Girls Active: Stepping up for Change
Description
The transition from primary to secondary school can be an anxious time for children and poor transition experiences can negatively affect children's wellbeing. During this time, disruption to friendship groups, along with declining body confidence can affect participation levels in sport and physical activity. During this time girls often worry about what PE in secondary school will be like, with fears over how it might be formal, competition or less fun. For girls of secondary school age, research demonstrates higher likelihood of experiencing barriers to participation (82% compared to only 58% of boys).Our own research shows in primary schools:
- Almost twice as many girls as boys report that a lack of confidence stops them being active in school
- Boys say they are more active than girls with 39% saying they do more than 60 minutes of activity a day compared with 25% of girls
- The gap between girls and boys levels of physical activity grows as they get older.
Programme aims
The programme aims to:
- Improve girls attitudes towards PE, school sport and physical activity and, for some, attitudes to learning and school life
- Increase understanding of how physical activity positively contributes to all girls lives
- Increase participation in PE, school sport and physical activity
- Increase self-esteem, confidence and commitment of girls in school
- Improve leadership skills and student voice with more and different volunteers within the school
- Enhance pupil-staff, pupil-pupil and school-school relationships both within PE and across the school(s).
- Teacher training (face to face or virtual)
- A student survey with a school insight report on girls participation and perceptions of PE, sport and physical activity in your school
- A range of resources including a teacher guide and cards to support girls
- Leadership support for girls (face to face or virtual)
- Seed funding and ongoing support (subject to funder).
