Pages

30/11/2010

Future of PE in Our Primary Schools

According to figures published today by the Scottish Government, Dundee is one of only three out of Scotland's 32 councils (along with East Renfrewshire and Perth and Kinross) delivering two hours of PE in all its primary schools. But how long will this position be maintained in Dundee when the future of the visiting (mobile) PE specialists who work with groups of Primary Schools is in doubt?

These additional teachers, with specialist PE qualifications, work alongside the generalist class teachers in the Primary schools. It is rumored that just like the art and drama specialists, whose jobs disappeared in the Education cuts for this financial year, the team of visiting PE specialists are likely to be next in line. I think this would be a big mistake. This would not only diminish opportunities for our primary pupils to engage in 'quality physical education' as part of their school curriculum but also diminish opportunities to foster healthy and less sedentary life styles. Unfortunately for our primary school pupils, this looks likely to another target missed and another broken SNP promise on education.