2 hours a week - primary school physically education

[SteamWisher]

I'm doing school tours as my PFB starts primary school next year.

I was and :( when they said the kids only did two hours of PE a week. Seems very little to me. AIBU and unrealistic? There's so much in the news about overweight kids so why not more.

Not just that but they don't seem to get out much beyond play time. I don't know - I just wish kids had more outdoor learning.

I completely agree, not enough. DD's school does Forest School but only for KS1 and half the time even they don't go because of bad weather or some other reason (defeats the object IMO). I did ask if KS2 could do outdoor learning but was told there was too much to cover in the curriculum. To be fair in the summer the teacher will take the class outdoors. I guess it's up to us as parents to make sure the kids get outside in the evenings and at weekends.

Pre-school may well send them outside everyday - but this is normally for a fairly short time - equivalent to a "break" at school, where the children will be running round outdoors anyway. Add an hour for lunch, plus 2 hours a week structured PE. If you are concerned I would be taking it up with your childcare provider and finding out what steps THEY are taking to ensure that DC is getting enough exercise.

They don't do free flow when they get into year one. Lessons become much more structured in KS1, but at least by then they are being a bit more physical in PE, rather than spending all the time changing or doing the sort of PE that doesn't increase the heart rate at all.

Sorry Just I was unclear - preschool is free flow. He gets plenty of exercise at preschool. Probably most of the day is outside whatever the weather. I'm not worried about preschool.

You might want to think about your wraparound care then - my CMs were great at taking my dc to the park, etc after school - I know some CMs will take them to other lessons / sports places. I know the WASP at my dcs' Primary school were always taking the dc outside after they'd put their bags down and had a drink - all sorts of physical stuff going on there.

Yes wrap around care will be an issue to think about. We currently have a nanny but she doesn't walk enough IMO - despite me requesting it, but she slips back into bad habits!

Oh - well surely if you have a nanny, you are her employer, so can request she takes him to the things suggested above, that you said you couldn't as you are in full time work

Agree with backfirgood. Your nanny works for you. Book your pfb into swimming, football,tennis etcetc.lessons after school.

As pe is important to you, are you asking the primary schools what provision is made for after school sports clubs, or lunchtime or even before school.

Our school runs a club at 830 every morning that every pupil can join that's effectively like them jumping around to Mr Motivator for 15 mins in the school hall.

I appreciate PE is important. But my DS is 8 and the teacher only listens to his reading twice a week, in a group, for 20 minutes. Frankly, I'd rather he read daily. I can deal with running around opportunities.

Trust me, it is in everyone's best interests for the children to be out of the classroom burning off steam as much as possible. Teachers don't like teaching children on the verge of climbing the walls. I plan outdoor learning into my lessons as much as possible, but when there is just one (shared) outside space for y1-6 it is hard to do.

My school recently had some artificial grass put down so the field can be used year round (except after heavy rain). It has made a massive impact.

But being outdoors is one thing that parents can do as well if not better than a teacher.

Teachers can't walk kids to and from school. Teachers can't take kids to the park after school.

There are only so many hours in a school week.

There seems to be a shift in attitudes in this country that THE SCHOOL should be bringing up our kids, what about the parents?

Tbh I think 2 hours is enough with everything that's schools need to fit in too. The children also have breaks and in my child's school they were encouraged to physically play in those times too so that enough IMO.

It's up to schools to teach our children, up to parents to raise them.

As well as playtime and PE, schools are trying to bring activity into the classroom and lessons out into the playground.

Example- this was a couple of days ago.

Children have up to 10 minutes on the playground before the school bell rings.
Come into classroom, register.
"Activate"- which is a 5-10 minute exercise type video, supposed to help with coordination and also just burn off some energy.
Maths warm up took place outside using the playground markings to jump along and add numbers together.
Inside where children did maths written work.
During assembly I took a group of children outside to practice letter formation using paintbrushes and water on the playground.
Playtime.
Phonics. Although the majority is sitting reading/writing, I often take children outside for story after (things like acting out 'going on a bear hunt')
Dinner time- which is 1 hour 15 minutes for the younger children.
In the afternoon it is topic, which can include outside activities.
There is another 15 minute playtime in the afternoon.

So all in all, they spend a good part of the day outside!

Kids spend 9 - 3 at school here.. 6 hours... one hour is lunch, 15 min twice a day break for early years - so one quarter of their school day is already used up with lunch and outdoor play....

they have lessons for 4 and a half hours a day - 22and a half hours a week - 2 hours for PE is almost 10% of lesson time - I think that is enough...

they only spend 30hours out of a whole week IN school - add on whatever activities you like outside it...

If your child needs more time outside: take them outside yourself.

If you think your child should read with an adult more...read with them yourself! 1:1 with you is more valuable than guided reading with 5 other children.

Or shall we increase the school day to 7-7 so teachers can get all this fitted in!

We have 23 classes at my school with one playground and one (boggy) field. Timetabling is a nightmare!!

Don't forget that we're about to hit the Christmas play rehearsal season, when the hall gets booked up and PE gets squeezed out further.

And the times when assembly overran so the first PE session starts late.. BOTH my PE slots this term are first session :-(

And the times when you really need to be outside doing hockey / tag rugby / football but it's pissing down and the parents will complain if their PFBs get damp and the hall's got the yr6s in doing SATS practice ...

etc

etc

To those who say there's a shift that parents think school should raise their children - er no I didn't say that. I take responsibility for my children and can and do take them out all the time I can but working makes it tricky.

However that does not preclude me from commenting on schools and the curriculum. I'm worried about the future plans which I'm sure will make things less about being children and more about being autobots who can spell but cannot catch a ball. Children spend a massive proportion of their time in school, so why not question aspects of it?

There isn't enough time in a state school day for any more sport than that. Independent schools manage simply because the day is longer. Our day is 8:30-5:30, and pupils do 5 hours of sport a week, not including extra-curricular. This isn't an option for most parents, and the responsibility needs to be on them if they want their child to do more physical activity.

If parents who live a reasonable distance from the school e.g. 15 minutes walk, walked to school instead of drove, their children would get an extra 2 ½ hours exercise per week. Obviously I realise for many families this is simply not an option due to distance, work or family commitments etc. but for those that could, but choose not to, they are choosing to reduce their child's activity.

Equally parents could make more of an effort to involve their children in extra-curricular sport e.g. after school sports clubs, or go walking at the weekend. Most people can go walking no matter where you live in the country, or what your finances are. If you live in the country, go on a nature walk. If you live in a town city, go for a walk to explore the historic parts of your city. It would be both good exercise and educational at the same time.

Working on the assumption that children are awake for 12 hours a day and the time spent learning at school is 5 hours a day for 190 days a year then the proportion of a child's year spent learning in school is about 25%. Basic exercise and fresh air are free and need no expertise from school so they should heavily feature in the other 75%.

Forgot to say, we have after school clubs running every day of the week except Friday. The majority of clubs are sport based- football, tag rugby, dance, that sort of thing.

I work in a school that has 13 classes and one hall so for each class to fit in 4 half-hour sessions would be almost impossible with the hall being used for assemblies and other things during the week/

Simply not practical in my experience

Our school has 2 hours a week within school hours but also has after school clubs for an hour per activity on set days, gym, tag rugby, football, street dance, my kids don't attend all of these, just giving you examples of what's available as I also take my kids dancing, swimming, football, golf, add this to the time spent playing either in the playground, our garden, walking to school, going on bike rides, I would say they are quite active. It's not all down to the school.