Sport

HC Deb 27 February 1990 vol 168 cc125-7

6. Miss Hoey

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement about the provision of sport in schools.

Mrs. Rumbold

Sport in school is an important part of physical education, which is now a foundation subject in the national curriculum. I welcome also the wide provision of sporting opportunities for young people outside the school day.

Miss Hoey

Is the Minister alarmed at the way in which sport in schools is being affected by the severe shortage of physical education teachers, which is as much as 22 per cent. in some areas? Does she agree that the Government have downgraded physical education by not yet setting up a formal working party to look into the physical education curriculum?

Mrs. Rumbold

It was only a short time ago that we had a considerable surplus of physical education teachers in Britain. I agree with the hon. Lady that at the earliest possible moment we should set up a working group to look into the provision of physical education in schools under the national curriculum. The issue raised by the hon. Lady will also be considered.

Sir John Stokes

Although the battle of Waterloo may not have been won on the playing fields of Eton, does my hon. Friend agree that sport plays an important part in encouraging leadership among young people? Will she have a word with the public schools and ask them to help the state sector in improving sporting facilities?

Mrs. Rumbold

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. I agree that physical education and sport are a very important part of school life. As it will be part of the national curriculum, where necessary we shall be able to improve the standard of sport in the maintained sector. I am glad that England is doing rather well in rugby union and cricket.

Mr. Fatchett

Although the Minister may take some immediate comfort from what is happening in Jamaica, will she confirm that in the vast majority of schools in Britain there are serious risks to the continued provision of school sport and physical education? Will she also confirm that the local management of schools, the privatisation of leisure facilities and the general squeeze on budgets caused by the poll tax put school sport even more at risk? Although there may be optimism today, in 10 years' time, unless there is a change in Government policy, fewer people will be playing sport at international level.

Mrs. Rumbold

I remind the hon. Gentleman that physical education is part of the national curriculum. It is highlighted precisely because of our concern about the decline in sporting facilities and physical education over the past 10 years and considerably beyond that, because of the attitude of some teachers towards competitive sports. We consider competitive sports to be an important part of education, but sadly teachers in charge of physical education did not always agree. I am convinced that the introduction of physical education as part of the national curriculum will dispel the nonsense about competitive sports and that youngsters will be encouraged to play sport as part of their total school curriculum.

Sir Anthony Grant

Is my hon. Friend aware that the half-baked attitude of some teachers who oppose any competitive sport is the greatest possible impediment, and that it is of considerable concern to Cambridgeshire county cricket association?

Mrs. Rumbold

My hon. Friend is right. The rubbish and nonsense that have been spoken about the dangers of competitive sport for small children in particular have undermined the provision of physical education and sport in schools. Young children enjoy competitive sport. We should encourage that, not discourage it.