Monday, 30 June 2008
As the nation limbers up for the biggest celebration of school sport ever, new research reveals that one in four adults tried to get out of their own school sports days!
This week (June 30 - July 4) will see up to three million schoolchildren take part in the first ever National School Sport Week. A government initiative managed by the Youth Sport Trust and supported by Norwich Union, National School Sport Week was launched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Dame Kelly Holmes, and aims to engage the largest number of schoolchildren at any one time in PE and school sport.
This is in stark comparison to the 22% of adults who admitted trying to skip sports day. The initiative is being driven by Dame Kelly Holmes, the National School Sport Champion, who wanted to demonstrate the improvements that have been made in school sport in recent years.
Dame Kelly said: “These new statistics make me feel even prouder knowing that next week schools across the country are hoping to inspire up to three million young people to take part in PE and school sport through National School Sport Week. It is a brilliant way to show the nation just how hard schools, teachers and young people have been working to make positive changes in the area of school sport.
“We have seen vast improvements in participation levels, and schools are thinking differently about the number and variety of sports they offer. Together we are working to make sport fun and accessible for all children, so that they are motivated to take part, get fit and learn to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.”
Schools within school sport partnerships are now offering an average of 17 different sports each, and as such, National School Sport Week organisers have encouraged schools to develop their own unique and innovative plans for the week. Activities range from multi-sport taster sessions and street dance performances, to more traditional rounders, cricket and athletics inter and intra-school competitions. Dame Kelly will be visiting a number of schools across the country each day to witness the range of activities that schools have planned.
This research from Norwich Union, supporters of National School Sport Week, shows that in addition to the 22% of adults who tried to avoid their school sports day:
- 26% didn’t look forward to school sport day – with girls dreading it the most (31%)
- Despite this, 23% of male adults believe that school sport helped to build their confidence and self-esteem
- 29% felt it encouraged them to participate in sport and exercise in later life
- 33% of young adults believe participation in school sport taught them leadership and teamwork
- One in four adults accredits school sport with playing a role in their ability to interact with others and make friendships.
Showing his support, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "We need to put school sport back where it belongs - playing a central role in the school day. National School Sport Week is a great opportunity to do just that and I'm confident that it will help get young people fit and physically healthy. Whatever their natural ability and whatever their age, sport and activity can make our children healthier, raise self-confidence and self-esteem. It develops teamwork, discipline and a sense of fair play. Values that will stand young people and the country in good stead in the years to come."