News Archive
PE training is a ‘national scandal’
HALF of all newly qualified primary school teachers have only received six hours of training to teach physical education, it has been revealed.
The Association for Physical Education (afPE) has written to the Prime Minister demanding action to be taken over the issue but afPE’s chief executive, Professor Margaret Talbot says that the government is reluctant even to admit that there is a problem.
She told Future Fitness that this is a national scandal – the most serious systemic weakness in the whole delivery system.
She said: “Too many initial training providers pay only lip service to physical education and, through no fault of their own, thousands of newly qualified teachers are begining their careers, without the training which they, and the children they teach, deserve.”
Margaret says the Training and Development Agency, the body resposible for teacher workforce planning and development, should be taking the issue of non-compliance among some providers of initial teacher training for primary physical education more seriously.
Adding that this lack of training can have serious implications for both the health and safety of children and should there be an accident during the early years of practice by a newly qualified teacher, which can be attributed to inadequate initial teacher training, then liability can be attributed to the provider of the initial teacher training.
She said: “If some teacher training courses can manage to allocate 30 hours or more (the recommended minimum by the National Summit on Physical Education in 2005), then so can all.”
HALF of all newly qualified primary school teachers have only received six hours of training to teach physical education, it has been revealed.
The Association for Physical Education (afPE) has written to the Prime Minister demanding action to be taken over the issue but afPE’s chief executive, Professor Margaret Talbot says that the government is reluctant even to admit that there is a problem.
She told Future Fitness that this is a national scandal – the most serious systemic weakness in the whole delivery system.
She said: “Too many initial training providers pay only lip service to physical education and, through no fault of their own, thousands of newly qualified teachers are begining their careers, without the training which they, and the children they teach, deserve.”
Margaret says the Training and Development Agency, the body resposible for teacher workforce planning and development, should be taking the issue of non-compliance among some providers of initial teacher training for primary physical education more seriously.
Adding that this lack of training can have serious implications for both the health and safety of children and should there be an accident during the early years of practice by a newly qualified teacher, which can be attributed to inadequate initial teacher training, then liability can be attributed to the provider of the initial teacher training.
She said: “If some teacher training courses can manage to allocate 30 hours or more (the recommended minimum by the National Summit on Physical Education in 2005), then so can all.”
Mayor Ken launched action plan
MAYOR of London Ken Livingstone has published ‘Inclusive and Active’ – an action plan designed to help increase the number of disabled people in London participating in any sport at any level.
Disabled Londoners currently have fewer opportunities or choice of sports and sports activities and facilities that others already enjoy leading to fewer than one in five of disabled adults in London regularly taking part in any sport and physical activity.
The Mayor said: “This report will address any concerns people have that disabled people will not reap the benefits of the London 2012 Games legacy.
“By working together with boroughs and national and local sporting associations to deliver the plan we can make a difference to the lives of disabled people before and after 2012, and create a sports legacy for disabled people of which we will be proud.”
The action plan jointly commissioned by the Mayor, Sport England and London Sports Forum for Disabled People sets out ten key priority action points to tackle the inequalities that exist and to help increase both sporting participation and success at every level. These include recruiting and training more disabled people as sports coaches with £500,000 funding already committed from the London Development Agency and increasing the number of existing sport and leisure facilities that are fully accessible and inclusive to disabled people.
Sean Holt, director of Sport England London, added: “Sport England strongly supports Inclusive and Active and we are fully committed to playing our role in tackling the challenges and barriers that disabled people face with regards to taking part in sport and physical activity.
“The recent Active People survey showed that nine per cent of disabled Londoners aged 16 and above participate in 30 minutes of sport or active recreation at least three times a week, compared to 21.3 per cent of Londoners without disabilities. It is imperative that we use this plan to encourage at least one per cent more disabled people to regularly participate in sport and physical activity year on year, in order to start narrowing the gap. This is a demanding target as this means 8-9,000 more disabled people participating each year or 40-45,000 between now and 2012.
“Inclusive and Active provides a perfect opportunity to open the debate with partners and stakeholders in order to raise the profile and secure much needed investment and resources for this key area.”
