National Assembly for
WalesÕ Children,
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee - Inquiry into
physical activity of children and young people
NAHT welcomes the
opportunity to submit evidence to the Children, Health, Social Care
and Sport Committee.
NAHT represents more
than 29,000 school leaders in early years, primary, secondary and
special schools, making us the largest association for school
leaders in the UK.
We represent, advise
and train school leaders in Wales, England and Northern Ireland. We
use our voice at the highest levels of government to influence
policy for the benefit of leaders and learners
everywhere.
Our newest section,
NAHT Edge, supports, develops and represents middle leaders in
schools.
In relation to the
invitation to submit evidence to the National Assembly for
WalesÕ Children, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee,
concerning the inquiry into physical activity of children and young
people, NAHT Cymru will focus specifically on evidence concerning
the following areas directly related to schools:
- What do
we know
about physical activity levels in children in Wales? How robust is
the data on this issue?
-
Differences in gender-based attitudes towards, and opportunities
for, participation in physical activity in
Wales.
-
The role of schools, parents and peers in encouraging physical
activity, and the role of Sport Wales
What do
we know
about physical activity levels in children in Wales? How robust is
the data on this issue?
- In this submission, NAHT Cymru
will focus upon the school-level perspective of the physical
activity levels of children. In addition to the perceived health
and well-being benefits of an increased level of physical activity,
we will briefly explore the available research that attempts to
establish the links between physical activity / fitness /
well-being and the potential positive impact it has on academic and
broader school-level pupil achievement.
- A number of initiatives, brought
into schools in Wales over the years, have sought to make use of a
perceived benefit of increased physical activity and itÕs
believed link to improved academic performance of children and
young people. For example, even as far back as the 1990s many
schools will have sought to utilise programmes such Alistair
SmithÕs ÔAccelerated LearningÕ, which itself
incorporated theories of movement-based learning undertaken by Paul
E. Dennison, Ph.D. Dennison developed the ÔBrain
Gym¨Õ
activities and
programme that have been, and continue to be, used in many
countries across the world, although the empirical evidence for
these theories has more recently been questioned.
- The 2015 Sport Wales
ÔSchool Sport SurveyÕ, looking at sport and personal
well-being, was one of the largest of itÕs kind. It gathered
the views of over 116,000 pupils in almost 1000 schools. Many
school leaders ensured that their schools fed into this
study.
The survey found the following:
á The average
amount of time spent in PE lessons in schools per week was 99
minutes;
á The numbers of
young people taking part in sport or physical activity three or
more times a week had risen from 40% in 2013 to 48% in
2015;
á 93% of children enjoyed physical
education;
á Boys (52%) were still more
likely than girls (44%) to regularly participate in sport and
physical activity;
á Although an increase in regular
participation had been seen across all ethnic groups, 52% of Black
British or mixed race children were hooked on sport, compared to
36% of Asian and other ethnic groups;
á 68% of pupils enjoyed sport
outside school and 80% had attended a sports club outside school
the previous year.
- The survey also suggested that
pupils were twice as likely to be Ôhooked on sportÕ if
they were confident individuals. This suggested a strong link
between mental well-being and physical activity. The survey also
suggested that positive attitudes to sport were encouraged by
extra-curricular activities and when a school listened carefully to
pupils about their ideas related to sport.
- However, one of the most
striking findings of the ÔSchool Sport SurveyÕ was
that pupils were nine times more likely to enjoy P.E. Ôa
lotÕ if their ideas about school sport were listened to.
This suggests that children and young people perceive that, in
general, schools do not listen enough to them when it comes to
physical activity in school. It could therefore be reasonably
assumed that there is greater gains to be made my listening and
responding positively to pupil ideas and better utilising pupil
voice.
Differences in gender-based
attitudes towards, and opportunities for, participation in physical
activity in Wales.
- Another of the striking findings
of the same survey, was the gender gap and how it appears to
continue to present a stubborn challenge to schools. Anecdotal
evidence suggests that national governing bodies of certain sports,
most notably football and rugby, have sought to proactively
encourage female participation, either through mixed team
tournaments and in-school coaching, or in female only tournaments.
In addition, increased media coverage of national womenÕs
team successes are more prevalent. There have also been some
examples from particular sports which have incentivised the
participation by girls in education through providing free
resources for schools who are also prepared to set up a girls-only
team.
- Anecdotal evidence also suggests
that trends in a particular sportÕs participation by
children and young people show peaks and troughs according to a
number of influences. As with other ÔfashionsÕ,
popularity can result from the high profile success of a particular
team at a given time (e.g. Wales Football at the Euros), a popular
seasonal tournament (e.g. Wimbledon) or when a significant popular
figure is famous for success in a specific activity (e.g. Mo Farah
winning Olympic gold). For example, the recent success of the
WomenÕs England Cricket team has apparently resulted in
increased numbers of girls seeking places at local cricket
sides.
