4,000 hours of PE lessons lost in the last year, study reveals

It comes as the number of PE teachers in England has dropped by 7 per cent in the same period.

While hours for Maths (13 per cent) and English (10 per cent) have increased, respectively.

Research, released by the School Workforce Census, revealed a decline of almost 45,000 hours of PE since the London Olympic Games in 2012.

With the most significant drop in hours affecting 11-14 year-olds (year 7-9) at 2,800 hours and 347 PE teachers lost last year for this year group alone.

This is at a time when the fastest growth in childhood obesity rates in England is among 11-15 year olds.

Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive of The Youth Sport Trust, who is calling for urgent action to protect and prioritise physical education in schools across the UK, 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 policy makers to schools and parents.”

It follows the research, which revealed that fewer PE lessons are harming children’s physical and mental well-being, as 2.2 million UK children are doing less than 30 minutes of exercise a day.

This is a rise compared with pre-pandemic levels, and only 48 per cent are meeting the UK’s Chief Medical Officers’ recommendation of at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

Despite fewer PE lessons, 70 per cent of parents believe that digital distractions play a key role in their children being less active.

And children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and also those from disadvantaged backgrounds, face barriers to physical activity.

Oliver added: “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.”

Nevertheless, 93 per cent of young people believe that PE is important, with 71 per cent wanting to be more active in school, according to the research.

And 96 per cent of teachers agree that sport and play are beneficial to mental wellbeing.

Ali Oliver, from The Youth Sport Trust, who is calling for more inclusive physical activities in schools, concluded: “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.”

The Youth Sport Trust are calling for:

• 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.

Download the full PE and School Sport Report here.