PE lessons to teach pupils about healthy lifestyles

The government has announced plans to change PE lessons in order to help children avoid the problems of obesity.

Under the plans, announced by Education Secretary Alan Johnson at the annual National Sports College Conference in Telford, lessons will combine physical activity with learning how exercise affects fitness and health.

Schools will also be given more flexibility to run the physical activities that best meet their pupils' needs.

The changes are being recommended by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority for 11 to 14-year-olds as part of a wider review of the Key Stage 3 curriculum.

Mr Johnson said that schools were provided with "unparalleled resources" in order to supply children with an "unprecedented range of sporting opportunities". He said: "Sport has the potential to improve a child's body and mind and raise the quality of their education. Crucially, it improves their health, helping to stave off problems like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Learning about the links between exercise and health at an early age will pay huge dividends later in life.

"Children will always want to take part in a range of sports - some where they challenge themselves against their own goals; some where they compete against other people. What is important is that pupils are active and understand how it is benefiting them in the broadest sense."

The government said that the latest survey of school sport showed that pupils were offered a total of 42 sports.

Secondary schools provided an average of 20 sports and primary sports offered an average of 15.

Traditional sports remained popular - the top five sports are football (98%), dance (96%), gymnastics (95%), athletics (92%) and cricket (89%) - although sports are making gains. There have been large increases in activities like fitness clubs, golf and cycling over the last three years.

Eight per cent of pupils now take part in more than two hours of high quality PE and sport every week, an increase of 30% in two years.

The Education Secretary said: "If children get the chance to discover what they like and what they are good at, they are more likely to continue that activity beyond the school gates. We have put the building blocks in place in schools and we are seeing the benefits as sport helps to reengage some pupils and boost attainment across the curriculum."

Mr Johnson also announced ten newly designated sports colleges.

The government aims to offer all children at least four hours of sport every week, at least two hours of which will be within the school day.

(KMcA)