The Report of the Review Group on Physical Education
Conclusion
This is a very exciting time for physical education in schools. Its links with physical activity and sport bring it into an arena which is experiencing fundamental change as never before.
The Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000 places a duty on local authorities to " ... secure that the education is directed to the development of the personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of the child or young person ..." . For the first time, legislation specifies the need to develop physical activities. This Act is complemented by a National Priority performance measure for physical activity.
The Group is aware that the implementation of their recommendations will have further resource implications which it has not attempted to assess as this is a task best undertaken by the Scottish Executive. In particular, it is also aware that some recommendations, such as increasing the secondary physical education staffing allocation by 1FTE will require a significant investment.
In all reviews of this kind, it is the implementation of recommendations that is key to achieving maximum impact. This Report is no different in that respect. Implementation requires the investment of time and effort by a range of agencies including the Scottish Executive, HMIE, Directors of Education, Learning and Teaching Scotland, teacher education institutions and Sportscotland, and a range of individuals such as headteachers, teachers, community coaches, students, parents and active school co-ordinators. We need to work together with a common aim to ensure all our young people have access to quality physical education.
The recommendations are about providing the best opportunities for our young people to be involved in physical education, giving them the skills and the inclination to be physically active for life. We cannot force young people to be active. We can, however, help them to enjoy being active and so ensure that they do it in life and for life.
Let Scotland lead the way in making a clear statement that physical education has a critical part to play in health improvement by making it a vital element of education for all pupils.