City schools still off the pace for PE

FEWER than one in five children in Edinburgh's schools are getting enough PE each week, despite the same number being overweight or obese.

The Scottish Government says youngsters should be getting at least two hours of physical activity during school time every week.

However, new figures obtained by the Evening News show some pupils in the Capital are getting an average of just 45 minutes.

Just three out of the city's 23 secondary schools are giving children in S1-4 the recommended amount of PE, while only 18 per cent of primary school children are getting two hours of PE or more.

The figures also include changing times and the time spent travelling to sports facilities outwith the school grounds, as is the case at several city schools.

The figures come in the wake of an initiative in the Lothians to offer primary children special fitness classes after it emerged one in five are overweight when they begin school.

A recent study showed that 22 per cent of Lothian children were classed as being overweight, obese or severely obese in their first year at school, which in itself is higher than the national average.

But schools say that while they recognise the importance of physical education, it is difficult to meet the targets because of budget and accommodation issues. Money for employing specialist PE teachers comes out of individual school budgets, while schools often have to double up their gym halls as dining rooms or general purpose areas.

Laura Thomson, headteacher at Victoria Primary, said it was "challenging" for schools to meet the weekly PE targets, because of constraints on finances, time and facilities.

She said schools have to make a conscious effort to provide kids with enough physical activity, which can often mean sacrificing other things.

Her Newhaven school is one of the best in the city at giving children enough PE time, providing them with 131 minutes every week. Children at Victoria have a massive playground to run around in and a specialist PE teacher visits the school twice a week.

Mrs Thomson said: "We are looking to be a health promoting school so I have got to make that choice to spend money on employing a PE teacher and it comes directly out of our budget.

"I think it's absolutely vital.

"It's great from their fitness point of view, their self-esteem point of view and from the point of view of learning team games and cooperation. But it's a huge challenge for us all.

"We are very lucky that we have the availability of a very skilled teacher and it would be great if all schools had access and the availability to do so."

Overall, pupils in the Capital are getting an average of just over 90 minutes of PE, but although Edinburgh's schools are still a long way off meeting national targets, they have improved over the past year.

Only seven primary schools were giving children enough PE in 2007, compared with 17 last year, while half improved on the 2007 figure.

Nine secondary schools have also improved on the amount of time they allocate to youngsters for PE.

Greens education spokeswoman Councillor Alison Johnstone – who is also training to become an athletics coach – believes all schools should be given the necessary support to be able to provide at least two hours of PE each week.

She said: "Some schools are more switched on than others to the benefits of having a healthy school population.

"It improves confidence, self-esteem and self-discipline.

"The provision of just over an hour and a half of PE is an abysmal failing when every day in the paper we are reading about the problems of junk food and obesity.

"The Scottish Government should make sure that providing PE isn't an either-or choice for schools because the impact of having poor physical health will tell across the board."

The city council's own school PE target is currently just 90 minutes, and will move up to 100 minutes next year.

It says its ultimate target is the recommended two hours, but believes increasing gradually year on year is a more realistic approach.

City education leader Councillor Marilyne MacLaren said: "We're moving towards our target of 90 minutes of curriculum PE and next year the target will move up to 100 minutes and beyond that, two hours. It's a gradual process but through our major investments in new sports halls, fitness rooms and all-weather pitches alongside a clear focus on targets within our schools, we are on the way. Although important, the core curriculum isn't the only way to increase physical activity.

"We are offering young people opportunities to get active on SVQ courses and outside school hours. The council also works with Edinburgh Leisure and local sports clubs to promote the vast range of sporting and fitness activities that exist in the city," she added.