Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the Department for Education

1.Introduction

2.Executive Summary

3.Existing Policy and Expenditure On School Sport

4.Recent Analyses of Children’s experience of PE and Sport

5.Additional Measures and Expenditure

6.Ofsted and Accountability

7.Grants

8.National Curriculum

9.Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for PE Teachers

10.Other Government Departments

11.Disability

12.Assessment of Impact

Annex: Draft National Curriculum Programme of Study for PE

1. Introduction

1.1. The Department for Education (DfE) is pleased to provide written evidence to support the Education Select Committee’s inquiry into School Sport following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This submission covers the evidence underpinning the Government’s policy on school sport and summarises current activity by the Department for Education, as well as new proposals for physical education (PE) and sport in schools announced by the Prime Minister on 16 March 2013.

1.2. The Government’s starting point for improving school sport and securing a sustainable legacy from Olympic and Paralympic Games was to acquire a better understanding of the issues and problems, and to identify and build on the examples of existing high quality practice across both primary and secondary schools.

1.3. A significant part of the approach to improving school sport is to encourage all schools to take inspiration from the example of the best, and to use the freedoms available to them to provide a first class sport and PE offer.

1.4. Outstanding heads of outstanding schools in both state and independent sectors do not neglect sport at the expense of providing a good academic curriculum. They actively pursue and maintain partnerships, they have high expectations of pupils’ achievement in sport, and they look for and find innovative ways to overcome barriers. They recognise that provision of high quality school sport complements pupils’ academic achievement.

1.5. The policy development process that culminated in the Prime Minister’s announcement on 16 March drew upon extensive consultation with a wide range of interested parties. These interested parties included some of those outstanding schools, sports organisations and national governing bodies, as well as focus groups of headteachers, teachers and pupils. The Department also hosted a roundtable discussion, attended by the Secretaries of State for Education and for Culture, Media and Sport with leading representatives of these groups.

1.6. From these consultations it became clear that there was a widespread consensus that, although there is much good practice in schools, the key issues to be addressed are a lack of expertise in teaching sport, and of capacity. It was also agreed that both those issues particularly affected primary schools. The expertise of specialist secondary school PE teachers could be drawn upon to improve the quality and range of activities in primary schools if the necessary funding was made available.

2. Executive Summary

2.1. While the policies of the previous Government were successful in helping schools to raise participation levels in targeted areas, the number of young people participating in competitive sport regularly remained disappointingly low1. Spending did not ensure sustainability and created a culture of dependency upon continued funding. Unnecessary burdens were placed on schools through data collection exercises.

2.2. We consider that the programmes of study for PE in the National Curriculum are too prescriptive and do not place sufficient emphasis on competitive sport. The new draft programme of study, published for consultation in February, exemplifies a range of competitive team and individual sports and other activities, including dance, that will appeal to a broad range of pupils. The sports referred to are examples only and teachers can teach whichever sport or activity meets the stated requirements.

2.3 Following our consultation with interested parties, as outlined in paragraphs 1.5 and 1.6 above, the following key principles were identified as being crucial to encouraging the take up of organized school sport:

Good schools focus on excellence in PE and sport because they know it is important;

Providing targeted funding for PE and sport is one way to encourage schools to prioritise sport;

The Government should trust school leaders and teachers to know what is best for their pupils, rather than attempting to prescribe a “one size fits all” model for every school;

A funding commitment over a pre-determined period enables schools to plan sensibly to develop their provision in sustainable way and embed it within their core offer; and

DfE-led programmes need to align with and complement activity from other Government Departments.

2.4. To implement these principles the Prime Minister recently announced a new programme of additional ring-fenced funding of £150 million per annum for academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to support provision of PE and sport in primary schools. This funding includes £80 million per annum from DfE along with substantial contributions from the Departments for Health (£60 million per annum) and for Culture, Media and Sport (£10 million per annum)

2.5. This money will be provided directly to primary school headteachers and must be spent on improving sport and PE. However, within this broad requirement, headteachers will be free to decide how the money might most effectively be spent to address the needs of their pupils.

