and they have been using those funds to bring in external interventions allowing children to discover new kinds of sports.
“[Girls in particular] run the risk of becoming disenfranchised from physical activity. This could be addressed by ensuring that PE lessons offer a wider type of physical activity, to cater for different tastes and abilities.” the APPG report says.
“These might include general physical activity such as running and climbing, non-competitive activities such as yoga and dance and individual sports such as swimming.”
PE lessons within primary schools need to continue to improve by opening up to new and innovative sports, in order to reflect the many ways children can express themselves physically.
Our well established YogaBugs, DanceBugs and FootieBugs programmes can be tailored to the needs of each individual school. YogaBugs in particular is very popular in educational settings where children have low attainment and behavioural issues, and also have less enthusiasm for taking part in PE. The YogaBugs programme allows children to develop at their own pace and allows them to develop on their own terms, making improvements that can be seen even in the classroom.
Find out what we can do to enrich PE Provision in schools
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