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Clark says PE should be personalised, with pupils striving for individual goals
The publication of the sixth report on physical education by the All Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood (APPGFHC) a few months after the Rio Olympics and Paralympics is timely.
Team GB is an outstanding sporting force, but the nation is in the grip of an obesity crisis that starts at birth, becomes entrenched during school and triggers diseases such as type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
The neglected subject How can this state of affairs co-exist with Olympic glory? We examined the state of physical education in schools, early years settings and the community. A sugary drinks tax is one anti-obesity weapon. But physical education must join good nutrition, play and sport to create a healthy and productive society.
We all had our own personal horror stories about school PE: ‘skill drill’ lessons, humiliating body shaming and the fact that disabled children and those who disliked team games often skipped lessons and ended up pursuing sedentary lifestyles as adults.
The school physical education curriculum has remained largely unchanged since the 1940s and nobody at government level has collated or cascaded examples of excellence that the school community could learn from.
Also, PE is a ‘foundation’ rather than a ‘core’ National Curriculum subject and is often out-sourced to ‘coaches’ without teaching qualifications. Lessons are allocated little time and cancelled in favour of more pressing concerns.
Time for change In response to these concerns, the APPGFHC has identified its top priorities for a 21st century PE experience that works. These are:
• A National PE Task Force to overhaul the PE curriculum.
• Personalised PE teaching – pupils striving for personal, rather than collective, goals.
• For PE to have core status in the National Curriculum.
• For PE to be taught by specialists and for PE content to be increased in teacher training and ongoing professional development.
• A PE syllabus that is properly inclusive for disabled children.
• For PE advice and training to begin from birth, with a strong presence in early years settings.
Making a start Physical education must lead the drive for a ‘whole child’ approach to physical activity in the cause of health and wellbeing. We don’t have all the answers, but for too long nobody has asked the questions. The APPGFHC’s report does that. We honour our elite athletes. But the rest of us should ensure we stay healthy too.
Helen Clark is an associate director for Royal Public Affairs, a public affairs consultancy that advises on a range of policy matters.
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Clark says PE should be personalised, with pupils striving for individual goals
The publication of the sixth report on physical education by the All Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood (APPGFHC) a few months after the Rio Olympics and Paralympics is timely.
Team GB is an outstanding sporting force, but the nation is in the grip of an obesity crisis that starts at birth, becomes entrenched during school and triggers diseases such as type two diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
The neglected subject How can this state of affairs co-exist with Olympic glory? We examined the state of physical education in schools, early years settings and the community. A sugary drinks tax is one anti-obesity weapon. But physical education must join good nutrition, play and sport to create a healthy and productive society.
We all had our own personal horror stories about school PE: ‘skill drill’ lessons, humiliating body shaming and the fact that disabled children and those who disliked team games often skipped lessons and ended up pursuing sedentary lifestyles as adults.
The school physical education curriculum has remained largely unchanged since the 1940s and nobody at government level has collated or cascaded examples of excellence that the school community could learn from.
Also, PE is a ‘foundation’ rather than a ‘core’ National Curriculum subject and is often out-sourced to ‘coaches’ without teaching qualifications. Lessons are allocated little time and cancelled in favour of more pressing concerns.
Time for change In response to these concerns, the APPGFHC has identified its top priorities for a 21st century PE experience that works. These are:
• A National PE Task Force to overhaul the PE curriculum.
• Personalised PE teaching – pupils striving for personal, rather than collective, goals.
• For PE to have core status in the National Curriculum.
• For PE to be taught by specialists and for PE content to be increased in teacher training and ongoing professional development.
• A PE syllabus that is properly inclusive for disabled children.
• For PE advice and training to begin from birth, with a strong presence in early years settings.
Making a start Physical education must lead the drive for a ‘whole child’ approach to physical activity in the cause of health and wellbeing. We don’t have all the answers, but for too long nobody has asked the questions. The APPGFHC’s report does that. We honour our elite athletes. But the rest of us should ensure we stay healthy too.
Helen Clark is an associate director for Royal Public Affairs, a public affairs consultancy that advises on a range of policy matters.
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced
it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House
Hotel in St Albans, UK.
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this
percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey’s Future of
Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of
a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Le Atelier by C.O.D.E. doesn't offer a standard bespoke service, it provides a highly
customised approach to designing massage beds and loungers in high-end wellness
environments. [more...]
+ More featured suppliers
COMPANY PROFILES
Sommerhuber GmbH Sommerhuber specialises in the manufacturing of heat-storing ceramics for spas. [more...]
