Government’s Health Approach


CHILDHOOD OBESITY – A Plan for Action


Improving the co-ordination of quality sport and physical activity programmes for schools


County Sports Partnerships, Like Wiltshire and Swindon Sport (WASP) have been asked by Public Health England to work with National Governing Bodies of Sport, the Youth Sport Trust and other national and local providers to ensure that from September 2017, every primary school in England has access to a co- ordinated offer of high quality sport and physical activity programmes, both local and national. As part of this, National Governing Bodies will offer high quality sport programmes to every primary school.


Whilst children spend a significant amount of time in school, keeping children active is a shared responsibility and parents and carers need to play their part. The Sport England Strategy ‘Towards an Active Nation’ (2016) has already set out a major new investment of £40m into projects which offer new opportunities for families and children to get active and play sport together. This investment will focus on helping children acquire a basic level of competence in sport and physical activity as well as supporting them to have fun, regardless of their level of ability.


PHE will continue investing in walking and cycling to school. Walking or cycling to school provides a healthy way to start the day. The Government has committed to producing a Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy. The first strategy will set out plans for investing £300m to support cycling and walking. It will set a clear target to increase the number of children walking to school as well as continued support for Bikeability cycle training for children. Further information can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ childhood-obesity-a-plan-for-action


The 2016 Childhood Obesity Plan aims to reduce England’s rate of childhood obesity significantly within the next ten years. The plan included several actions for the education system:


• That all children should achieve 60 minutes of physical activity a day, 30 minutes in school.


• A new voluntary Healthy Rating Scheme for primary schools has been proposed, with the intention


that it would be taken into account during Ofsted inspections. No further information or timeline for rollout is currently available.


• Public Health England will develop advice to schools for 2017–18 on how they can work with school nurse teams, health centres, healthy weight teams in local authorities and others, to help children develop healthier lifestyles.


• County Sports Partnerships to work with other providers - to ensure that from September 2017, every primary school in England has access to a co-ordinated offer of high quality sport and physical activity programmes.


Please get in touch with Rik Grover (WASP) at Rik@wiltssport.org.uk for information and advice about the Primary School PE and Sports Premium.


Wiltshire and Swindon Relay 9


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