2.6. The use of this funding follows on from our current approach in which, for academic years 2011/12 and 2012/13, secondary schools have received additional funding of £7,600 per annum to cover the release of specialist PE teachers for one day each week to support provision of PE and sport in local primary schools. Targeted grants were also used to focus on demographics that are traditionally underrepresented and DfE supported the Department of Culture Media and Sport in introducing the School Games programme which provides schools with further opportunities to take part in competitive sport.

2.7. In addition to the £150 million per annum for 2103/14 and 201/15, DfE will extend its existing grant programmes supporting provision of PE and sport in schools for a further year. (Further details are given in paragraphs 3.2—3.4.) The Teaching Agency will launch an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) pilot programme to produce a cadre of 120 primary teachers with a particular specialism in teach PE. Work on this programme will begin in summer 2013, with the first teachers beginning work in schools in September 2013.

3. Existing Policy and Expenditure on School Sport

3.1. PE is currently compulsory within the National Curriculum, and, consequently, schools are funded through their mainstream funding to ensure that it can be taught to all pupils. As detailed in paragraph 2.6, DfE currently provides additional funding of £32.5 million per annum through the PE teacher release scheme.

3.2. DfE has had a grant agreement with Sport England since 201112 to support work to improve participation in sport for children with disabilities. The grant agreement is for £300,000 per annum, and identifies four areas of development:

increasing provision and access to inclusive PE and school sport;

extending and nurturing expertise in schools;

raising confidence and aspirations in young disabled people; and

developing school club links with experts in the area of PE and sport for disabled children.

Examples of work being delivered by Sport England this year include:

50 new Project Ability school “peer teachers” trained;

Around 2500 young disabled people given access to an athlete mentor to raise aspirations;

Approximately 10,000 young people involved in inclusion awareness sessions delivered by Paralympians;

“Top Sportsability”—3,600 schools equipped to provide inclusive intra-school competition; and

450 School Games Organisers trained to co-ordinate and plan inclusive competitions.

3.3. Through a separate grant agreement, the Department has provided funding of £1 million to Sport England during financial year 2012–13 to work with the national Governing Bodies of individual sports to place more volunteer leaders and coaches in schools to encourage wider pupil participation in sport. Working through County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) and School Games Organisers, Sport England aims to recruit 1350 new volunteers and support 1000 existing coaches and leaders, with a thorough and rigorous training and development programme, CRB checks and induction into the School Games. The programme also worked in partnership with LOCOG to encourage volunteer Olympic and Paralympic “Games Makers” to continue working and encouraging young people as part of the Olympic legacy.

3.4. A further grant from the Department for £250,000 for financial year 2012–13 has enabled the Youth Sport Trust to deliver the Young Ambassadors programme. This identifies and trains young people in schools to act as ambassadors to encourage their peers to take part in school sport and promote healthy lifestyles. They are selected on their sporting talent and commitment and ability as young leaders. There are currently 10,000 ambassadors, who will remain in their role as long as they are in school or college. The role of the Young Ambassadors includes:

increasing participation in school sport and promoting healthy lifestyles;

leading and organising sport for primary school children;

organising and driving intra-school competition as part of the School Games;

acting as sporting advocates in their schools and local communities by inspiring other young people to take part in sport and physical activity, promoting citizenship and encouraging others into leadership in sport; and

increasing the number of disabled young people engaging in sport.

3.5. In the run up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games DfE provided grant support to the Get Set programme, run by the LOCOG, which aimed to engage schools in the run up to the Olympic Games. More than 23,500 schools signed up to Get Set and received educational resources and support to engage their pupils in the Games. In 2012–13 the Department provided £500,000 to Get Set to support schools to develop and deliver activities to capitalise on the learning opportunities arising from the Games (with particular emphasis on the Paralympic Games).

3.6. DfE is working with DCMS, Sport England, DH, the British Paralympic Association and the Youth Sport Trust (YST) to deliver the School Games. The School Games programme, which is led by the DCMS, is a school sport competition, using the inspiration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to help transform competitive sport in schools and get more young people playing sport. The programme provides a range of competitive sporting opportunities for participating schools, starting with competitive sport within and between schools, moving on to county or district annual festivals of sport, and culminating in a national competition to showcase our best sporting talent.

