Basingstoke MP Maria Miller visited Bishop Challoner RC Secondary School in South Ham to celebrate the importance of PE and school sport to young people’s wellbeing.
The school is one of thousands across the UK which took part in Youth Sport Trust’s National School Sport Week 2019, which ran from 24 to 28 June.
The annual celebration is co-ordinated by children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust to highlight the important role of Physical Education and school sport in education. It comes at a time when national research shows that fewer than one in five young people are active for 60 minutes every day and thousands of hours of PE have been lost since 2012.
For this year’s YST National School Sport Week, schools were showcasing how PE and school sport are improving young people’s wellbeing. The week is themed around the Five Ways to Wellbeing which states that the five keys to good mental health and wellbeing are being active, connecting, giving back, taking notice and learning.
Maria said: “It has been great to visit Bishop Challoner again, duringNational School Sport Week and see first-hand what a crucial role PE and school sport are playing for students in the school.”
“Taking part in school sport and good quality PE not only gives young people the best chance of leading healthy, active lifestyles, but can also bring huge benefits in improving wellbeing, concentration and developing character and life skills. I was particularly interested to hear how the students were also participating in sports outside school as well, which means they are far more likely to continue with the sport after they have left school.”
“It is really important that every young person gets these opportunities, which is why I’m delighted to be supporting the Youth Sport Trust’s National School Sport Week.”
Chris Sheers, Curriculum Leader for Physical Education at the School, said: “At Bishop Challoner we believe it is very important that every pupil has the opportunity to lead active, healthy lifestyles. We’re delighted that Maria Miller visited today to see the great work we are doing to promote PE and school sport across the school.”
Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Ali Oliver said: “Good quality Physical Education and school sport equip young people to tackle some of the big challenges they face today – improving their wellbeing, getting them ready to learn and helping them to connect. But in recent years young people have become less active and PE has been undervalued and cut back.”
“We will only turn this around with schools, teachers, parents and others joining together to show why PE and school sport have an essential role to play in every young person’s education.”
“We’re thrilled that Maria Miller MP and Bishop Challoner RC Secondary School in Basingstoke are supporting this work by taking part in this year’s YST National School Sport Week.”
