All Above: Fit for Sport’s Engage to Compete initiative is aimed at primary school children Right: Only half of seven-year-olds in the UK are meeting recommended physical activity guidelines
kids ready for school by developing their cognitive and social development. “At this very young age children love to be on the move and we aim to get them moving correctly,” says Wright. “We are looking to develop co-ordination, cognitive skills and enjoyment in activity so they can maximise the opportunities when they join primary school. Currently the Early Years Foundation curriculum doesn’t have a section for physical activity and we believe it needs to be added in order to be taken seriously, measured and valued.” Working with pre-school children inevitably requires buy-in from parents, so the Smart Start Club provides plenty of simple activities for families to do at home. Not only does this help children learn through play, but parents gain an appreciation of the difference activity makes and instills in them a desire to encourage their child for years to come. The Youth Sport Trust trains early years teachers to implement their programme, giving them enhanced skills and additional qualifications. “Everyone must take early years activity seriously and prioritise it: from Public Health England down,”
believes Wright. “It’s never too early to offer children structured activities.”
Physical Literacy
Primary school children are measured in subjects such as maths, English and science but when it comes to physical literacy, parents and teachers are completely in the dark and this concerns Dean Horridge, chair of ukactive Kids and CEO of Fit For Sport. “We must bring the measurement of PE in line with that of academic subjects. All involved – including parents – need to recognise the impact good physical and cognitive health can have on a child’s life”, he says. Fit For Sport recently completed a second successful pilot of its Engage To Compete programme which boosts and measures levels of physical activity among primary school children. More than
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10,000 children and 600 teachers across 66 schools in London and Birmingham took part in the programme which was supported by nearly £200,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England. Engage to Compete brings structure, focus and fresh new activities to the playground. It is designed to engage all children and trains teaching assistants to deliver the activities. The key partners in the programme include local councils and leisure centre providers. Their involvement includes providing services and facilities for large scale, motivational events – such as bringing together 1,000 children from local schools for a Legacy Games Day, hosting family activity days and offering incentives and discounts to encourage further activity out of school. “Fit For Sport is a valued partner for GLL and the Engage to Compete 59