Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that primacy school pupils can take part in physical education safely when they return to school as covid-19 restrictions are eased.

The Department is working to ensure that schools are fully supported as pupils return now and are able to give pupils opportunities to be physically active during the school day. Schools are free to organise and deliver a PE curriculum that suits the needs of all their pupils whilst following COVID-19 government guidelines. The latest guidance for schools can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings. The Government’s intention is for all children to return to school from September and will publish guidance soon. The Department is considering what further advice to provide on PE and school sport in that guidance.

The Department has worked closely with nurseries, schools, physical activity experts and sport providers so that pupils who have not yet been able to return to school have advice and resources to participate in regular exercise. The Department has published online educational resources approved by subject experts for schools and parents, to help children to learn at home; these resources include those for PE.

The Government remains committed to supporting schools to make good use of their sports facilities and to promote physical literacy and competitive sport. We plan to update the School Sport Activity Action Plan with longer-term proposals to support schools and providers to work together to support children’s activity levels to continue to rise after they return to school.