The second part of this mini-series on sports policy and independence looks at how Wales can boost sports participation more generally, what the best sports systems in the world look like and the key role of schools.
The general picture – when it comes to PE, sports participation amongst young people and the new curriculum – was covered in Part I.
Are schools the secret weapon against physical inactivity?
As mentioned in Part I, the general guidance for physical activity is that under-5s should be active for at least three hours a day, while 5-18-year-olds should get at least one hour of physical activity per day.
As part of a 2019 Senedd committee inquiry1, the Welsh Sports Association was quoted as saying:
“The school setting is the one place where *every* child can acquire the basic physical skills needed to become healthy and resilient individuals. A fundamental shift in attitudes is needed so that the health and wellbeing of every pupil is recognised as much as their academic success.”
– Welsh Sports Association
Common issues that emerge are a lack of training for teachers on developing motor skills in younger children, a lack of time on the school curriculum for PE, and a lack of choice of activities in some schools (though the situation there has reportedly improved).
The advantage of focusing on schools to boost physical activity rates and sports development is the amount of time young people spend there. Not every child is going to be a member of a sports club outside of school hours for varying reasons. But the time they do spend in school has to count.
What would be the ideal approach to PE and school sport?
This isn’t an easy question to answer, but for the sake of offering a starting point:
- Different ability levels in different activities need to be factored in: if PE lessons only cater to those who are already good at a particular sport (or who take part in a sport outside school hours), it’ll alienate everyone else.
- Any physical activity is better than none: things like walking and cycling to school should count towards daily guidelines and be properly incentivised.
- Play to strengths: identify what people are good at then direct them towards appropriate coaching.
- Fun matters: having fun and receiving positive feedback from PE teachers can have a big impact on whether children enjoy PE (and possibly associate exercise with good feelings in adulthood).
The remaining questions and issues would be:
- Is there enough time in the school day to fit in organised sports and PE? Do schools have the right facilities, coaching expertise and funding? During the 2019 Senedd inquiry, there was support from some witnesses to extend the secondary school day to 5 pm-5:30 pm, with the time between formal lessons and the end of the day taken up with extracurricular activities, including sports – probably with clubs/classes overseen by third parties (such as coaches from local clubs) rather than teachers.
- Do schools provide enough variety of activities? There may be too much focus on team sports in schools (particularly rugby) and not enough on individual sports. It’s a lot easier to teach a PE class if they’re all doing the same thing, but Wales has often enjoyed success in sports like cycling, weightlifting, martial arts etc.
- Should children “specialise” in a competitive sport at an older age? Talented young athletes probably shouldn’t commit to competing in a particular sport as a club or school representative (if they’re deemed good enough) until they’re maybe 13-16 years old (Years 9-11).
1. Senedd Cymru (March 2019). “Physical Activity of Children & Young People” (p32-57). Available at: https://senedd.wales/laid%20documents/cr-ld12369/cr-ld12369-e.pdf
