Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, argued that although there has been a noticeable spike in children’s interest in sport, a lack of sufficiently trained PE teachers in primary schools means that their interest is unlikely to be translated into participation.
His comments follow concerns raised by Baroness Sue Campbell, chair of the Youth Sports Trust, ahead of the North of England Education Conference this week.
She warned that a lack of decent PE lessons in primary schools mean that some secondary schools are taking on 11-year-old pupils who “hardly move, let alone catch or run”.
Fry argued that government must do more to offer formal teacher training in PE to professionals working in primary schools.
“There is nothing there to help these seeds of youthful enthusiasm to grow into anything, there is nowhere to go, no one to teach them and no time made available,” he said. “We have sold them down the river.
“Teachers need more than support, they need training. PE teaching is as much of a discipline as geography teaching is.”
The Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation warned that the effect of poor primary school PE is particularly apparent on girls.
Sue Tibballs, chief executive of the foundation said that girls are only half as active as boys by the age of 14, a discrepancy that is directly related to their experience of PE. ?
“With more than half of girls (51 per cent) telling us they are put off physical activity by their experiences of school sport and PE, it is critical that schools get this right, providing better training for sports teachers and offering activities that appeal to pupils,” she explained.
“Like Baroness Campbell we are keen that the legacy of 2012 is not allowed to fade away – particularly for girls who are often put off physical activity by their experience of school sport. ?
“Some schools are leading the way in delivering exciting and inclusive PE lessons, but there is still a great deal to be done. And, with the Olympic Games creating enthusiasm for participation in sport, now is the ideal time to do it.”
