• Replies 9 replies
  • Subscribers 65 subscribers
  • Views 1796 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Was the NAS involved in reforms to the school PE curriculum?

Arran

Michael Gove's new curriculum reforms have resulted in school PE lessons having a heavier emphasis on competitive teams sports than those under the previous government. It is well known that most children with ASD have difficulties with competitive team sports which means that they will derive less benefit and enjoyment of such lessons compared with those offering less competitive physical activities.

Was there any input from the NAS, during consultation procedures or otherwise, into the reforms to the PE curriculum? 

Parents

  • The cynic in me says that our current crop of cabinet ministers are dominated by public school educated sportsaholics. It is plausible that the Olympics last year fuelled support for more competitive team sports in the school PE curriculum in the minds of politicians, but I believe that there was also a move towards it during the John Major era.

    I'm of the opinion that school PE lessons primarily based around competitive team sports will increase child obesity rather than reduce it because it will disenfranchise children who are not team sporting types, many of which will evade lessons. Has any serious research been carried out into children who dislike team sports identifying reasons why?

    Disability and sports generally means traditional disabilities like wheelchair users or blind people rather than ASD or dyspraxia. I don't think that the Youth Sports Trust has any knowledge of these conditions and their effects on children in PE lessons.

    IntenseWorld said:
    People are naturally in-built with some degree of competitiveness, some more than others and will all find their place naturally within society according to what they can manage and what their desire is.  Forcing children to be competitive if they are not naturally is stupid.

    It's a common mistake to think that competitiveness and sports are synonymous where children who are not good at sports are not competitive and vice versa. There are many competitive activities that are not of a sporting variety although schools rarely venture into this area.

Reply

  • The cynic in me says that our current crop of cabinet ministers are dominated by public school educated sportsaholics. It is plausible that the Olympics last year fuelled support for more competitive team sports in the school PE curriculum in the minds of politicians, but I believe that there was also a move towards it during the John Major era.

    I'm of the opinion that school PE lessons primarily based around competitive team sports will increase child obesity rather than reduce it because it will disenfranchise children who are not team sporting types, many of which will evade lessons. Has any serious research been carried out into children who dislike team sports identifying reasons why?

    Disability and sports generally means traditional disabilities like wheelchair users or blind people rather than ASD or dyspraxia. I don't think that the Youth Sports Trust has any knowledge of these conditions and their effects on children in PE lessons.

    IntenseWorld said:
    People are naturally in-built with some degree of competitiveness, some more than others and will all find their place naturally within society according to what they can manage and what their desire is.  Forcing children to be competitive if they are not naturally is stupid.

    It's a common mistake to think that competitiveness and sports are synonymous where children who are not good at sports are not competitive and vice versa. There are many competitive activities that are not of a sporting variety although schools rarely venture into this area.

Children
No Data