Summary of 'Enjoying physical activity - A call for devoting two times half an hour daily to sports and physical activity at school’
Too many children do not get enough physical activity
Almost half of today’s children do not get enough physical activity. Children sit for hours on end every day, do not play much outdoors, and are increasingly less likely to cycle to school. This is a missed opportunity: children who have fun in sports and physical activity at a younger age are much more likely to adopt an active lifestyle later on in life. The consequences of this lack of physical activity are noticeable. The motor skills of successive generations are decreasing and overweight is increasing, leading to a higher risk of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes type 2.
Many schools offer only a limited range of sport and physical activities
There is of course one place where all children meet: school. Although there are exceptions, many schools offer only a limited range of sport and physical activities. Schools differ in their visions of sport and physical activity and therefore also in the quantity and quality of the sport and physical activities on offer for their pupils. Some schools profile themselves as healthy lifestyle or sport-oriented schools, with a broader range of sport and physical activities on offer, classes devoted to sport, and talent programmes. However, other schools limit themselves to providing one or two hours of physical education, do not schedule any times for physical activity in between the classes, and do not offer any sport activities during the breaks. In spite of various measures aimed at encouraging such activities, national and local policy has not succeeded in changing this situation over the last years.
Differences lead to inequality in terms of opportunities available
The differences between schools in terms of the attention they devote to sport and physical activity are too large. This will eventually lead to inequality in terms of opportunities available. The Education Inspectorate has already warned of this happening. At schools where the range of opportunities offered is inadequate, pupils cannot benefit from the fruits of physical exercise. Freedom of education should not lead to a lack of commitment or responsibility. The differences and inequality are further exacerbated by local and regional government policy. Municipalities are free to formulate their own policies on sport and physical activity. The investments municipalities make in sport and physical activities at and around schools vary considerably, and they are free to play an active role in coordinating such activities or not as they see fit.
National policy and legislation do not provide sufficient guidance
National policy and legislation do not provide sufficient guidance in relation to sport and physical activity at school. Subsidy schemes from the national government are often not of a structural nature and primarily help the schools and municipalities that are already in front of the pack. Legally mandated requirements in the area of sport and physical activity – key goals for primary and secondary education and qualification requirements for intermediate vocational education – can be interpreted in various ways and do not mandate any specific minimum number of hours. The qualification requirements for intermediate vocational education limit themselves primarily to acquiring knowledge about physical activity and not the physical activity itself. Schools focus primarily on the qualification function of physical activity, in other words the learning of (a limited number of) motor skills. The supervision by the Inspectorate only strengthens this focus on gymnastics, which is too limited according to the relevant advisory councils. The core objectives for sport and physical activity are focused only on specific disciplines instead of being transdisciplinary in nature, as is the case for many other areas of learning. The new curriculum also seems to once again choose this discipline-focused approach.
Three advisory councils provide a joint recommendation
The Netherlands Sports Council (NLsportraad), the Education Council, and the Council for Public Health and Society (RVS) view the developments described above as undesirable and a reason for providing a joint recommendation on the role of schools in the area of sport and physical activity. The focus of the advisory councils in their advice is on the primary and secondary educational sector and the intermediate vocational education sector. The councils use a broad definition of sport and physical activity, including moments of physical activity in support of the lessons, expression during dance and theatre activities, play activities in the schoolyard, and physical education in the gym.
Key questions in the advice are:
- What can be expected of schools in the area of sport and physical activity?
- And what is needed to enable schools to fulfil this expectation?
More sport and physical activity: for education
In their advice, the councils come to the simple conclusion that more attention needs to be given to sport and physical activity at school. Not only for reasons of health. Sport and physical activity can find a much broader area of application for education itself. Sport and physical activity should be seen as a natural and integral part of the pupil’s education that is focused on qualifying the pupil (preparation for work or a following educational programme), providing the pupil with social skills (learning to relate to each other), and shaping the pupil’s character. During sport and physical activity sessions, children learn more than just motor skills. They learn standards of behaviour, how to work together in a group, and to respect their peers, as well as building self-confidence and developing responsibility for controlling their own actions. The councils consider all forms of sport and physical activity relevant in this regard, within as well as outside physical education lessons. The councils conclude that one or two hours of physical education per week is not sufficient to target the intended goals of qualification, socialisation, and character building, encouraging an active lifestyle among children and teenagers, and stimulating cognitive functions.
More sport and physical activity: for cognitive functions
Physical activity stimulates the cognitive functions. For the councils, this is an important argument for devoting more attention to sport and physical activity in the educational sector. Physical activity results in acute and structural changes to the structure of the brain, which in turn have a positive impact on focus, concentration, and executive cognitive functions such as planning and decision-making. There are indications that physical activity has a positive impact on results at school. Learning in class while in motion is therefore a fast-growing trend.
