Radical solution rolled out for sports problem

By Lynne Stewart

DUNDEE PUPILS are set to be offered modern sports in a move believed to be a national first.

The city council is aiming to encourage children not to skip physical education.

With the Factory Skatepark celebrating its first anniversary at its site in Douglas, they have joined forces to inspire youngsters to enjoy physical activity.

Traditional sports such as football and rugby, once played by most children, now compete with more diverse sports such as in-line skating and skateboarding.

The cultural change has prompted the council to move with the times and introduce PE classes at the skatepark.

It follows the Scottish Executive’s commitment of an extra £20 million from 2004 to 2007 for sports development.

Derek Marshall, director of The Factory Skatepark, said, “We have a good partnership agreement with the council education department.

“We have linked up with the council to offer all schools in Dundee the chance to use the facilities here as part of their PE programme, which I think is a first for a local authority in the UK.

“They have asked for structured programmes to be delivered to classes.

He said, “I think it is commendable that the city council are taking a pro-active approach to sport and are looking out with the traditional sports to get young people active.”

He added, “When we met with the education department they said that the traditional six sports like football and hockey aren’t working.

“This is very forward thinking for the council to offer blading for PE lessons and they are introducing children to something new that can form part of a healthy active lifestyle.”

Scottish Executive figures reveal pupils from nine to 14 spend only 5% of compulsory teaching time on PE.

The average across the 30 developed countries making up the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is 8.5%, and bringing Scotland to that level would mean 35 more hours of PE a year.

The Scottish Executive made a commitment in June last year to increase the amount of PE available to at least two hours a week.

Now an extra 400 PE teachers are also being trained and the Executive has pledged a wider choice of physical activities.

As well as traditional sports the Executive are introducing martial arts, dance and aerobics, which it is hoped will appeal more to teenage girls as their activity level drops much quicker than that of boys.

As a result of the greater resources, the Executive say there will be 80 hours of PE a year for Scottish pupils.

With the school year lasting 1000 hours the amount of time given to PE in Scotland will increase to 8% from the previous 5%.