No PE in year 11

[shellstarbarley]

My DD has just started in year 11 and PE is not on the timetable. Apparently they don't need a PE kit this year as only do it if taken for GCSE. I was under the impression PE was compulsory at secondary school. The PE lesson slots are now intervention slots for core subjects. Is this the case in all schools nowadays??

DD had a bit of an issue with this last year in yr11.

For the kids not doing GCSE PE, they did have a couple of lessons in the timetable, but were told it wasn't really for PE, it was so they could relax / chill.

They could do stuff like badminton or table tennis, which yes are sports, but I think it was more that they could use the sports hall and equipment if they wanted, and didn't need to get changed. No teachers involved.

Some of the non GCSE PE kids were really sporty, and they weren't even allowed to join in with the GCSE kids who would really have benefited to have them join in for certain sports.

Definitely not the case at the school i work at, or either of the 2 my kids went to. It’s crap for the kids, and I have a sneaking suspicion it might be illegal but it’s too late right now for me to be checking that out.

This a quote from the statutory curriculum document from the DfE

"Key Stage 4 - pupils must have the opportunity to plan and participate in a regular, frequent and balanced programme of PE that, among other things, contributes to, and helps to sustain, a healthy and active lifestyle."

I'm horrified that PE is being taken off the timetable for some year 11s, it's a terrible example to set.

It's compulsory at our school regardless of choices

My ds would love to be able to use the PE slots for something else - he's very active outside school but isn't good at football so is in the bottom PE group so spends 2 hours a week getting no actual exercise (and certainly not in comparison to 8 hours of his sport) but yet now has out of school time make up lessons for science as they didn't go fast enough on Zoom

@CMOTDibbler

My ds would love to be able to use the PE slots for something else - he's very active outside school but isn't good at football so is in the bottom PE group so spends 2 hours a week getting no actual exercise (and certainly not in comparison to 8 hours of his sport) but yet now has out of school time make up lessons for science as they didn't go fast enough on Zoom

That's also really crap. At that stage, if you're not doing GCSE, there should be a range of sports for kids to chose. There's no reason at all why kids that aren't good a football should not get anything out of regular PE

My Y11 has 2 hours a week of PE. But he doesnt need intervention work for any of his subjects so I don't know how the school handles that. I'd hope not by cancelling PE though.

@Porcupineintherough

My Y11 has 2 hours a week of PE. But he doesnt need intervention work for any of his subjects so I don't know how the school handles that. I'd hope not by cancelling PE though.

I really hope not! My DC has just started yr7 and PE /sports are "his thing". I hated it at primary when kids were made to miss break so that they could finish work off. That time out is essential. So at secondary I would not be happy with PE being replaced with intervention lessons which I suspect my DC may need at some point

This is so poor! No wonder child obesity rates are so high in this country. Exercise also gives you endorphins and improves self-esteem.

It drives me nuts when state schools plan stuff like “core intervention” for the entire year so that they can spend time trying to get the poor performing students up to a grade C whilst those that are doing ok already are just left to sit around and twiddle their thumbs. Assuming that your child is one of the latter, I would definitely complain to the school.

It’s definitely compulsory. I think it’s even compulsory up to 17? That’s terrible for their health to have nothing!

My DD school has 2 lessons of PE per week in Year 11, and she can join other sports clubs as well. I couldn't imagine to remove PE or any exercise from daily life, especially for teens!

I hated PE as a child. But it is essential so yeah make a mini fuss using obesity rates as evidence to back up your arguments. This is a disaster waiting to happen surely.

Not the case at my dds school at all. Still PE twice weekly in y11. They were also encouraged to still participate in sporting events, sports day, teams etc.