SPORT VS ACADEMICS

Vinehall School, East Sussex

Two schools consider whether sport could be more important than academic study

If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that being active is crucial to maintaining good mental health and reducing obesity. It’s not a new concept, but probably the first time we’ve all seen the benefits, personally. The repeated message to exercise for mental health has been loud and clear and we (and our children) have walked, cycled and circuit trained ourselves through three lockdowns.

We also know that instilling a love of sport in childhood, leads to healthier attitudes and habits for life, as well as being crucial to child development. Teamwork, self-confidence, responsibility, experiencing failure and self-discipline are all life skills that sport promotes. Evidence backed reports also link the relationship between sports participation and increased academic achievement.

Notwithstanding the difficulties implementing P.E. and sport into remote learning in the last year, the trend over recent years has been children doing less than the recommended 6o minutes of daily exercise. And experts are ‘deeply concerned’. The Active Lives survey, published by Sport England, showed that almost a third of children (2.3 million) were classed as ‘inactive’ as a result of lockdown restrictions. Inactive meaning doing less than 30 minutes of activity a day. This doesn’t seem that surprising considering children haven’t been at school but it’s only a 2.5% change on the figures pre-Covid-19.

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England CEO said: “Schools play a vital role in keeping young people active – and it’s imperative they’re in a position to facilitate physical activity the moment they can.”

So, what part can schools play in lifting children’s participation in sport, and perhaps rewiring all our brains to consider sport just as important as academic study?

We asked two schools for their view.

JOFF POWIS

Headmaster of Vinehall School

Looking back at your school years, how many of your most treasured memories were made in the classroom, compared to those made charging around the playground, winning a sports match against that year’s greatest rivals, or building elaborate dens with your peers. And it’s not just memories made during these times, but positive behavioural patterns that are utilised throughout life’s many twists and turns.

There has always been debate around academics vs sport. Time spent on one, means time away from the other. But research shows that even a small amount of exercise a day can boost academic performance, especially in young people. One study carried out by the universities of Strathclyde and Dundee examined 5,000 children and found that for every extra 17 minutes boys exercised, and for every 12 minutes girls exercised, academic performance increased. Dr Josie Booth, one of the leaders of the study, from Dundee University said: “Physical activity is more than just important for your physical health. There are other benefits and that is something that should be especially important to parents, policy-makers and people involved in education.”

As a parent, and someone involved in education I am very conscious of the impact several lockdowns, school closures and restrictions on daily life have had on childhood mental health. Sport had to remain a constant throughout the various upheavals. To support this, our remote learning programme had a shorter school day, so children had more time to get outside and be active. While they may not have been pitting themselves against their peers on the rugby field or netball court, we wanted pupils to stretch themselves and compete remotely, seeing which form group can walk, run or cycle the furthest in a month. Many also participated in the 100 Challenge, inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, which saw a number of inspirational sporting goals being set and achieved. Our Deputy Head enthusiastically committed to 100 push ups a day for 100 days, and pupils proved that they were capable of more than they ever thought possible. Competing against their peers is one thing, but for many this experience has shown them that achieving a goal they set for themselves, without the cheers and clapping from the side-lines, can be equally rewarding.

For my four school age children, the twice weekly PE classes made all the difference to their remote learning experience. Live workout sessions and skills challenges such as keepy uppies and catching and throwing based activities, successfully removed them from their screens for a period and got the blood pumping.

One of the words that I kept consistently at the heart of this experience was balance. How can we strike a balance between academics and the all-important moments in between, where children are able to practice what we at Vinehall call our five dispositions – be inquisitive, be collaborative, be resilient, be reflective and be courageous. None of these are possible without the disciplines and camaraderie of sport, whether performed on the playing field, gym, pool… or in the sitting room with your dad’s old tennis racket and a hackey sack.

Adventure and sport have been key to easing many young minds over this time, soothing anxieties and providing a safe, joyful space in which to learn and grow. Ultimately, there are countless health benefits to sports education. Whether that means playing team sports, visiting the gym or the classic lockdown ‘walk around the block’. When we take care of our bodies, we take care of our minds, promoting positive patterns of behaviour, forging relationships, instilling discipline and making memories that will last a lifetime. vinehallschool.com

GRAEME SMITH

Acting Head of Clifton Lodge School

As Acting Head at Clifton Lodge School during Mrs Friel’s maternity leave it is such a delight to be in a school where the importance of the class teacher or ‘mentor’ is clear to see.

Many years ago, a friend asked me why I was dedicating my life and going on a mission for a ‘sport’. He suggested that there were more important things in life. Coming from somebody who was working on their Ph.D. at the time, it was not unexpected, but did make me stop and reflect.

It is not quite as clear cut as academic versus sport, or music or art. For me, the most important part of education is the bit about people. Everything that we are involved in is an opportunity for selfdevelopment. Self-development does not mean making more money or passing exams, it is about working out what makes you tick, challenging your comfort zones, making decisions, being independent, being resilient and using your initiative. It is about not just being taught facts or being told how to do something but working out how to do things ourselves.

Even more important, is that it is not just about ourselves. The richest rewards in life, and why I am in teaching, are from helping others. So, developing emotional intelligence and empathy and working out what makes others tick, builds collaboration and leadership skills. These might not be seen as ‘academic’ and may not be on the timetable, but they are not some sort of pastoral ‘add-on’ but completely interwoven into what Prep Education is all about.

Our school virtues of Love, Integrity, Self-Control, Wisdom, Fortitude and Justice are the building blocks for academic success, but more importantly are the foundations of genuine, caring people who will contribute to society. cliftonlodgeschool.co.uk