20 June 2003
Education watchdogs have attacked the standard of sports lessons in England's schools, claiming that only a third are rated 'good' or better.
In a report published on June 16, Ofsted inspectors also revealed that many children are not performing as expected in physical education, despite a government target to provide three-quarters of pupils with at least two hours of 'high quality' sport every week by 2006.
The school sports co-ordinator programme states that 'the quality of teaching was good or better in just over a third of lessons' and 'unsatisfactory' in just over a quarter.
Against a backdrop of rising obesity among British teenagers, Oftsed said the government's programme to promote a healthier, fitter youth population 'has not yet proved effective', adding that 'the proportion of unsatisfactory lessons is too high'. Ofsted urged schools to place more emphasis on teaching sports and called for improved teacher training.
Inspectors did, however, praise schools for providing access to a wider range of sports.
PFjun2003
