§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) what funding is being provided to the teacher training agency to ensure additional supplementary courses are offered at primary level in PE equivalent to those offered for secondary PGCE courses; [73937]
(2) what proportion of primary school teachers are trained to teach an effective PE and sports curriculum; and if she will make a statement. [73942]
§ Mr. MilibandFrom September this year, all those training to be primary teachers receive training to teach PE as an integral part of their programme. This should ensure that more new primary teachers are suitably prepared to deliver the primary PE curriculum. Initial teacher training providers can also choose to offer trainees additional specialist training in PE or other subjects if they wish. However, the change in the requirements for primary teachers means that there should be no need for any supplementary courses of the kind offered for secondary teachers. These courses are aimed at providing graduates with the full range of knowledge and skills needed for the more specialised secondary PE curriculum.
Professional development also has an important role to play, and DfES and DCMS are working together to deliver a joint PSA target to enhance sporting opportunities for 5–16 year olds, by increasing the percentage of children who spend at least 2 hours a week on high quality PE and schools sport, within and beyond the curriculum, to 75 per cent. by 2006. Subject to final detailed decisions on the 2002 spending review settlement, we aim to support additional training for teachers and others in PE and school sport.