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Active Lifestyle Coaches to get schoolchildren active |
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Alternative activities include cheerleading and freerunning offered.
New Active Lifestyle Coaches are being deployed to help children become more active.
The coaches are people who the children know well, but are specially trained and come from a range of backgrounds, such as teaching assistants or parents.
An active lifestyle coach will work in 1,100 schools and will help motivate the children to do at least one extra hour of physical activity per week. 20,000 children from the ages of four to five and ten to 11 are expected to take part.
The programme offers children the opportunity to take part in fun alternative activities such as break dancing, cheerleading, martial fitness, yoga or free running, in additition to school PE.
Children who don’t get as much exercise as they need are at risk of developing serious illnesses like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers in later life.
Being active also helps strengthen bones, improves coordination and helps improve self-esteem and confidence.
Public Health Minister Gillian Merron said: "It’s vital that we help every child to get a decent amount of exercise if they are to avoid serious health problems."
"By being physically active now through play, games and sport, means children are far more likely to go on to be active, healthy adults. Active Lifestyle Coaches will help these children find a fun way onto the right track."
Further information:
DCSF |