- Although much of our evidence
thus far has concentrated on sport and traditional P.E.
experiences, offering less traditional physical activities has
often proven to encourage greater uptake by girls in terms of
extra-curricular activities, in particular. Examples of pupil
suggested activities Ð e.g. cheerleading, contemporary dance
styles Ð frequently attract larger numbers of pupils and in
many cases greater proportions of girls.
- Pressures from a number of areas
can inhibit the offer provided to pupils across all school sectors.
School budget pressures, reduced numbers of staff, high level
workload and other issues all impact upon the capacity of schools
to offer physical activities outside P.E. sessions. Where schools
have managed to mitigate against the negative affect of such
pressures, they have often made productive connections with local
sports / dance / national bodies and relevant clubs. In any such
arrangements and to ensure they function successfully and safely,
there clearly needs to be a full awareness of duties such as
safeguarding and relevant insurance cover.
The role of schools, parents and
peers in encouraging physical activity, and the role of Sport
Wales
- Many schools already offer a
range of physical activities, both as part of the P.E. curriculum
entitlement and as extra-curricular sessions. The capacity,
resource and opportunity for schools to offer a range of physical
activities is dependent upon the physical space and layout of the
site, the confidence and skills of staff Ð as well as their
willingness to undertake such activities on a voluntary basis Ð
and the support of leadership, governors and parents / families. In
many cases, there is an assumption on the part of the wider
community, and families in particular, that extra-curricular
activities will be offered despite there being no explicit
entitlement or additional resource on offer to schools and
staff.
- School leaders also recognise
the wider benefits of physical activity and sport both to the
individual pupil and to the wider school community. The well-being
of pupils is often supported with the opportunities open to
represent the school in sport and in simply participating in group
activities including those of a physical nature. As a part of the
Healthy Schools Network, for example, schools have established high
expectations and incorporated a range of initiatives including
healthy eating, life style choices and regular physical
activity.
- The challenge for many children
and young people can be accessing physical activities they might
enjoy at school, when they are outside normal school hours. In
certain instances, the activity may not be readily available in the
local community, there might be family issues that present
obstacles (e.g. transport, disability) and there might be a
significant financial demand that cannot be met. For example, for
potentially talented individuals wishing to take on and extend an
interest in an area such as swimming, the financial demands of
elite clubs can be significant Ð in addition, many of these
clubs do not have the ability to differentiate cost according to
ability to pay. As a result, they inadvertently exclude a
proportion of the young population and this may explain a perceived
relationship between physical fitness issues and deprivation. It is
worth noting that once that initial interest is lost to a young
person, it is incredibly difficult to resurrect it
later.
- The role of peer pressure cannot
be underestimated Ð both as a positive and as a negative
influence. If the traditional view of physical activity, and in
particular sport, is that it is only for the elite performer or the
individual with ÔtalentÕ, many of the less confident
individuals may feel immediately excluded and avoid participation.
The challenge for schools is to be able to meet the needs of all
Ð ensure that all children / young people are able to feel
comfortable and able to access a chosen activity and stay
physically active whilst also providing opportunities for elite
performance and high level achievement for those that are able to
reach such levels.
- The new curriculum may offer
more opportunities of such an inclusive approach Ð the Physical
Development Area of Learning is for all and schools will need to
ensure that they do all they can to communicate this inclusivity
clearly to all learners and families in all school
sectors.
- The most productive approaches
in schools are often supported by the relationship with external
bodies, including Sport Wales. Approaches such as the 5X60
initiative, Physical Literacy and the Dragon Sports Programmes can
have a significant impact. The issue for schools undertaking such
programmes is sustaining them beyond the set time they are in place
(particularly is they are grant funded or free at the point of
delivery). The same school based resource and personnel issues
outlined in paragraph 10 above still apply.
- It is clear that where physical
activity levels for children and young people are at their optimum,
schools, parents and local community groups / national bodies link
up seamlessly. The school is often the conduit for lighting a spark
in the pupil with the assistance of a recognised external group,
the parents are provided with the information, commitment and
resource to support the interest outside of school and the external
group is located and in a position to continue supporting the child
or young personÕs chosen activity.
- For this to work best, schools
require access to relevant information and resources as to what is
available, as well as space in the school day and an appropriate
venue on site to provide the opportunities. In addition, the offer
they provide to their pupils needs to meet their chosen needs with
pupils having input as to what they might wish to undertake.
Finally, families need to be provided with the required information
in terms of locally accessible groups, they also have to have
access to sufficient resources and the ability to support their
childrenÕs interests outside school irrespective of any
potential social disadvantage.
NAHT Cymru -
September 2017