Pupils miss out on PE as exam pressure grows

SCHOOLS are cutting time spent on PE lessons because of exam pressures, a survey has found.

Secondary schoolteachers said that older teenagers were particularly likely to miss out, as 38 per cent said time spent on physical education for 14 to 16-year-olds had fallen in the past five years, and almost one in four said it had dropped within the past year.

Teachers told the Youth Sport Trust’s poll that increased pressure to produce exam results was leading to children being pulled out of PE for tutoring.

One in three said exam pressures were behind the decline, while 38 per cent said core subjects such as English and maths had been given more time at the expense of PE.

The charity said pupils moving from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 at the age of 14 experienced a 21 per cent drop in the amount of time set aside for PE per week. By the time they are aged 16 to 18 they are doing just 34 minutes a week at school.

Almost all of the teachers from the 487 schools polled said PE should be more valued for its benefits.

Mental health experts also warned against cutting back on exercise. Cal Strode, spokesman for the Mental Health Foundation, said cutting PE time would be “shortsighted and risk widespread unintended consequences”.

He said: “It is concerning to hear that PE is being cut at a time when students are facing issues with self-esteem, stress and anxiety.

“There’s a close relationship between our mental and physical health, ensuring that children have access to regular physical education delivers an all-round benefit.”

Tom Madders, director of campaigns at the charity Youngminds, said: “Seeing schools cut down on PE because of exam pressures is worrying, and further shows that the education system is fundamentally unbalanced, with a far greater focus on exam results than on the well-being of students.”

Rising exam stress has been raised as an issue by experts who warn that children are under greater pressure because of a competitive jobs market.

The Youth Sport Trust is campaigning for PE to become more focused on teaching life lessons such as resilience, instead of on specific sporting skills.

It said schools are heavily judged on their GCSE results for PE and winning trophies instead of the impact the lessons have on students’ wellbeing.

The Department for Education would not comment.