to think that we really don't need to be making children do more sport?

[Tricccky]

Don't get me wrong, I am LOVING the olympics. It's fantastic to watch and great that it will, no doubt, 'inspire a generation'. I hope that some kids are genuinely inspired go greatness from it. But it does not highlight anything systemically wrong in sports teaching (in my opinion) or mean we should strengthen sports teaching targets. Three points:

1. We are THIRD in the world already (looking at the medal tally). There's clearly not a long wrong with our current approach. The two country's ahead of us have approximately 4 times (US), and 16 times (China) our population. We are punching way above our weight. The national lottery sponsored schemes have clearly been a massive massive success and due credit should be given.

1. Success in sport at a national competitive lesson should not be for schools to push. Giving children access into competitive sports absolutely should be - and in my experience most schools do do this. The whole 'state schools don't do competitive sports' thing is complete bollocks from what I know. Every state school I know where I am does competition perfectly well thank you very much. They encourage it (and not just in sport) so it really bugs me when this myth is peddled about. However, schools can and should only take children to a certain level - essentially recognising potential. Specialist sports clubs at local and national level is what will take children beyond that.

1. Sport just isn't for everyone. If there wasn't an Olympics, and instead there was a major musical (for example) world playoff, we'd all currently be clamouring for 2 hours music teaching for every child every week - there's plenty of evidence of the added extra that music (etc) gives to children who spend time on this activity, that it adds to their other academic achievements, gives them confidence etc etc. All this extra proposed time for sport will take away from other 'non-core' areas, like music, which would be a massive negative for many children for whom sport will never be a mainstay.

8Amber* I mean that in the sence that it is subsadised greater for people living in deprived postal codes or attending schools classed in deprived areas, thus making it quite more accessable for children in similar or slightly better off circs but do not attend a school in a derpived area and cant afford the fees.

Those who are privaldged can afford the fees also have greater access than those who cant afford the fees.

My dd attended a gymnasitcs gruop and I would say at least 80% of the children recived free classes because they attended a derpived school in my town.

not nonsence, it is true.

the primary school at the end of my road where my DCs will go does do competitive sport. They also have weekly competitions for other things, like attendance, academic achievement etc. All the other schools that various members of my family teach at (secondary and primary) also do competitive stuff. The stereotype pisses me off - I think a minority of schools are like this, not a majority.

OF COURSE physical activity is a good thing. That's not the point. A balance is required. Evidence suggests that young children in particular do not do less activity now than they did 20 years ago (gets worse asthey get older though I believe). But they do eat more poorly. so perhaps if obesity is the issue they should be spending more time in food technoloy classes?

I'm not suggesting that children should do more music. I'm saying that all the hype about sport won't really lead to anything, that's all. I had a major health issue which meant I couldn't do sport at all for 2 years. However, during my school years I still got a regional medal for one sport I competed in, I swam and ran for my school and did a tonne of other non sport things (especially musi, as my OP suggests). I have never been overweight. And I never, ever, did 2 hours sport in a week at school. I was too busy doing other things which have enriched my life.

And. Again. I am LOVING the Olympics. Just adding some perspective. I am not for a second suggesting sport isn't important!

You're right it is cheaper, we live in Hackney so it does fulfill the stereotype. However schools who can afford expensive equipment still wouldn't offer boxing because it is really looked down upon.

I was talking about this on another thread about how insanely supportive the coaches are, the discipline and fitness required. One boy was thrown out by his mother, he now lives with the coach and his family. One tutored my DS in PE coursework and revision.

Dd is in primary; no competitive sport there yet, except a mum set up a girls football club-but more about fun than competition. however dd needs to do sport, so out of school, she Does rugby, athletics, judo, swimming and horse-riding and we cycle a lot...

