Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she will make it her policy to require Ofsted to inspect and monitor the quality of physical education, sport and wellbeing as part of school inspections.

Ofsted’s education inspection framework, which took effect in September 2019, expects schools to provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all subjects, including PE and sport. When inspectors are making a judgement on the quality of the education of a school, inspectors sample a range of subjects and undertake deep dives. This will include PE and sport for some schools.

Where PE and sport is not selected as a deep dive, sport is nevertheless considered through Ofsted’s exploration of pupils’ wider development. Inspectors will evaluate the extent to which the curriculum goes beyond the academic. They will also consider whether pupils know how to keep physically and mentally healthy. Many schools will do this through their extracurricular clubs and wider experiences. Inspectors will consider the provision for the cultural development of pupils, which includes developing their willingness to participate in and respond positively to artistic, musical, sporting, and cultural opportunities. Inspectors will draw all relevant evidence together using their professional judgement to determine the quality of a school.

In 2022, Ofsted published its PE and sport research review, which sets out what Ofsted means to improve at PE and sport. Ofsted is currently undertaking research in schools across the country to explore the quality of PE and sport further. Ofsted will publish a report outlining its findings in 2023. The report will detail what schools are doing well and what needs to improve.