More sport and physical activity: for an active lifestyle
The more young children at school are encouraged to participate in physical activity, frequently and in particular enjoyably, the more likely they will be to participate in sport and physical activities later on in life. Schools play an important role in learning to adopt an active lifestyle. The councils see the enjoyment of participating in sport and physical activities as essential; it is one of the most important success factors for continuing to enjoy a long life full of enjoyable physical activity. A differentiated range of physical activities on offer that takes into account the differences between children is very important. Preconditions for success include a safe learning environment, professional guidance, attractively designed settings, and safe facilities.
Three recommendations from the councils
Based on the vision described above, the Netherlands Sports Council, the Education Council, and the Council for Public Health and Society provide the following three recommendations. The recommendations are intended for schools as well as local partners (e.g. sports clubs and childcare organisations), municipalities, and the national government. All the parties have their own role to play in this regard. The councils view strengthening the range of sport and physical activities offered as a shared responsibility of all the actors involved.
1. Sharpen the statutory task assigned to schools, and monitor its implementation
In order to ensure equal opportunity for all, the advisory bodies are of the opinion that every school must offer a minimum range of sport and physical activities. The advisory bodies recommend that, as a minimum, pupils in primary and secondary education and intermediate vocational education participate in two moderately intensive half-hour sessions of sport and physical activity each day. This standard is in line with the physical activity guidelines of the Health Council. In line with these physical activity guidelines, the advisory bodies also recommend that pupils participate in exercises aimed at strengthening bones and muscles three times each week and to ensure that pupils interrupt their sitting activity. To achieve this, the advisory bodies advise the Minister of Education, Culture and Science to sharpen the focus of the statutory task assigned to the schools (core objectives and qualification requirements) in the area of sport and physical activity. At the same time, the advisory bodies recommend that, within the applicable legal framework, schools be given sufficient flexibility to organise sport and physical activities, in the broadest sense of the term, as they see fit. Schools must be able to adjust the range of sport and physical activities offered to the student population – with extra attention for vulnerable groups – in line with their own didactics and educational concept. Schools can present their vision in relation to sport and physical activity in the school or institutional plan (primary and secondary education) or in the strategic policy plan (intermediate vocational education). The inspectorate can then monitor and supervise matters based on the clearly defined core objectives and the vision presented in the school plan (for intermediate professional education: qualification requirements and policy plan). In addition, the inspectorate is tasked with ensuring that the core objectives and qualification requirements specified are actually complied with as well as with encouraging the institutions to implement their own school or policy plan.
2. Expand the opportunities for deploying staff, and make use of inspiring examples from real life
The advisory bodies are well aware of the obstacles that exist in real life, including a shortage of professional trainers, a shortage of local partners to collaborate with, a lack of financial resources, an excessive schedule of classes, and a lack of adequate facilities. The shortage of professional trainers is frequently mentioned. The advisory bodies recommend ‘sharing’ professional trainers between schools or within municipalities and, under the supervision of professional trainers, giving other experts more of a role in providing sport and physical activities at school. The advisory bodies think that these ‘other experts’ could include professionals with an intermediate vocational training in sport and physical activity, neighbourhood sport coaches, trainers of sports clubs in the neighbourhood, and former elite athletes. It is important to ensure that physical education activities are always provided under the responsibility of a qualified professional teacher/trainer, in order to ensure that the liability of the school is adequately covered in case of accidents. Creative solutions also exist for the other obstacles. In addition to the gymnasium, sport and physical activities can also take place in schoolyards/playgrounds, playing fields and sport accommodations in the neighbourhood. Sport and physical activity can be integrated into the regular school curriculum. Digital tools can be used to encourage and facilitate pupils and teachers. A great many inspiring examples are available, some of which can be found on professional Internet platforms. The advisory bodies recommend that the government facilitate these learning platforms and make them broadly available, in order to reduce the burden on all parties and ensure that the same steps don’t have to be taken by each and every school.
3. Establish local forms of collaboration, and anchor this under municipal management
The advisory bodies advise schools to establish physical activity teams. In doing so, it’s important to ensure that the physical activity team has a leader or coordinator, preferably in the form of a professional trainer or a neighbourhood sport coach. In order to strengthen the range of sport and physical activities at school, the advisory bodies advise schools to expand their organisational network and look for structural forms of collaboration with other actors offering sport and physical activity, organisations for childcare and after-school care, businesses, and organisations active in society. This is no simple matter and will require time and effort; the advisory bodies see this as a clear task here for municipalities. Municipalities have an important role to play in managing the overall process, for example in locating and delegating neighbourhood sport coaches and in searching for suitable facilities. The collective efforts should always be focused on ensuring that supply and demand are in line with each other.
Conclusion
The advisory bodies conclude that a daily focus on sport and physical activity at school can and should become a much more natural and self-evident proposition. The educational sector can ensure that this becomes a reality with support from local networks, municipalities, and the national government.