PE Survey

Sport at St Mary’s is extremely popular, according to the results of a survey of students in Years 7 to 9, conducted this term by the PE Department.

Students were asked their views on the PE curriculum, including their favourite and least favourite sports, the number of PE clubs they attend and why, and what motivates them in PE lessons.

81% of students in the appropriate year groups participated and the results are now being used to inform future PE curriculum planning. Head of PE, Miss Hawkins, who conducted the survey, was pleased that all students who responded to the survey judged every sport on offer as ‘OK’ or better and that 60% of students chose to take part in at least one PE club each week. This contradicts research carried out recently by Sport England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign, which concluded that women in the UK are less likely to be engaged in sport than men.

The St Mary’s sport survey revealed that students’ favourite sports are volleyball, rounders, netball, swimming, basketball and Year 7 Outdoor Adventurous Activities. Least favourite is cross-country running.

The main reasons for students’ engagement with sport were ‘for enjoyment / fun’, ‘teamwork’ and ‘to improve fitness’ – all of which contribute to their progression in the sport, as well as benefiting health and well-being.

“The PE curriculum at St Mary’s is deliberately broad,” explained Miss Hawkins. “While able sportswomen here compete at a high level in our successful sports teams and in individual competition, the focus is also on including every student in a wide variety of sports in order to develop a healthy, active lifestyle that will continue into adulthood.”

Suggestions of sports the students would like to be take part in in the future are now being considered. The school is developing links with sports providers outside of school, as well as looking at ways of incorporating some of the ideas within PE lessons and as taster sessions.

“The PE Department will look at the curriculum,” says Miss Hawkins, “and, using the facilities available to us, see if there are any changes we can make to suit the students’ interests and needs to make sure that this high level of engagement in sport among our students continues.”