MAYOR of London Ken Livingstone has published ‘Inclusive and Active’ – an action plan designed to help increase the number of disabled people in London participating in any sport at any level.
Disabled Londoners currently have fewer opportunities or choice of sports and sports activities and facilities that others already enjoy leading to fewer than one in five of disabled adults in London regularly taking part in any sport and physical activity.
The Mayor said: “This report will address any concerns people have that disabled people will not reap the benefits of the London 2012 Games legacy.
“By working together with boroughs and national and local sporting associations to deliver the plan we can make a difference to the lives of disabled people before and after 2012, and create a sports legacy for disabled people of which we will be proud.”
The action plan jointly commissioned by the Mayor, Sport England and London Sports Forum for Disabled People sets out ten key priority action points to tackle the inequalities that exist and to help increase both sporting participation and success at every level. These include recruiting and training more disabled people as sports coaches with £500,000 funding already committed from the London Development Agency and increasing the number of existing sport and leisure facilities that are fully accessible and inclusive to disabled people.
Sean Holt, director of Sport England London, added: “Sport England strongly supports Inclusive and Active and we are fully committed to playing our role in tackling the challenges and barriers that disabled people face with regards to taking part in sport and physical activity.
“The recent Active People survey showed that nine per cent of disabled Londoners aged 16 and above participate in 30 minutes of sport or active recreation at least three times a week, compared to 21.3 per cent of Londoners without disabilities. It is imperative that we use this plan to encourage at least one per cent more disabled people to regularly participate in sport and physical activity year on year, in order to start narrowing the gap. This is a demanding target as this means 8-9,000 more disabled people participating each year or 40-45,000 between now and 2012.
“Inclusive and Active provides a perfect opportunity to open the debate with partners and stakeholders in order to raise the profile and secure much needed investment and resources for this key area.”
Call to scrap games’ controversial rules
By Francess Sykes
CONTROVERSIAL rules which mean children with learning disabilities can’t compete in their own category in the UK School Games should be scrapped, according to lobbyists.
The contest, run by the Youth Sports Trust, adopted the Paralympic principles, which means the children with learning disabilities did not have their own specific catergory and had to compete with everyone else.
The decision came under fire from mental health charity Mencap who said the choice to not add a specific category was unjust.
Dame Jo Williams, chief executive of Mencap told Future Fitness that the ruling could have effectively ‘banned’ thousands of children from entering.
She added: “It is inexcusable that children with a learning disability are being discriminated against because of the Paralympic ruling for adults.
“We strongly urge the government to find a solution, so that children with a learning disability have the chance to compete in next year’s UK School Games.
“The UK has a good track record on disability discrimination it would be scandalous if we were not able to resolve this.”
But Steve Grainger, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, added: “Young people with learning disabilities are in no way excluded from the UK School Games, there are just no specific events.
“Throughout sport, there are examples of athletes with a learning disability who have competed against others with no disability and become champions such as Olympic Swimmer Duncan Goodhew and Boxer Mohammed Ali.”
He added that children with learning disabilities did compete in this year’s games - which were held in August - but said he could not reveal more details due to welfare protection laws.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has now invited the Youth Sport Trust and Mencap to discuss ways to provide more opportunities for children with learning disabilities.
Steve added: “We understand the International Paralympic Committee plan to re-evaluate the participation of athletes with a learning disability following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and will keep abreast of these discussions.
“In the meantime, all young people remain at the heart of our work and the UK School Games are just one part of the sporting landscape which we are driving.”
n What do you think? Write to Francess Sykes, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email fs@whpl.net.
By Francess Sykes
CONTROVERSIAL rules which mean children with learning disabilities can’t compete in their own category in the UK School Games should be scrapped, according to lobbyists.
The contest, run by the Youth Sports Trust, adopted the Paralympic principles, which means the children with learning disabilities did not have their own specific catergory and had to compete with everyone else.
The decision came under fire from mental health charity Mencap who said the choice to not add a specific category was unjust.
