School

Reference citations for all information below can be found in the complete long-form Report Card

Almost all Canadian children spend approximately 30 hours per week at school, and because of this, schools are a setting that can reach the largest proportion and the greatest diversity of children. The influence of the school setting on the physical activity levels of Canadian children and youth is an active and dynamic area of the Report Card, evidenced by a surge of new information relating to research, policy and school-based programming. Those working in the schools should be applauded for their efforts to bring the issue of physical inactivity to the forefront. The evidence base linking physical activity not only to physical outcomes but also to academic outcomes is growing. A key story of the 2009 Report Card is the link between physical activity and academic performance. There is strong and convincing evidence showing that taking time away from academics to ensure daily PE does not negatively affect academic grades. Any critics of PE now need to re-evaluate their position and acknowledge that healthy bodies equal healthy minds!

There is immense variability across Canada in the amount, type and quality of PE being delivered. Many different approaches are in place across the country. This year we have highlighted a few examples of school-level physical activity programs, policy evaluation systems and a new initiative aimed at providing evaluative data on PE. Daily Physical Activity (DPA) policy has come to the forefront, and new data from Alberta show a range of positive outcomes from DPA. Some other provinces are focusing their efforts more at the PE level with attempts to improve the quality of instruction by hiring staff trained in PE (New Brunswick) or by implementing mandatory PE policies (Manitoba). It is encouraging that staff trained in PE appear to be common at the secondary level. However, a concerning finding is the number of Canadian elementary schools without staff trained in PE. Childhood is a window of opportunity to establish lifestyle behaviours and exercise habits. If children are not learning the basics of movement in elementary school, how can we expect them to be motivated to maintain sport and physical activity participation as they enter adulthood?

The data in this year’s report card indicate that both DPA and quality daily PE promote and facilitate physical activity participation. We argue that one does NOT replace the other; rather, PE is a setting where children and youth learn how to be active so that they feel confident and motivated to undertake physical activity on their own outside of PE class. DPA has a completely different purpose; it provides an excellent opportunity for children to be active with their peers at school. Finally, we propose that PE is an area that is particularly important for key disparity groups in this country. Evidence shows that many girls are not feeling engaged in the way PE is currently being delivered. Children with disabilities are increasingly being included into mainstream classrooms and they are a group that has unique pedagogical needs when it comes to PE. Evidence shows the children with disabilities may obtain the greatest benefits from physical activity – from physical and emotional benefits to academic outcomes.

Main Findings

• Most Canadian elementary and middle school students report that they take at least one PE class per week (CFLRI).
• High schools are more likely to report that almost all or all of their students receive PE from staff trained in PE compared to elementary and middle schools. Among those employing a staff person trained in PE, high schools are roughly nine times more likely than elementary schools to report that a typical student receives instruction from a physical education specialist every day (CFLRI).
• The Action! Schools BC school-based intervention significantly improved the delivery of physical activity by schools and led to improvements in physical activity levels, cardiovascular health and bone health. Additionally, although more time was allocated to providing physical activity opportunities, academic achievement did not suffer.
• The majority (83%) of schools provide intramural (within school) physical activities for students. In addition, 4 out of 5 (80%) schools provide inter-school physical activities (between schools) and other physical activity outings (CFLRI).
• Gymnasiums are the most common large facility available to Canadian schools, with almost all schools (96%) reporting having access to one (CFLRI).
• Many Canadian schools report that they share their space, facilities and equipment with the local community outside of school hours (CFLRI).
• Manitoba has made PE mandatory for all 4 years of high school and is currently the only province to take such a positive step. In addition, the grade 11 and 12 credits require students to demonstrate they are engaging in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days a week. Well done, Manitoba!
• New Brunswick has recently hired more than 100 new teachers trained in PE in the Anglophone school system, where there was a shortage of teachers with PE training in comparison to the French schools in the province. Well done, New Brunswick!

Evidence of Disparities

• Girls need to feel competent and supported in PE, and want classes to include more variety of non-traditional sports and activities.
• A large proportion of children and youth with disabilities are not receiving the specialized adapted PE instruction they need.

Recommendations for Action

• Evaluate DPA and its alternatives (e.g., extending curriculum time with explicit activity targets) in all provinces where it is being implemented
• Develop and implement more PE policies like those reported in Manitoba and New Brunswick.
• Ensure that robust, ongoing assessments aimed at improvement are in place to support, monitor and evaluate the implementation of health active living policies.
• Ensure that new program developments build off, or replicate, existing successful interventions, programs and policies.
• Develop a system that highlights the stories describing evidence-informed programs and policies.
• Harmonize and standardize program assessment protocols.
• Expand PE offerings beyond traditional sports to include activities that can be carried out over the lifespan, and those that are of particular interest to girls. Consider introducing yoga, aerobics, martial arts, outdoor education, hiking, canoeing, etc.
• Broaden the number of children who can participate in physical activity programs by facilitating effective school community partnerships to share resources between schools and community recreation providers and child-care centres. These partnerships can enhance the delivery of PE curricula as well as intramural and after-school physical activity opportunities.

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