What is physical health and sport?

Physical health and sport is an important component for young people to live a healthy, active lifestyle. Healthy and active lifestyles make a vital contribution to young people’s personal development and overall wellbeing. Regular physical activity and healthy eating has been increasingly linked with a variety of positive indicators, including improved learning and academic attainment, better mental health and cardiovascular fitness, as well as healthy weight status (1). Sport has been identified by the Department for Education as one of the five foundations for building character, which strengthens resilience, determination and self-belief while promoting values such as teamwork and egalitarianism (2). Group participation in physical activity also helps children and young people to connect with their peers, leading to a greater sense of social connection, community participation and the development of broader support networks (3). 

Why is it important to Ormiston Trust?

Approximately a quarter of UK children are overweight or obese when they start school, rising to a third of children by the time they leave Year 6 (4). The North West and West Midlands regions – where many of Ormiston’s academies are located – have among the highest rates of childhood obesity in England (5). Current guidance from the UK Chief Medical Officers recommends that individuals aged between 5-18 years should engage in physical activity for an average of at least 60 minutes per day. However, only 47 percent of children and young people met the current guidelines during the 2018/19 academic year (6). Black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, girls, those with disabilities and children from lower socio-economic backgrounds are even less active on average (7). With children and young people spending, on average, a quarter of their waking lives in school, OT academies can play a crucial role in fostering positive habits regarding physical activity as well as healthy diets (8). 

Grant programme examples: Cooking competitions, healthy eating advice, fitness programmes, sports competitions, sports kit and sports leadership programmes

Note: We have on rare occasions contributed some limited funding for sports facilities where a grantee was able to use OT funding (<£50k) to leverage in at least 9-10 times more funding from another funder.

Desired Outcomes:

References

(1) Department of Health and Social Care, 2019. “UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines “. Gov.uk. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/832868/uk-chief-medical-officers-physical-activity-guidelines.pdf. p. 7

(2) Department for Education, 2019. p.8. “School Sport and Activity Action Plan”. Gov. UK. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/848082/School_sport_and_activity_action_plan.pdf

(3) Youth Sport Trust, 2018. https://www.youthsporttrust.org/

(4) Doward, 2020. “Free school dinners led to fall in childhood obesity rates”. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/mar/08/free-school-dinners-reduce-child-obesity-study-reveals

(5) Public Health England, 2020. “Child obesity: patterns and trends”. Gov. UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/child-obesity-patterns-and-trends

(6) NHS Digital, 2020. “Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet, England, 2020”. NHS.uk. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/statistics-on-obesity-physical-activity-and-diet/england-2020/part-5-adult-physical-activity-copy

(7) Public Health England, 2020. “What works in schools and colleges to increase physical activity?”. Gov. UK. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876242/Guidance_to_increase_physical_activity_among_children_and_young_people_in_schools_and_colleges.pdf

(8) National Healthy Schools Programme, 2008. “Guidance for Schools on Healthy Eating”. Gov.uk. https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/health/healthy-schools-london/awards/sites/default/files/HS%2520Healthy%2520Eating_1.pdf