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Campaigners call for national strategy amid decline in play

Campaigners are urging the government to ‘get children playing again' amid a squeeze on the activity – particularly in deprived areas.

Spending on play facilities has fallen across England, according to the report. Picture: Alex Deverill

The strategy proposed by the Raising the Nation Play Commission would ringfence school playtime, as evidence charts a “significant fall” in school breaktime over 25 years.

The ‘State of Play’ interim report by the Commission, published today, highlights how the sharpest falls are in primary schools in the most deprived parts of England.

Schools with a higher proportion of children in receipt of Free School Meals have shorter breaktimes, and while state secondary schools have suffered significantly in this area, there has been “no discernible decline in the time devoted to play in England’s private schools since 1995”, states the report.

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