Children: Obesity

(asked on 10th December 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will provide funding for extracurricular activities for schools to help tackle childhood obesity.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 18th December 2018

The government firmly believes in the importance of physical education (PE), sport and extra-curricular activities to teach children the importance of physical activity to improve their physical and mental health as well as their overall wellbeing.

Since 2013, the government has invested over £1 billion of ring-fenced funding through the primary PE and sport premium to improve PE, sport, physical activity and extra-curricular activities for all pupils in England. We encourage schools to use this funding to support their least active pupils achieve the Chief Medical Officers' guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity each day, of which 30 minutes should be during the school day.

Under the Childhood Obesity Plan chapter 2 update the government is promoting a national ambition for every primary school in England to embrace an active mile, such as the Daily Mile, as a fun, inclusive and engaging way for all pupils to develop healthy exercise habits from a young age. Schools have the freedom to use the funding to determine which activities will improve participation, especially for their least active pupils.

The government has also allocated £100 million from the Sugar Industry Direct Levy through the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund in England to improve pupil access to facilities for physical activity, healthy eating, mental health and wellbeing and medical conditions. Schools have used this fund to improve their facilities which can be used to provide extra-curricular activities for pupils. Examples how this funding has been spent include, resurfacing playgrounds, refurbishing swimming pools and building changing rooms.

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