“Fat children should receive enough exercise in school to be made thinner.” Says Sir Desmond Swayne. I don’t disagree that any children need more exercise in school, but when, in an increasingly crowded curriculum, is this supposed to happen?
Parents recently suggested that the school should take up the ‘daily mile’. Only 15 minutes a day, that shouldn’t be too difficult.
Well if they don’t need to change their shoes either before (Mummy says I can’t go in the mud in these shoes) or after, (muddy shoes on the carpet would mean dirty clothes); if they don’t need to put on/take off their coats, go to the toilet and need to be checked in and out of the class, that would only take about 30 minutes . . . Mmm, what could we cut out? Music? Art? Computing? RE? Reading?
A head suggested to one parent that she/he could organise a team of parents, get them DBS organised and set up a before or after school run. Many parents would be happy to send their children to school earlier-saving on before school care. It didn’t go down well.
I’ll go in today and suggest to the school council members (2 from each year group) that one break time per day should be given up to compulsory running. KS1 and EYFS in the afternoon and KS2 in the morning. I wonder what their response will be?
Children do need more exercise, but that’s only part of the problem-a good run great (followed by the packet of sweets and an ice cream that often happens after school) defeats the purpose.
Sorry for the rant!
