The most recent Active Lives Survey reports that less than half of children of primary school age are achieving the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines of 60 minutes of physical activity per day. The situation in Early Years is even more stark with survey results suggesting that only around 10% of under 5s are achieving the guidelines of 180 minutes per day.

The results of this physical inactivity are becoming more apparent in schools. Many children arrive at formal education lacking the kind of movement vocabulary that would previously have been expected.   Changes in childcare practices, and technological developments, mean it is less likely that children have been allowed to play out, jump in puddles, climb trees and take part in rough and tumble play. Many children spend increasing amounts of time sitting, watching educational videos, playing with smart toys and in general being much more sedentary than in the past.

This Conference will examine the contemporary landscape of primary PE at a national level, and consider approaches that schools can adopt to address the inactivity imbalance.  It will familiarise delegates with initiatives at government level, and the potential future directions of the subject.