Physical Education

HC Deb 21 October 1991 vol 196 cc367-8W

Mr. Rowlands

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of teachers in primary schools(a) in Mid-Glamorgan and (b) in Wales who hold a qualification in physical education.

Sir Wyn Roberts

Information on the numbers of teachers and their qualifications is given in the Welsh Education Statistics Bulletin: No. 5 Primary School Staffing Survey (1987), copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. Table 15 provides an analysis of teachers by subject of qualification.

Information for Mid Glamorgan is not available.

Mr. Rowlands

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the time to be allocated per day and per week within the national curriculum to physical education.

Sir Wyn Roberts

My right hon. Friend has no power to specify time allocations for any national curriculum subject and is specifically proscribed by law from doing so.

Mr. Rowlands

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has of the average number of hours per day and week allocated by primary and secondary schools to physical education.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The 1987 primary school staffing survey showed that an average of 8 per cent. of class time in the[...] rvey week was spent on physical education, games and swimming. The 1989 secondary school staffing survey showed that an average of 6 per cent. of periods in the survey week were spent on physical education.

Mr. Rowlands

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the ability of primary schools to deliver the national curriculum in physical education; and what extra staff will be required to implement the curriculum.

Sir Wyn Roberts

The consultation on our proposals for physical education specifically seeks views on the practicability of introducing the subject as part of the national curriculum. Our proposals were based on the physical education working group's final report and we are currently considering the resource implications of their recommendations.

Some primary schools might experience difficulty in meeting the requirements for swimming. A survey of current provision and access for swimming is being carried out in order that the timing and costs of its introduction can be accurately assessed.