How can you get children

[emmie]

fit and healthy if they keep on selling off the school grounds, those used for sports. It started long ago, but why is the coalition intent on making a bad situation worse. All very well to say the Olympics will leave a legacy for our children and their children, but it won't if they keep on selling off the land.
It isn't the only problem to do with children and fitness but it would be a start, to have a decent sports ground, either part of the school or nearby.

[ummmm]

Parents should take their kids on activities.

As a child I used to do swimming, judo, dancing and gymnastics. Most of the time I cycled there. I got much more exercise out of school.

In my opinion parents need to cut the apron strings. Why are they driving their kids to school when it's less than a mile away?

[factor-fiction]

Is it still happening, em10, or is 'selling off school playing fields' just one of those expressions opposition politicians use.
I remember it happening 30 years ago but in recent years while I've been teaching I haven't heard of it happening anywhere near me or my schools.
A lot of new schools have been built under the Building Schools for the Future programme and they often get good facilities- eg climbing walls, astroturf pitches

[Sqad]

\\\\In my opinion parents need to cut the apron strings. Why are they driving their kids to school when it's less than a mile away?\\\

That would be a good start as ummmm suggests.

[factor-fiction]

I agree with ummmm about driving to school. Outside the local primary school the roads are jammed twice a day even though most people live on the estate. I see children coming in taxis too.
A diet of coke and crisps doesn't help either.
As a teacher in my 50s I am faster and fitter than most of my secondary school pupils because i walk and run frequently.

[emmie]

piece on news just now, that the coalition have relaxed the rules on selling off the land, as bald a statement as one could wish. They say they want children to feel the benefits of the London Games, that they need to be looking at ways to get them fitter for the future. All well and good but how do they propose to do it if they have no where to go.
Agree parents should be taking a hand in this, and it was very noticeable that the winners of medals in the games all had parents who had made enormous sacrifices, time specifically in taking their children to their chosen sport, and the encouragement for their efforts.

[emmie]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19263693

[ummmm]

Can you remember how much exercise you got at school?

I loved PE but most of my friends had period problems on PE days.

[Smowball]

Agree with ummm too. My son used to get the bus home but got sick of it being so crowded so now walks home - its about 1.5 miles, and he actually prefers it.

[emmie]

loads, we had to go out of London to go cross country running, we also had a good school sports hall, played at one time hockey and tennis at outdoor local club, i was good at sports and carried that through to later life, cycling, and tennis were favourites.
Indeed why do parents drive their children short distances to school, absurd, include the rubbish food many eat and you have a bad situation all round.

[ummmm]

Mine walk as well. About 2.5 miles each way.

[Smowball]

Considering where his school is, on the rare occasion Ive picked him up because we were then going on somewhere, the amount of cars parked outside the school is ridiculous! They are all double parked and you can barely get down the road - totally mad.

[ummmm]

I know someone who drove their daughter when they only lived a 5 minute walk away. Madness.

[emmie]

not good is it, driving to school is ok if they live so far away, but 5 mins that is crazy

[spotit3]

My two grandchildren get a minimum of sport at school but get plenty of exercise at home. Playing football, playing outside, long walks, playing other games. They seem to spend most of their time outside and they live in town. Parents need to take charge and set a limit on time spent on computer games etc and also set a good example themselves by walking etc when possible.

[Traci66]

The school in our village is at most a ten minute walk from any of the houses yet the number of cars driving to the school is ridiculous, there are now parking restrictions in the street where the school is, parking for residents only.

[Canary42]

Yes Factor, it still hapens.

A recent example :- http://www.guardian.c...offs-rise?INTCMP=SRCH

[factor-fiction]

To quote from the article:

"Figures from the DfE also show 213 playing fields were approved for sale between 1999 and April 2010, under the last Labour government."
That's about 20 a year.

"The government was also criticised earlier this month when it was revealed the education secretary had approved the sale of 21 school sports fields in the past two years."
That's about 10 a year under The Coalition compared to 20 a year under Labour.

It isn't clear whether the announcement today will have an impact on the facilities available for sport. I hope it leads to a better use of space. We also need more people to take exercise, more students to take PE seriously, parents to encourage a healthier lifestyle, and to promote sport outside school

[factor-fiction]

Thanks Canary 42. That's one example which shows it does still happen but the evidence is mixed on whether the situation is improving or worsening. The quotes in my previous post suggest sell-offs may have been greater under Labour than under the present government. A lot of newer schools now have state of the art facilities.
My main point is that "selling off school playing fields" is used as a soundbite by politicians and the impression is given that it's happening on a large scale when in reality it isn't.

[factor-fiction]

To be fair to both parties, i should point out that Labour deserve some credit for their Building Schools for the Future programme which gave many schools new state-of-the-art facilities such as Astroturf pitches

[Hopkirk]

Ban pushchairs.

Make the buggers walk as soon as they can.