Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the role of PE and school sport in promoting mental wellbeing among children and young people.

The Department recognises there are well established links between physical activity, improved mental wellbeing and educational attainment.

The Government’s School Sport and Activity Action Plan set out a range of measures to ensure that all children have access to high quality PE and sport sessions during the school week and opportunities to be physically active throughout the school day, to help them do the 60 minutes a day of physical exercise recommended by the UK Chief Medical Officers.

While schools have been closed to some pupils the Government has taken steps to support those who have had restricted opportunity to exercise while at home to support their physical and mental wellbeing. As part of its guidance on remote education provision, the Department has published online educational resources approved by subject experts for schools and parents to help children to take part in PE and physical activity. In addition, Sport England have free online content to help children and their families to become active at home through their Join the Movement campaign.

The Department is working to ensure that schools are fully supported as they welcome more children back to school and schools are able to give pupils opportunities to take part in physical education and be physically active during the school day.