The Youth Sport Trust is calling for urgent action to protect and prioritise physical education as it publishes its latest PE and School Sport Report: a comprehensive annual analysis of the state of PE, school sport and physical activity across the UK.
The launch comes as newly released Government figures confirm a significant decline in the number of hours allocated to PE in secondary schools, with nearly 4,000 dropped in the last year alone; in comparison, hours for Maths and English have increased by 13% and 10% respectively.
Overall, this is a decline of almost 45,000 hours since the London Olympic games in 2011/12. The number of PE teachers in England has also dropped by 7% over the same period.
The most significant drop in hours has affected 11 – 14 year olds (years 7-9) with over 2,800 hours and 347 PE teachers lost last year for this group alone. This is at a time when the fastest growth in childhood obesity rates in England is among 11 - 15 year olds.
The charity’s report highlights the harmful effect this decline is having on children’s physical and mental wellbeing. In England, 2.2 million children are now doing less than 30 minutes of activity a day — a rise compared with pre-pandemic levels — and only 48% are meeting the UK’s Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation of at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. Girls, children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and those from disadvantaged backgrounds continue to face the greatest barriers to being active.
Key findings in the report, which combines UK-wide data and international evidence, shows:
- One in ten children in the UK are obese or at risk of obesity.
- Physical activity levels have stagnated for the fifth year running.
- 70% of parents believe that as a result of digital distractions children are spending less time being active
- Nearly 1 in 5 students have had PE lessons cancelled this academic year.
- Poor physical development is impacting school readiness with teachers reporting one in three children were not school ready
However, despite these concerning figures, the report does indicate young people have aspirations to be more active. There is both a desire and a readiness across schools and communities to reimagine how we prioritise movement and wellbeing:
- 93% of young people believe PE is important.
- 71% want to be more active at school.
- 96% of teachers agree that sport and play benefit mental wellbeing.
In response to the latest dataset, the Youth Sport Trust is renewing its call for a bold and coordinated national plan to guarantee every child the opportunity to be physically active every day. Key priorities include:
- Ensuring all children are healthy movers before starting school, with strong foundations for lifelong activity.
- Delivering greater opportunities for physical activity in schools, including by reimagining the successful school sport partnership model which drove up activity levels in the past.
- Targeting support to those most affected by inequality, embracing youth voice and removing the systemic barriers that prevent participation.
- Embedding physical activity into wider policy reform, with opportunities presented through the new National Youth Strategy, Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Bill including free breakfast clubs, Curriculum and Assessment Review and forthcoming changes to Ofsted.
Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive of Youth Sport Trust, said: “Our children are moving less, feeling unhappier, and losing access to the transformative power of PE contributing to stagnant physical activity levels. The fall in PE hours is sadly an exacerbation of a longer-term trend and should be a wake-up call to society, from policymakers to schools and parents.
“We know being active improves children’s health, happiness and readiness to learn, as well as playing a vital role in supporting brain development. Unless we take action to reverse these damaging trends and increase activity levels to improve wellbeing, we risk failing a generation.
“Despite the challenges children and young people are facing, our report uncovers a powerful and consistent message of hope from young people, educators, and families: they value physical activity, they recognise its benefits and they want more of it. It is time for a different approach to reverse these worrying trends and ensure that PE, sport and play are given the status and time they deserve in our education system and society.
“With the Spending Review on the horizon and ongoing opportunities for change, now is the time for the Government to act to unlock the power of PE, sport and play to improve young lives.”