3.7. Just over half of all English schools initially signed up for the 2012 School Games, including around 90% of secondary schools and half of primary schools. By 1 August 2012 8,341 schools reported having participated in the School Games 2011122. This equated to just over a third of all schools in England and covered 3.85 million eligible pupils.

3.8. DCMS estimated the average public sector cost to be £13.20 per eligible student at schools participating in the School Games. Funding for the School Games in the first three years to March 2015 will be around £75 million from DCMS/Sport England and the Department for Health. Further support of £10 million has been secured through commercial sponsorship.

4. Recent Analyses of Children’s Experience of PE and Sport

4.1. Ofsted conducted a survey3 into the quality of PE and Sport over the period 2008–12. This concluded that the teaching of PE and Sport had generally maintained the high standards reported in the previous such survey for the period 2005–08.

4.2. The Taking Part survey 20124, commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sports, found that the overall proportion of children aged 5–15 who reported that they had participated in any sport during the preceding four weeks was 88.9%, consistent with the corresponding level for 201011. Within this figure, the proportion of children aged 5–10 who reported participating in sport was lower (82.7%) than for children aged 11–15 (96.1%).

4.3. Over three quarters of those surveyed (77%) had taken part in competitive sport in school, whilst 37% had taken part in competitive sport outside school. For 11–15 year olds, playing sport against others in PE and games lessons (74.6%) was the most common way of participating in competitive sport, whilst being a member of a sports club (32.6%) was the least common. Around 25% of 5–15 year olds were inspired to participate in sport more frequently following the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

4.4. While many schools do focus on competitive sport, the 2009/10 PE and Sport Survey5 revealed that only 21% pupils played competitive sport regularly6 against other schools; and 39% regularly7 participated in competition within school (excluding annual sports days).

4.5. Across Years 1–11, 86% of pupils participated in at least 120 minutes of curriculum PE each week. Across Years 1–13, 82% of pupils participated in at least 120 minutes of curriculum PE each week. Across the primary years (Years 1–6), the majority of children participated in at least 120 minutes of curriculum PE (93% of pupils in Years 1–2 and 95% of pupils in Years 3–6).

4.6. Young people have been inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as demonstrated by the large increases in enquires received by sports associations and clubs. Research by the Local Government Association (LGA) also suggests that that more people are taking part in locally organised sports8.

4.7 The declining number of young people children doing sport regularly, in particular girls and young women, remains a concern. The Active people Survey, June 2012, showed that over 15.3 million people aged 16 and over play sport regularly.9 However, although women account for over 51% of adults, they account for only 43% of regular sports participants (6.6 million). Whilst the number of women playing sport has increased over the past six years, the proportion has decreased over this period.

5. Additional Measures and Expenditure

5.1. The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games were significant highlights in what was a tremendous year for sport in Britain. As the Government’s legacy statements have made clear, improving opportunities for all children and young people to lead healthy active lifestyles and take part in competitive school sport has always been a key part of our plans to ensure a lasting legacy from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

5.2 The London 2012 Games proved how important sport is to the nation, whether as participants, coaches, officials, volunteers or spectators. If we induce a habit of participation in sport while young people are at school, then they are more likely to continue with it into adulthood. This is the final piece in the jigsaw to ensure that children have the opportunity to participate in sport from the very start of education.

5.3 Through the Cabinet Committee on Olympic and Paralympic Legacy, all Government Departments are working together to deliver a tangible and lasting legacy from London 2012. Sport is at the heart of that.

The three Departments delivering the latest sports policy have worked develop a cohesive package to bring together education, sport and health benefits.

Additional Funding for School Sport

5.4. There is a shared consensus among schools, teachers and sporting bodies that the area where sporting activity needs most support is in primary schools. This is partly a consequence of the lack of specialist PE teachers within the primary sector but also reflects the cumulative benefits deriving from an early interest in PE. We also know that the primary school years are crucial to tackling the challenges we face from increased instances of obesity and physical inactivity. That is where the Government is focusing its resources, time and energy.

