ATL

Politicians challenged over PE policy

10 March 2010

One educational entrepreneur believes he has come up with a solution to problem of making sure all schools provide effective physical, as well as academic, education.

Andy Baker, director of Multisport4life, believes that politicians should invest in up-skilling the current teaching workforce, thereby creating 17,000 new coaches and PE teachers for primary schools across England at the lowest possible cost.

Mr Baker told the Telegraph: "If every primary school was to have a PE teacher, it would take a minimum of four years and would cost £70 million a year in salaries.

"That will never happen. But if we up the skills of the existing workforce, it is a workable process."

He added that up-skilling existing PE teachers and coaches through professional development training, thereby enabling them to take on additional responsibilities, would cost approximately £20 million over three years by comparison.

A study published in February this year by researchers at the University of Exeter concluded that children who ride bicycles to school are generally fitter than pupils who walk, take the bus or get a lift by car.