Youth Sport Trust lays out vision for PE

The Youth Sport Trust has laid out its vision for PE and school sport during its annual conference in Coventry.

According to chief executive Alison Oliver, physical literacy and the love of movement should be at the heart of primary school PE, with leadership skills and health and wellbeing the focus on secondary school sport.

Delivering a keynote speech at the conference, Oliver told delegates: “This would put physical education at the heart of the educational agenda for schools – ensuring young people are well enough to learn and have developed a range of personal competencies that will help them in the classroom.”

The Youth Sport Trust wants the emphasis on PE to switch from sporting prowess to the enhancement of lifelong skills.

It has launched programmes such as ‘My Personal Best’ and ‘Get to the Start Line’.

The former was a 12 month pilot in 25 schools to develop a replicable approach to character development. The latter revolves around the “power of leadership”, with Young Health Ambassadors leading projects to address wellbeing in schools.

According to the Youth Sport Trust, secondary school PE is “under increased pressure”, with more schools opting to reduce or drop it entirely.

Last year, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood – chaired by Floella Benjamin – said PE was “failing” pupils in its current form.

The 51-page report it published stated that the subject “commands a fear factor for too many children and teachers alike”.