Dame Jo Williams, chief executive of Mencap told Future Fitness that the ruling could have effectively ‘banned’ thousands of children from entering.
She added: “It is inexcusable that children with a learning disability are being discriminated against because of the Paralympic ruling for adults.
“We strongly urge the government to find a solution, so that children with a learning disability have the chance to compete in next year’s UK School Games.
“The UK has a good track record on disability discrimination it would be scandalous if we were not able to resolve this.”
But Steve Grainger, chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, added: “Young people with learning disabilities are in no way excluded from the UK School Games, there are just no specific events.
“Throughout sport, there are examples of athletes with a learning disability who have competed against others with no disability and become champions such as Olympic Swimmer Duncan Goodhew and Boxer Mohammed Ali.”
He added that children with learning disabilities did compete in this year’s games - which were held in August - but said he could not reveal more details due to welfare protection laws.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has now invited the Youth Sport Trust and Mencap to discuss ways to provide more opportunities for children with learning disabilities.
Steve added: “We understand the International Paralympic Committee plan to re-evaluate the participation of athletes with a learning disability following the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games and will keep abreast of these discussions.
“In the meantime, all young people remain at the heart of our work and the UK School Games are just one part of the sporting landscape which we are driving.”
n What do you think? Write to Francess Sykes, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email fs@whpl.net.
11-year-olds not active enough
By Francess Sykes
LESS than three per cent of UK 11-year-olds are taking enough exercise, according to a new report.
Research published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood monitored the physical activity levels of more than 5,500 11-year-olds in the South West of England over seven consecutive days between January 2003 and January 2005.
The children were part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), which has tracked the health of more than 14,000 children since birth.
Each child was kitted out with a special piece of equipment (accelerometer), worn on an elasticated belt, which recorded minute-by-minute the intensity and frequency of physical activity.
The researchers were particularly interested in total levels of physical activity and the amount of moderate to vigorous exercise the kids were taking daily.
When the data was analysed, it showed that the children were around twice as physically active as adults, but they were still not active enough. Boys were more physically active than girls, and they were also more likely to engage in moderate to vigorous forms of activity.
One in five (22 per cent) girls averaged at least one bout of moderate to vigorous activity a day, lasting at least five minutes. This compares with 40 per cent of the boys.
But both sexes spent most of their day in light intensity activities. Less than one per cent of the children averaged at least one 20-minute bout a day.
And only just over five per cent of the boys and 0.4 per cent of the girls actually achieved current recommended daily levels of physical activity, equating to 2.5 per cent across both sexes. The authors say that only sustained activity is likely to promote cardiorespiratory fitness, adding: “It is a sobering thought that children’s activity levels actually peak at around this age (11) and decline precipitously during adolescence.”
By Francess Sykes
LESS than three per cent of UK 11-year-olds are taking enough exercise, according to a new report.
Research published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood monitored the physical activity levels of more than 5,500 11-year-olds in the South West of England over seven consecutive days between January 2003 and January 2005.
The children were part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), which has tracked the health of more than 14,000 children since birth.
Each child was kitted out with a special piece of equipment (accelerometer), worn on an elasticated belt, which recorded minute-by-minute the intensity and frequency of physical activity.
The researchers were particularly interested in total levels of physical activity and the amount of moderate to vigorous exercise the kids were taking daily.
When the data was analysed, it showed that the children were around twice as physically active as adults, but they were still not active enough. Boys were more physically active than girls, and they were also more likely to engage in moderate to vigorous forms of activity.
One in five (22 per cent) girls averaged at least one bout of moderate to vigorous activity a day, lasting at least five minutes. This compares with 40 per cent of the boys.
But both sexes spent most of their day in light intensity activities. Less than one per cent of the children averaged at least one 20-minute bout a day.
And only just over five per cent of the boys and 0.4 per cent of the girls actually achieved current recommended daily levels of physical activity, equating to 2.5 per cent across both sexes. The authors say that only sustained activity is likely to promote cardiorespiratory fitness, adding: “It is a sobering thought that children’s activity levels actually peak at around this age (11) and decline precipitously during adolescence.”
