Government ‘needs a recovery plan’
The Government is being urged to minimise the lockdown damage on children’s health by drawing up early guidance for the return of extracurricular school sport and accelerate a recovery fund for community sport.
After a significant dip in children’s activity levels during the first Covid-19 lockdown, there are fears that the impact of winter restrictions will be even more acute and, although the Government has indicated that reopening schools and sports facilities will be a priority, clear advance guidance will be vital.
There was widespread confusion when, ahead of the second lockdown in November, it was initially unclear whether extracurricular sport could continue alongside “wraparound” clubs while schools were open. This meant extracurricular sport was widely cancelled and, as well as being off school since before Christmas, has meant many children doing no sport outside of PE since the start of November.
The Youth Sport Trust and ukactive want schools to know where they stand well ahead of reopening to all children so that physical activity can immediately again become a core part of the school day. They also believe that, in the recovery from lockdown, school sport facilities are often ideally placed to deliver community sport in Covidsecure environments.
As part of our “Keep Kids’ Active” campaign, The Telegraph has called on the Government to prioritise reopening kids’ activity at the earliest opportunity, open school sport facilities outside of teaching times and place physical education and activity on a par with core subjects.
The latest in our free PE classes in collaboration with Loughborough College as part of the Keep Kids Active campaign will be online this morning. The classes, including 30 minutes of tuition by two PE lecturers and a student, can be watched and followed at any time. Visit telegraph.co.uk/sport, the Telegraph or Loughborough College’s Youtube channels, or follow social updates on Telegraph Sport Twitter.
The Departments for Education and Digital, Culture, Media and Sport responded by pledging that reopening “gyms and community sport facilities” would be a national priority as soon as safely possible.
The need for funding to help save leisure facilities and sports clubs has now also been stressed. “Playing sport and keeping active can help pave the road to recovery for a generation of children who have seen the most extraordinary disruption to their lives and education this year,” said Ali Oliver, the chief executive of the Youth Sports Trust.
“It will now be important to ensure schools and community clubs have the clear guidance and targeted support they need to get youth sport back up and running as quickly and safely as possible.
“Community and extracurricular clubs are vital to young people fully experiencing and enjoying the lifeenriching benefits of sport. This is why we are supporting calls for a recovery fund to protect grass-roots sport, ensuring they can afford to re-open and play their part in young people’s recovery.”
A spokesperson for the Department for Education said that schools had continued to provide PE for those attending and “innovative remote teaching of PE and physical activity” for those at home.
PE CLASSES FROM HOME