5.5. The Government announced on Saturday 16 March new, substantial funding for primary school sport for the next two years, funded by the DfE, DH and DCMS. It will see funds go directly into the hands of primary school headteachers for them to spend on improving the quality of sport and PE for all pupils. Uniquely, this funding will be ring-fenced so that it can only be spent improving sport and PE Provision.

5.6. The Government is making a significant investment in every primary school that, if used wisely, can ensure that all children have the opportunity to take part in sport and PE, particularly those who are least active. Increasing opportunities in school sport for young people will make a significant contribution to helping to drive down rates of childhood obesity and instilling in young people an appetite for sport that will last them a lifetime.

5.7. Every state-funded primary school in the country will qualify for the additional ring-fenced funding to support provision of PE and sport. For schools with seventeen or more primary-aged pupils, as reported to the Department in the 2013 school census, the funding will consist of a lump sum of £8,000, with a top-up of £5 per pupil. This will include state-maintained schools, academies, middle schools, special schools (including non-maintained special schools); and pupil referral units. Schools with fewer than 16 pupils will receive £500 for every eligible pupil.

5.8. A typical school of 250 pupils would receive around £9,250 per year. The table below shows how much funding schools of different sizes will receive.

16 pupils	25 pupils	50 pupils	100 pupils	250 pupils	500 pupils
£8,000	£8,125	£8,250	£8,500	£9,250	£10,500

5.9. This additional funding will be provided for the two academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 during which schools will be expected to embed this work within their core provision. Any funding beyond 2015 will be subject to the next Spending Review.

5.10. The funding for 213/14 and 214/15 will be included in the Additional Grant for Schools (AGS), to be distributed to local authorities in late September or early October each year. These payments will cover the total funding for the academic years. The allocations for each eligible school in the authority will be set out in a spreadsheet that will accompany the note on the conditions of grant for the initiatives being supported by the AGS.

5.11. Academies will receive their AGS directly from the Education Funding Agency. Eligible special schools will receive their funding directly from the Department’s Special Education Needs and Disability Division.

5.12. Within the broad requirement that they use it to improve their provision of PE and sport, primary schools can use this new funding as they see fit. This could include buying in help from secondary schools if they feel this is right for them. When the funding comes to an end in 2015, we expect that primary schools should have embedded this work into their core provision.

5.13. Alternative options for the use of the additional ring-fenced funding might include:

Hiring specialist PE teachers, PE advanced skills teachers, or qualified sports coaches to work alongside primary teachers when teaching PE;

New or additional Change4Life sport clubs;

Paying for professional development opportunities in PE/sport;

Providing cover to release primary teachers for professional development in PE/sport;

Running sporting competitions, or increasing participation in the School Games

Purchasing quality assured professional development modules or materials for PE/sport; and

Providing places for pupils on after school sport clubs and holiday clubs.

6. OFSTED and Accountability

6.1. Schools will be held to account for how they spend their additional funding. The Department has agreed with Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, that Ofsted will strengthen its coverage of sport and PE within the Inspectors’ Handbook and supporting guidance, so that schools and inspectors are clear about how sport and PE will be assessed in future as part of the overall provision offered by the school.

6.2. A revised version of the handbook10 will be published for implementation from September 2013. The handbook is followed by all inspectors and these changes will ensure that sport is a high priority for inspectors and that schools are held to account appropriately.

6.3. The revised handbook will ask inspectors to consider: “How well the school uses its Sport Premium top improve the quality and breadth of its PE and sporting provision, including increasing participation in PE and sport so that all pupils develop healthy lifestyles and reach the performances levels they are capable of.”

6.4. Ofsted will undertake two separate surveys. The first of these will be a rapid response survey to identify and promote best practice for teaching of PE and sport in schools. The Government and Ofsted will provide schools with information on effective practice taken from case studies provided by the very best schools. This would enable schools to draw on this to inform their use of any new funding. The second survey will be held up to a year later and will review how schools have utilised their additional funding for school sport and its impact.

