Physical Education Colleges

HC Deb 10 December 1990 vol 182 c292W

Mr. Pendry

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many physical education colleges have closed in the past 11 years;

(2) if he will make it his policy to take the steps necessary to transfer responsibility for the closure of physical education colleges to his Department.

Mr. Fallon

As no freestanding colleges of physical education are still in existence, the question of responsibility for their closure does not arise. Nonington college, Kent, has closed; most of the other physical education colleges have merged with other establishments to become part of polytechnics or colleges of higher education. These institutions now offer PE as a subject specialism within their initial teacher training courses (secondary phase). Anstey college, Birmingham, was absorbed into Birmingham polytechnic in which PE is no longer an option within initial teacher training for the secondary phase.