Sport is more than just games

In my last column, we looked at the significant benefits of regular exercise for students – not just for overall physical health, but the wealth of research suggesting that sport improves everything from cognition and academic achievement to self-esteem, social skills and even empathy and a reduced risk of suicide and risky behaviours.

Despite the clear and mounting evidence that exercise, in the form of daily games or PE lessons, can do more to improve our students’ health, wellbeing, future prospects, emotional and physical development and even grades, this part of the curriculum is sadly underplayed and under-supported.

One study in 2013 looked at key stage 3 PE and highlighted the impact on life-skills, concluding that high-quality PE, alongside the continued development of physical skills, improved: resilience (mental toughness, self-belief, determination, applied effort); responsibility (self-control, self-reflection); self-motivation (desire to achieve); integrity (honesty, reliability, respect for others, empathy and compassion); self-management (setting/achieving goals, organising time, taking initiative, working independently).