School

Indicators

Grades

Quick Stats

Recommendations for Action

Physical Education

C-

• 44% of Canadian children receive PE at school 1-2 days per week, 25% on 3-4 days of the week, and 22% receive daily PE (2005 PAM). b Available data hint at the possibility that only a small portion of PE class is dedicated to actual physical activity. In 1 study, only 2% of girls and 3% of boys were spending at least half of PE class in MVPA.

• PE in schools at all ages and PE specialist hiring for all ages should be mandated.

• There is a need for a novel curriculum that increases the fraction of PE time devoted to physical activity.

• There is a need to develop a curriculum for high school students that emphasizes lifelong physical activity skills in place of a sport-related curriculum.

Sport and Physical Activity Opportunities at School

C

• 77% of parents say schools offer other physical activity or sport programs outside of regular PE classes (2010 PAM).

• 45% of parents say these programs meet the needs of their kids quite or very well while 17% say they meet their kids’ needs moderately well (2010 PAM).

• Schools should have physical activity as part of their school improvement plan. Out-of-class physical activity opportunities for the whole school need to be addressed.

• Non-traditional physical activity needs to be addressed and groups targeted who are known to have lower levels and who tend to get their physical activity only at school (e.g., adolescent girls).

• Students should be involved in the development and organization of physical activity opportunities that address student preferences

School Infrastructure and Equipment

B

•  No new data are available, but based on data from prior Report Cards, the majority of children and youth report that the facilities available at school are adequate

• Ensure the gym is available for use before school, during lunch and immediately after school, for both sport and general participation in physical activity.

• Develop policies requiring appropriate facilities and equipment in sufficient amounts to meet student needs.

• If not already in place, develop cooperative agreements between schools and municipalities, and schools and communities

School Policy

C

• Data on the support for physical activity policies in the school environment, and their implementation, remain sparse.

• Daily PE policies for K-12 are needed to foster skill and motor development for lifelong participation in physical activity.

• In addition, policies are required to ensure actual participation in daily physical activity, such as British Columbia’s Daily Physical Activity policy to provide 30 minutes of physical activity daily up to grade 9, and 150 minutes a week for grades 10 to 12.

• PE teachers and physical activity leaders, as well as all other teachers and school staff, need to be given adequate, regular and appropriate training to establish quality and safe PE and physical activity programs.3