Regarding 'healthy living' in schools; it is great, for making kids aware and tackling obesity. But for us, it has gone too far, dd at age 7 is obsessed with not getting fat, really conscious of her food and portion size. She hasn't am ounce of fat on her, and I am proper worried about am eating disorder developing

Also I see fat kids, a lot more than I used to. I also used to think that there had been a rise in anorexia and that all the girls seemed so slim. Mentioned this to my mum who went and found all my old school uniforms as I was always one of the thinnest at school and looking at them there is little difference. They do all seem ridiculously thin but I think that's just us ageing.

fatima whitbread was a child in care when she began training, her coach adopted her, but these stories are the expetion and are not highlited enough.

About 1 in 4 children in the UK are either overweight or obese. This will not be solved by introducing more music lessons into schools I don't understand how people cannot think this is a huge problem.

also in schools I think sports must be non contact aswell, school rugby is non contact AFIK.

Yes, it is usually tag rugby in schools

Why should sport be non-contact. I don't understand. I have two ds and they love contact sports.

Rugby Union may be non contact but in Rugby League the kids tackle each other at a very early age.

maybe to avoid injury and litigation. I can see why though, my bd was injured no end at school and this actually did interfere with his future sports ability and possible a carear in sports. Some children maybe put off by level of contact, I was as a child.

Lots of schools allow contact sports so the 'litigation' point is a red herring.

I wasnt saying that is fact, I was only suggesting that maybe a reason. I had no idea schools offered contact sports, I said up thread it was as far as i knew so wasnt stating any facts.

I don't see why you state that sport should be non contact though. Just because somebody you know got injured and you didn't like it isn't grounds for arguing others who do enjoy it should be deprived of playing the sport they love. I think there should be a wide range of sports available to all school childen so they can find one they enjoy.

you have got me wrong, that is not what Im meaning to say, I was suggesting that the reason school does not offer boxing is because as far as Im aware school sports are non contact as in I think the rules state this. not my opinion states this. I put ASFIK as in as far as I know.

I did not know that schools offer contact sports, my responce was becuse I thought schools only offer non contact, so I was offering up a possible reason, unaware that some schools do offer contact sports.

my offering up of my experience in the sence that I can understand why, was not me suggesting due to my experience sports at school should be non contact, just that I thought those where the rules and if they where I can understand why.

hope that was clearer , crossed wires.

I think the opportunities and facilities should be there for youngsters keen on sport and interested in sport. But I don't think children who aren't interested in sport should have it forced upon them.

I wish there had been two streams when I was at school, sport for fitness and sport for competitIon - when if became clear that the later was a non-starter then I would have happily done the former and stopped worrying about letting down the team. I do loads of running now but discovering how much I like it had nothing to do with school. Remembering how unfortable I felt during PE means I'm very uncomfortable running in front of others as I feel like at any moment someone is about to take the piss

Ok

Football is a contact sport and i dont think there are any schools that dont play football.

Brilliant post whereismyfuckingcat.

No, football is not classed as a contact sport in primary

In club rugby, kids start tackling at 8; AFAIK, it is tag in schools all through primary

Maybe its to do with blood and disease transfer?

currently if your catchment school is a sports school and you are persuing music you will have no choice but attend a school that will not meet your needs.

Not true locally, not the way local schools implement their specialisms, anyway. There well and truly isn't that much difference in art-science-math-sport provision from one school the next, regardless of stated specialisms. Plenty of competitive sport right down to infants, too. Britain is already a sports-mad nation & we really don't need more formal channels pushing it.

Agree that it's all hype at present & nothing will change in future (when we get to remembering what real life was like). I don't think schools should be lumbered with trying to fix the obesity problem.

My ds was very peeved that rugby was non contact at primary, as it was the tackling that appealed to him. Martial arts seems to be offered at a fairly young age, but that's outside of school. We moved to Canada when our children were in grades 3/4 and here they have an hour of sport every day at primary, and a physical activity is compulsory throughout secondary too (it's a component of the final graduation requirements). But they do a huge range, dd is looking forward to taking fencing and taekwondo for example, as well as competitive volleyball which she enjoys now. Canada tends to be better at winter sorts though, and this Olympics hasn't been very successful, mostly because they haven't made the same sort of investment in elite athletics that the UK has this time around.

Our school is good on music too, they have both had the opportunity to try a range of instruments, and I agree it brings many benefits.