Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment he has made of the role that physical education and school sport can play in promoting mental wellbeing among children and young people.

The Department works with the Department of Health and Social Care to regularly review the latest evidence on children and young people’s mental wellbeing, including the impact of physical activity and sport. Physical education (PE) and school sport play a central role in ensuring that pupils have the opportunity to take part in sport and exercise. For this reason, PE is a foundation subject in all four Key Stages of the National Curriculum.

Evidence suggests that good quality sporting activity can have a positive impact on children and young people’s general wellbeing and mental health. For example, research by the National Centre for Social Research shows that participating in organised sports and joining after school clubs can help to improve primary school children’s academic performance and social skills.

There is also evidence that organised sporting activity can have a positive effect on personal development and contribute to wellbeing such as improved self-esteem, self-confidence, and social skills. Such activity can have a beneficial effect on mental health in terms of reducing anxiety, emotional distress, and depressive symptoms.