6.5. We will also require schools to include details about their sporting provision on their school website, alongside their curriculum details. This will enable parents to compare sporting provision across and between local schools, both within and beyond the school day.

7. Grants

7.1. In addition to the additional funding for primary schools, the Department will continue to fund a number of smaller, targeted programmes which are already helping to improve PE and sporting provision for young people. These include: work on sport for young people with a disability; volunteer coaches and leaders; and the Young Ambassador programme as detailed in paragraphs 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 above.

7.2. Sport England is also investing an additional £1.5 million a year of lottery funding through the County Sport Partnerships to help primary schools link up with local sports coaches, clubs and sports governing bodies. This will help schools put the strongest possible sport offer on for their pupils.

7.3. Sport England will extend the age-range of their satellite community clubs and Sportivate programmes from 14–25 to 11–25, giving all secondary school pupils more opportunities to engage in community sport.

8. National Curriculum

8.1. PE is currently compulsory in the National Curriculum at all four Key Stages and will remain so after the current review. A draft programme of study for PE was published for consultation in February 2013.

8.2. This draft programme of study places a greater emphasis on competitive sport than was previously the case, whilst ensuring that schools continue to provide physical activities for their pupils which are suited to their needs. We have attached the draft Programme of Study as an Annex to this document.

8.3. It also retains the requirement that all primary pupils should be taught to swim as part of the National Curriculum. By the end of key stage 2 (age 11), pupils should be taught to swim unaided for a sustained period of time over a distance of at least 25 metres, and use a range of recognised strokes and personal survival skills.

9. Initial Teacher Training (ITT) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Primary PE Teachers

Initial Teacher training (ITT)

9.1. One of the key issues impacting upon provision of high quality physical education in primary schools has been a lack of appropriate expertise for the teaching of sport among non-specialist primary teachers. To help to address this, the Teaching Agency will run a pilot programme in initial teacher training for primary teachers. This will produce a cadre of 120 primary teachers with a particular specialism in teach PE. Work on this programme will begin in summer 2013, with the first teachers beginning work in schools in September 2013. These teachers will be able to:

support generalist ITT trainees with enhanced PE input;

support established teachers to develop their skills in delivering PE and school sport; and

lead on regional sports initiatives to improve primary PE and sport in a collaborative approach.

9.2. This pilot is aimed at securing improvements in the capacity of primary teachers entering the profession to teach PE, as well as enabling schools to invest in their existing workforce. It will create a more sustainable future for PE and sport in primary schools.

9.3. A consortium of primary schools will work with a lead teaching school, accredited ITT provider and an outstanding university sports provider develop a school led route to train primary specialist physical education teachers. The schools will recruit, monitor, feedback and evaluate the plan.

9.4. As part of the route to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) a training body (a Teaching School, that was formerly a Sports Specialist School and still manages PE/SPORTS activities across the sector) will run a “summer school” (July 2013) and subsequent knowledge training in partnership with recognised sports bodies (eg Lawn Tennis Association, Rugby Football Union, Rugby Football League, Football Association, England & Wales Cricket Board and similar bodies for dance, netball, rounders, swimming and gymnastics).

9.5. A four week summer school will enhance the trainees’ current sporting skills. They will be required to enhance their skills and access a range of sports at the same time as developing an understanding of the delivery of sport in primary schools.

9.6. In 2013–14 there will be an initial implementation of a hundred and twenty trainees in three Teaching School Alliances with forty trainees in each alliance. All training will take place across the alliance, the training provider’s institution and within the sports’ governing bodies

9.7. Trainees with have demonstrable skills in a particular sport or sports and will demonstrate sporting excellence at a high level such as training for high class competitions, membership of a 1st team in a particular sport. They must have an interest in sporting activities and have a sports background. Trainees must also have a good degree (Grade 1, 2.1, 2.2) in any national curriculum subject or an honours degree with significant sport content.

9.8. The content of the training will be 50% primary generalist training and 50% specialist PE training over the course of a year. The content will be developed by the schools within the alliance, in consultation with the ITT providers and sports specialist universities. All partners will work together to produce a bespoke ITT route to ensure that the teaching regulations are covered.

