Good report for school sport strategy
A government strategy to increase the number of hours schools dedicate to sport is having some success, according to a new Ofsted report.
The watchdog says physical education, school sport and club links strategy, which aims to get 85 per cent of pupils doing at least two hours of physical activity by 2008, is clearly delivering “improvements”.
Youngsters are seeing a “positive difference” thanks to an increase in links between schools and sports clubs, which provide extra opportunities for physical education outside the two hours offered within school hours, it finds.
However, chief inspector of schools David Bell said that more needs to be done, noting that the programme has yet to be extended to all schools across the country.
The report also warns that many teachers have found the scheme confusing and are unsure as to what skills and levels of fitness children are meant to show.
“Physical education and sport are an important part of the school week and it is good to see that the physical education, school sport and club links strategy has brought about improvements in our schools,” said Mr Bell.
“However, the strategy has yet to reach all schools. The challenge ahead is to ensure that the benefits felt by these schools are extended to all schools and all pupils. With the Olympics in our sights now is a great time to give all our pupils the best sporting chances.”
Meanwhile, another Ofsted report on language provision in primary schools published today finds that there has been a “significant expansion” in teaching of the subject following the introduction of the government funded pathfinder initiative.
Modern foreign language provision was satisfactory or better in nearly all of the 60 primary schools visited by the watchdog’s inspectors, mainly due to the leadership and management of the initiative by the local education authority.
However, Ofsted warns that links need to be developed with secondary schools so the progress made at primary level is not lost.
