New research from Women in Sport, in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, shows girls still turn away from school sports in high numbers. The data surveyed 25,000 girls and boys from 138 secondary schools across England and Northern Ireland, and found a gulf in attitudes towards physical activity between girls and boys.
Previous superficial gendered schemes, involving pink or princess motifs to encourage girls into taking part in PE have not been successful. And despite evidence suggesting a sporty background helps girls rise up the career ladder, a minority see the relevance of physical education in their lives.
The Girls Active programme is seeking to change the imbalance between girls and boys in school sports. The programme targets girls who are less active and finds ways to get them involved. . The scheme was hailed as the most inspiring national initiative at the Women’s Sport Trust awards this year.
As a teacher, PE or otherwise, what is girls’ school sports participation like at your school? As a parent, do you have a daughter who is active in any sports? Have you felt that participation has not been encouraged? If you’re a pupil, do you enjoy taking part in PE lessons and school sports? What are your thoughts about the Girls Active programme, and what more do you think can be done to encourage further participation for girls?
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