APPENDIX 41
Letter from the Headmaster of the Cathedral
High School, Wakefield, to the Chairman of the Committee (OB 79)
Thank you for the invitation to share views
at the meeting in the Town Hall last week. I am pleased that you
found the meeting beneficial and I trust the comments made will
help you in your discussions with Government Ministers.
I would like to take this opportunity to point
out some ideas for you:
— The principle of encouraging participation
to improve health, excellence and citizenship must be targeted
at 5-8 year old children as a priority. By the time children reach
High School and adolescence starts the battle is often soon lost.
— Participation has reduced due to
a lack of compulsory Physical Education for Primary and Secondary
students. The reduction in curriculum time through the drive to
raise academic standards has coincided with the TV, video and
computer culture. The result is high proportions of children disinterested
or not engaged in physical activity, let alone sport.
— Physical Education in school needs
to be backed up by a co-ordinated approach from Sports Governing
Bodies, voluntary sports bodies and Government. The idea of a
"standards fund" to be dedicated to raising standards
in PE would allow schools to access support from the sporting
bodies, facilities and a wider range of sports. This would make
the impact in school, where the expectation of participation already
exists.
— Extra curricular sport will then
grow again with an enhanced expectation from children, their parents
and the local sporting bodies.
— Health of children is deteriorating
in Primary Schools with a lack of emphasis on PE. The increased
access to convenience foods, sweets and sugar drinks combined
with a lack of exercise leads to levels of obesity not seen in
previous generations.
— Children's expectations of entertainment
and enjoyment far outstretch the excesses that a minimal school
PE curriculum can offer. More time, more variety and a higher
profile is required if the cycle is to be broken.
There are many more points to be made which
I will leave to others. I would be happy to represent a Secondary
Headteacher's views for you in another forum. I do have misgivings
about the erosion of curriculum PE and the replacement with "extra"
sport. I firmly believe we need to protect PE through all the
Key Stages of compulsory education.
14 May 2003
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