9.9. The implementation in 2013–14 will be based on the principles of School Direct but will allow for more flexibility around expectations of employment as distinct from the School Direct route.

9.10. The budget for this programme will come from the Olympic Legacy Fund. The £2000 bursary per trainee will align with the bursary for primary mathematics specialist teachers. The cost for the summer school is a best estimate based on historical evidence.

Budget	Per trainee	Total of 120 trainees
Bursary	£2000	£240,000
Summer School	£4000	£480,000
Total	£6000	£720,000
Budget	Set up costs per Teaching School	3 Teaching Schools
Total	£10,000	£30,000
Grand total	£750,000

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

9.11. The sport premium will provide more opportunities for teachers to develop their skills and acquire the necessary coaching skills as part of their CPD.

9.12. Schools can use the sports premium for CPD training days and supply cover. Schools also have their own CPD budgets which they can use to buy in this training.

9.13. There is a wide range of high quality PE and sport training materials and resources available to schools. We will ask the Association for Physical Education (AfPE) to signpost schools to resources and materials which best meet their needs.

10. Other Government Departments

10.1. On top of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s (DCMS) contribution to funding primary school sport, Sport England is also investing £1.5 million a year of Lottery funding through the County Sport Partnerships to help Primary Schools link up with local sports coaches, clubs and sports governing bodies. This will help schools put the strongest possible sport offer on for their pupils.

10.2. This complements the existing commitments to deliver a lasting sporting legacy, including DCMS’s £1 billion youth and community sport strategy that is increasing opportunities for secondary school age children to play more sport.

10.3. At secondary level sport provision is being further enhanced by sports governing bodies. With funding from Sport England they will provide a multi-sport satellite club in every secondary school. These will be available to every secondary school pupil on top of the sport and PE offer they receive as part of the curriculum.

10.4. DCMS has also agreed that Sport England will expand its Sportivate programme making it available for those aged 11 upwards. It was previously available to those aged 14 years and above. This gives schoolchildren expert coaching in the sport of their choice and encourages them to participate in sport beyond school and at local community sports clubs.

10.5. The Government will monitor progress on this front by measuring for the first time the impact of these programmes on sports participation by 11 to 14 years olds.

11. Disability

11.1. The annual Taking Part Survey, commissioned by DCMS, asks children (or for 5–10 year olds the parents/carers of children) to report whether they have a limiting disability and maps this against participation in sport in and out of school. In 20011/12 81.4% of children with a limiting disability reported having done some sport in the last 4 weeks, compared to 89.6% for children with no disabilities.

11.2. We want to ensure that all children have the chance to lead a healthy active lifestyle, enjoy sport in school, to compete against their peers and we want to promote and celebrate sporting excellence at a young age.

11.3. The National Curriculum requires teachers to give due regard to three principles of inclusion, which also relate to their delivery of physical education:

1.Setting suitable learning challenges;

2.Responding to pupils’ diverse learning needs; and

3.Overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils.

11.4. Through the School Games, schools are giving disabled children the chance to play competitive sport. The schools involved in the “School Games” will offer competitive sporting opportunities to young disabled people at every level of the programme.

11.5. Project Ability is a bespoke project within the School Games designed to help drive and increase competitive opportunities for young disabled people. Over 5,000 young disabled people have so far benefited from Project Ability. It is delivered through a network of 50 lead Project Ability schools, and helps schools in England to improve the quality, and extend the provision of sport for disabled pupils by:

Providing disability-specific training for School Games Organisers.

Establishing even more local competitive opportunities for young disabled people.

Working with sports to design inclusive sports formats.

Including disability sport across all levels of the School Games.

Sustaining young people’s participation through the development of school club activities.

11.6. The Department supports the work of Sport England’s Disability Sports programme which:

Builds capacity in the system (school workforce, National Governing Body’s coaches and community clubs).

Creates a step change in NGB formats through innovation and the adaptation of rules, equipment and team structure.

Exemplifies clear and accessible pathways in a number of areas of the country which provide models of effective practice.

