Political opinion: Leigh Ingham MP holds House of Commons debate on Access to Sport and Physical Education inspired by student at Stafford school
Following a visit to Sir Graham Balfour School in Stafford, Leigh Ingham MP hosted a parliamentary debate in the House of Commons on access to sport and physical education (PE), a subject raised by one of the school’s students, Tane, during her visit. Attended by MPs from across the House, the Backbench Business debate covered the physical and mental health benefits of PE for young people and explored sustainable funding options and embedding access to sport as part of the National Curriculum Review.
After meeting Leigh Ingham MP at school, Tane, a student at Sir Graham Balfour School, wrote to the MP to highlight his thoughts on the benefits of sport for young people: “Exercise doesn’t just chemically make you feel good, it’s great for socialising, raising self-esteem and coping with losing. All life skills that seem a bit ‘missing’ in kids my age since lockdown.”
Leigh Ingham, MP for Stafford, Eccleshall, and the villages, said: “We must listen to young people like Tane, who have articulated so clearly the need for action, and we must respond with real, lasting change.
“I called for the debate to highlight how the curriculum review presents a significant opportunity to enhance access to sport and physical education (PE). Access to sport and PE is about more than just keeping children physically fit - it is about giving them the skills, resilience, and confidence to navigate life’s challenges. It is about their mental health, their ability to form friendships, and their capacity to overcome obstacles.
“If we truly want to build a healthier, more resilient, and more confident generation, then we must take steps to ensure that access to sport and PE is not a privilege, but a right for every child. This means embedding physical activity into the heart of our education system, prioritising it as essential rather than optional. It means ensuring that schools have the support and funding necessary to provide high-quality PE lessons, extracurricular opportunities, and community partnerships that allow young people to engage in sport regardless of their circumstances.
“I urge the government to take this issue seriously, to commit to sustainable funding, and to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive through sport.”
The latest findings from Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey provide invaluable insight into the state of physical activity among young people in England. These findings confirm that the long-term effects of the Covid-19 pandemic continue to cast a shadow over children’s engagement with sport, their mental well-being, and their future relationship with physical activity.
