Latest Government Guidance on Physical Activity in Schools
Physical activity in schools
You have the flexibility to decide how physical education, sport and physical activity will be provided while following the measures in your system of controls.
Pupils should be kept in consistent groups, sports equipment thoroughly cleaned between each use by different individual groups.
You can hold PE lessons indoors, including those that involve activities related to team sports, for example practising specific techniques, within your own system of controls.
For sport provision, outdoor sports should be prioritised where possible, and large indoor spaces used where it is not, maximising natural ventilation flows (through opening windows and doors or using air conditioning systems wherever possible), distancing between pupils, and paying scrupulous attention to cleaning and hygiene. This is particularly important in a sport setting because of the way in which people breathe during exercise. External facilities can also be used in line with government guidance for the use of, and travel to and from, those facilities.
Where you are considering team sports you should only consider those sports whose national governing bodies have developed guidance under the principles of the government’s guidance on team sport and been approved by the government such as sports on the list available at grassroots sports guidance for safe provision including team sport, contact combat sport and organised sport events.
From 29 March, outdoor competition between different schools can take place.
Indoor competition between different schools should not take place until wider indoor grassroots sport for under 18s is permitted. This will be no earlier than 12 April and we will confirm in due course.
Refer to:
- guidance on grassroot sports for public and sport providers, safe provision and facilities, and guidance from Sport England
- advice from organisations such as the Association for Physical Education and the Youth Sport Trust
- guidance from Swim England on school swimming and water safety lessons available at returning to pools guidance documents
- using changing rooms safely
You can work with external coaches, clubs and organisations for curricular and extra-curricular activities. You must be satisfied that it is safe to do.
Activities such as active miles, making break times and lessons active and encouraging active travel can help pupils to be physically active while encouraging physical distancing.
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