Nearly half of schools 'failing' pupils with less than 2 hours' PE

Published on Sunday 28 November 2010 13:34

Nearly half of Scotland's primary schools are still not meeting the target of two hours of PE a week, according to new statistics published by the Scottish Government.

The figures show children at 55 per cent of primary schools are receiving two hours of PE a week compared to just five per cent in 2004-05.

The Scottish Government claimed the figures showed progress was being made on the target.

But critics slammed the statistics as "shameful" and accused the Scottish Government of failing children.

Just three local authorities - Dundee, East Renfrewshire and Perth and Kinross - are delivering two hours of PE in all their primary schools, according to the new report.

The picture is slightly better at secondary level with the schools inspectorate, HMIe, reporting 60 per cent inspected in 2009-10 are delivering the target.

Michael Russell, education secretary, said: "Little progress had been made towards the target when this information was last collected in 2005, so to see 55 per cent of primary schools delivering two hours is a huge improvement.

"Secondary schools are also moving in the right direction with 60 per cent of secondaries now offering two full periods of PE.

"I am confident we will see further progress towards full delivery of two hours of PE, which can only be of benefit to our young people."

The report shows 17 local authorities are delivering two hours physical education in more than 50 per cent of their schools. Orkney, West Dunbartonshire and Dumfries and Galloway reported delivery of 90 per cent, 85 per cent and 77 per cent respectively.

Ronnie Smith, general secretary of Scotland's biggest teaching union, the EIS, warned more subjects faced difficulties.

He said: "This is just a pattern of things to come, it is not just PE, but music and a whole range of subjects which will be at risk as schools face staff reductions and see budgets slashed."

And he blamed the slow progress on the PE target on the "so-called concordat" deal with councils which gave local authorities certain freedoms to spend as they wished.

He said the Scottish Government wanted it both ways - to give councils freedom but also demand they meet targets.

Labour sports spokesman Bill Butler accused the SNP of not taking the pledge seriously.

He said: "It's shameful that after three-and-a-half years of power, the SNP government has failed to deliver two hours of PE a week for every child.

"They are failing almost half of Scotland's primary school children who are being denied the same access to physical activity as others and it's simply not good enough."

Just 11 authorities reported all primary schools currently deliver between 90 and 110 minutes of physical education.And just 23 per cent of secondaries, 85 schools, are delivering at least two hours physical education across all S1 to S4 classes.

Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "The SNP made an unequivocal manifesto commitment that all pupils in Scotland would have two hours of PE per week by the end of this parliamentary term.

"Notwithstanding the fact that there has been progress within some local authorities it simply isn't good enough that 45 per cent of primary school children are still losing out."