The Association for Physical Education (afPE), the only physical education subject association in the UK, has launched its 'Physical Education Declaration'. The Declaration is intended to be a ‘simple and but powerful message everyone could commit to and promote’.
As one of the national partners on initiatives such as the Primary PE and Sport Premium and the review of GCSE and A level qualifications, afPE believes that collaboration will achieve the best outcomes for young people and is asking stakeholders to support the declaration.
As an organisation they want to ensure that there is a simple but powerful message everyone could commit to and promote. Which is why they have developed the Physical Education Declaration.
The declaration puts forward the key benefits to high-quality school sport and PE and sets out four asks to HELP ensure every child has the opportunity to benefit from it:
- Health and emotional well-being of all young people are improved.
- Education is an entitlement and therefore the impact of physical education across the curriculum should be valued and recognised.
- Leadership by all head teachers, governors, subject leaders and heads of departments promotes and celebrates the value of physical education, physical activity and school sport.
- Physical education is ‘Powerful Education’ and that you support and recognise the impact it has on whole school development, making a real di erence to the lives of young people and preparing them for an ever changing world.
Sue Wilkinson, afPE Strategic Lead said:
"For many years the Association for Physical Education has promoted the outcomes of high quality physical education, school sport, and physical activity and the effect they have on the lives of young people."
"The Association recognises that the best way to achieve an entitlement for every young person to access physical education, school sport and physically activity is by working in collaboration with everyone one who is involved in their lives."
"afPE is calling on everyone to commit to supporting this declaration. We would like to see it in every school, in every leisure centre, in every doctors' surgery and anywhere it will make people look and say "Yes I can" and "Yes, I will sign up to this."
"Please join us and spread the word, and sign up to afPE's physical education, school sport and physical activity declaration."
Commenting on the afPE's declaration, Emma Boggis, CEO of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said,
"Encouraging an active lifestyle from a young age is important if we want to develop future generations of healthy and happy adults. Key to this is making sure those who have an influential role on childrens activity are all working together to make it as engaging and beneficial an activity as it is possible to provide."
"As part of our five-step plan to raise the heartbeat of the nation, we are calling for to see increased investment in Initial Teacher Training for primary school teachers to ensure high quality PE, sport and physical activity from the start of the educational journey. This clearly resonates with the afPE declaration which we are pleased to support."
"We all want to see a society where, from the day they learn to walk, until the day they take their last steps, people have the confidence, opportunity and motivation to participate in sport and recreation."
