Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to increase the opportunities for children to play cricket in schools.

The physical education (PE) national curriculum is designed to ensure that all pupils develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities, are physically active for sustained periods of time, and lead healthy and active lives.

State schools are free to organise and deliver a diverse and challenging PE curriculum that suits the needs of all their pupils. Cricket is specifically listed as an example of a sport that can provide important elements of the PE national curriculum programme of study in key stages 2 to 4.

The School Sport and Activity Action Plan sets out how the Department for Education, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and the Department for Health and Social Care are collaborating at national level. It will ensure that sport and physical activity are an integral part of both the school day and after-school activities, so that all children have the opportunity to take part in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. This includes working with sports governing bodies, including the England and Wales Cricket Board, in developing the proposals. As an example of the range of excellent sporting opportunities available to schools, the action plan highlights the England and Wales Cricket Board’s All Stars programme for primary school children.