11.7. The existing School Games programme will continue to provide competitive sporting opportunities to all schoolchildren, no matter their ability or disability, Change4Life Clubs offer the Paralympic sports boccia and basketball as part of the “menu” of opportunities for participating schools.

12. Assessment of Impact

12.1. Ofsted Inspectors will consider how well each primary school uses its additional funding to improve the quality and breadth of its PE and sporting provision, including increasing participation in PE and sport so that all pupils develop healthy lifestyles and reach the performance levels they are capable of. It will also be possible to see improvements in the sporting opportunities which schools provide from their websites.

12.2. Data from the Taking Part and Active People surveys will show participation trends in young people’s sporting habits over time. We will monitor progress on this front by extending the measurements of sports participation to include children in the 11 to 14 age range.

Annex A

DRAFT NATIONAL CURRICULUM PROGRAMME OF STUDY FOR PE, CURRENTLY UNDER PUBLIC CONSULTATION.

Purpose of Study

A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically demanding activities. It should provide opportunities for pupils to become physically confident in a way which supports their health and fitness. Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect.

Aims

The National Curriculum for physical education aims to ensure that all pupils:

develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities;

are physically active for sustained periods of time;

engage in competitive sports and activities; and

lead healthy, active lives.

Attainment Targets

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant Programme of Study.

Subject Content

Key Stage 1

Pupils should develop core movement, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and co-ordination, individually and with others. They should be able to engage in competitive (both against self and against others) and co-operative physical activities, in a range of increasingly challenging situations.

Pupils should be taught to:

master basic movements such as running, jumping, throwing, catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities;

participate in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending; and

perform dances using simple movement patterns.

Key Stage 2

Pupils continue to implement and develop a broader range of skills, learning how to use them in different ways and to link them to make actions and sequences of movement. They enjoy communicating, collaborating and competing with each other. They develop an understanding of how to succeed in different activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

Pupils should be taught to:

use running, jumping, catching and throwing in isolation and in combination;

play competitive games, modified where appropriate, such as football, netball, rounders, cricket, hockey, basketball, badminton and tennis, and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending;

develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance, for example through gymnastics and athletics;

perform dances using a range of movement patterns

take part in outdoor and adventurous activity challenges both individually and within a team; and

compare their performances with previous ones to achieve their personal best.

Swimming and water safety

All schools must provide swimming instruction either in Key Stage 1 or Key Stage 2.

In particular, pupils should be taught to:

swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres;

use a range of strokes effectively such as front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke; and

perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations.

Key Stage 3

Pupils build on and embed the physical development and skills learnt in Key Stages 1 and 2 and become more competent, confident and expert in their techniques, and apply them across different sports and activities. They understand what makes a performance effective and how to apply these principles to their own and others’ work. They develop the confidence and interest to get involved in exercise and sports and activities out of school and in later life.

Pupils should be taught to:

use a range of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in face-to face competition through team and individual games such as football, netball, rounders, cricket, hockey, basketball, badminton, tennis and rugby;

develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports such as athletics and gymnastics;

perform dances using advanced movement patterns;

take part in outdoor and adventurous activities which present mental and physical challenges and be encouraged to work in a team, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group;

compare their performances with previous ones to achieve their personal best; and

take part in competitive sports and activities outside school through community links or sports clubs.

Key Stage 4

During Key Stage 4 pupils tackle complex and demanding activities. They get involved in physical activity that is mainly focused on performing, promoting healthy and active lives, or developing personal fitness. This could include becoming a specialist or elite performer.

Pupils should be taught to:

use and develop a variety of tactics and strategies to overcome opponents in team and individual games such as football, netball, rounders, cricket, hockey, basketball, badminton, tennis and rugby;

develop their technique and improve their performance in other competitive sports such as athletics and gymnastics, or other activities such as dance;

take part in further outdoor and adventurous activities in a range of environments which present mental and physical challenges and which encourage pupils to work in a team, building on trust and developing skills to solve problems, either individually or as a group;

compare their performances with previous ones to achieve their personal best; and

continue to take part in competitive sports and activities outside school through community links or sports clubs.

May 2013