Gordon Brown strongly backed competitive sport in schools yesterday as he announced plans to give every child the chance of five hours’ athletic activity a week.
In a rebuff to schools and authorities that focus on participation rather than competition, Mr Brown outlined a £100 million package that will provide an hour of sport to every child, five days a week, and will place greater emphasis on competition within and between schools. Teenagers aged 16 to 19 at further education colleges will be offered three hours.
Under the present system school pupils are supposed to receive four hours a week of sport.
The campaign will include a National School Sport Week, championed by Dame Kelly Holmes, when all schools will be encouraged to run sports days and inter-school tournaments.
A network of 225 competitive sports leaders will be set up to work with primary and secondary schools.
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The Prime Minister said: “We need to put school sport back where it belongs, playing a central role in the school day. I was lucky enough to have primary and secondary schools that had sport at the centre of their ethos. I want every child to have that opportunity to take part.”
Mr Brown announced the proposals at a visit to the West London Academy in Ealing, West London, with James Purnell, the Culture Secretary.
Mr Purnell said: “Competitive sport is enjoyable and good for all children and young people, not just those who excel. It helps improve children’s teamwork and social skills, and boosts confidence and self esteem.”
Darren Campbell, the former Olympic sprint athlete, backed the campaign. “Competitive sport has taught me so many lessons about myself and delivered me many fantastic opportunities,” he said By highlighting the benefits of competition Mr Brown was countering the argument that having winners and losers stigmatises children.
In 2003, Maney Hill Primary School in Sutton Coldfield banned parents from attending the annual sports day to spare the blushes of children who did not win. Instead a noncompetitive, activity-based event was held behind closed doors, a move that attracted criticism.
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The school’s head teacher at the time, Judy Wressel, said that the decision had been taken to “ensure all children take part and enjoy the experience”. Around the same time, several Scottish councils banned “winners” from sports days and football matches.
Jeremy Hunt, the Shadow Culture Secretary, said that the new funding was inadequate. “When you look at the small print this turns out to be a classic case of Brown spin, because £100 million between now and 2012 turns out to be £20 million a year, less than a tenth of the reduction in funding to grassrooots sport as a result of the lottery raid to fund pet causes.”
Mr Purnell said: “Some people say that competitive sport isn’t right for young people, but we just disagree with that. We believe that it teaches important values.
“The Conservatives don’t have a leg to stand on. They are the ones who sold off all the playing fields and effectively stopped competitive sports in our schools.”