Schools an physical activity for pupils

Don’t knock it. Children used to be much more physically active than they are now. We need to bring back some of that activity.

I don't remember any overweight children in the 50s. There was plenty of physical activity in and out of school.

Nor do I. Portions were smaller, though in my experience we didn’t go hungry, we didn’t eat junk food, we walked or cycled everywhere and we had compulsory PE/games at school from 5 to 18.

I can't see how every teenager can do 30mins PE every day.
Lessons aren't 30 mins long
There aren't enough PE teachers in school to teach this.
There aren't enough resources (gym, sports hall, playing fields etc) to accommodate this.
By the time pupils had got changed and outside, it would be time to come in again! 30 mins actual exercise would take up 50 minutes of school time if ten minutes changing time at each end of the lesson was factored in.
Which subjects would give up time so PE dept could have more?
Lastly this is yet another govt idea that hadn't been discussed with any professional body to see if this could work - bit like the 'maths until they're 18' idea.
(Did they say how the pupils would do 30mins exercise out of school?)

I also remember a 35 min PE lesson a day at my girls school, plus the cold showers!
Today however organised activities outside school has become very expensive.
My GDs have dance lessons a couple of times a week that require extra costs for performances, preparation for exams and exam entry fees. They also have swimming and tennis lessons. A lot of families, especially in these times, cannot afford extra curriculum activities.
Schools are also in dire straits for staff and upkeep of equipment. H&S would require lunch time activity supervision.

I was at grammar school from 1960 and I certainly didn't do sport every day.

I'm more impressed that my youngest granddaughter can now do football.

DGS in primary school only has 1 PE lesson a week. It's not enough.

I heard 2hrs a week on the radio this morning.
Might just be one session 🤔

I seem to recall we had PE twice a week at our grammar school, plus Games the whole of one afternoon.

Then we had Maths, English Language, English Literature, French, Latin, History, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Music, RE, Cookery, Needlework.

I think that was the curriculum, obviously some subjects were only one or two periods weekly.

Somehow all got fitted in back then.

Gosh Calendargirl That is exactly the curriculum at my grammar school in the 50’s. We also did athletics in the summer to gain house points and country dancing now and then. Double hockey, double athletics, we did something every day .

We had games or gym most days, netball, lacrosse, sometimes rounders. I hated it all with a passion, especially lacrosse, but it gave me lots of opportunities for inventive excuses. I was very good at getting out of games.

I did ballet, so was never remotely overweight or lacking in exercise, and at least ballet wasn’t in freezing muddy fields.

One of my sons told me recently that he did Latin at school because it got him out of PE. Obviously takes after me.

My granddaughter (10) plays football at school. At least I never had to do that.

Physical activity can be all sorts of different things. Modern type dancing, scottish country dancing, brisk walk round the school perimeter, team games indoors or out, plus the usual netball, basketball,football etc etc.

Children's physical wellbeing is just as important as their educational needs and the two should go hand in hand.

Many primary schools now do the "mile" walk in the playground or nearby a few times a week.

At secondary school I had one PE lesson a week, can’t remember how long for. My daughter has two PE lessons at her secondary school. Primary school kids are constantly on the go! Especially KS1!

Another grammar school girl here. We did hockey, swimming, lacrosse, netball, athletics, gymnastics, dance, tennis. As well as all our normal lessons: maths, English, French, Spanish, history, geography, physics, biology, chemistry. We managed. One or two were overweight but very few.

Forgot a few more: cookery, needlework, art.

PE was always great for those who were good at it. Less so for those of us who were no good at it for whatever reason (I have poor coordination and spacial awareness). Especially when conducted by a sadistic PE teacher who seemed hell-bent on humiliating you. So no, I'm not enthusiastic about the scheme

I've had an idea. Any new education proposals should be trialed by MPs first. I look forward to seeing them all doing PE in their shorts.

Physical exercise needs to be introduced as early as possible. My three to four year olds learn better after being outdoors.

Our school has 2 PE per week per class plus the daily run. Much better than it was for us, now children have PE uniform for outdoor PE. They come ready dressed for PE on outdoor day.
High school was all the sports and gym that I wasn’t good at, plus lacrosse 🤗 and cross country, but I don’t remember exactly how often.
How about parents taking some responsibility for their children’s fitness?

I'm afraid I take all of the Government's new ideas with a huge pinch of salt.

Yet another unworkable scheme.
I don’t know how much physical activity is expected under current regulations, but staff and the curriculum are fully stretched already.
I am also concerned about the loss of music in schools. Music develops all sorts of skills: co- ordination, numeracy, quick thinking, team work, and is good for the body, mind and mental well-being.

Oh, sorry, I also forgot Art, probably because I was rubbish at it!

You must have gone to the same school as me LHD, with the sadistic PE teacher!