The Sport and Recreation Alliance has submitted a response to the Government's Key Stage 4 consultation today on behalf of the sport and recreation sector.
In September, Michael Gove announced plans to reform the exam system by replacing GCSEs with a new English baccalaureate certificate, or Ebacc.
The Alliance is concerned by the exclusion of PE and creative subjects like dance from the proposed qualification and believes that it fails to guarantee young people a well-rounded educational experience.
Andy Reed OBE, chair of the Sport and Recreation Alliance said:
"The failure to place PE alongside subjects like languages and humanities will compound the worrying decline in the number of teenagers studying PE at Key Stage 4 and beyond.
"Over the last four years, the number of pupils taking PE at GCSE level has dropped by a third. To ensure that we do not marginalise sport and creative subjects, we believe they must be included as a sixth pillar of the new Ebacc qualification, in addition to the five core subject areas proposed by the Government."
"By limiting the EBacc to five core academic subject areas, there is a real danger that PE will be side-lined by head teachers as they focus on achieving success in the league tables. The variety of career pathways open to young people will be restricted, and the development of sporting talent in the UK could be undermined.
The Alliance believes that the long-awaited opportunity to secure a long-term future for PE within the school curriculum is in danger of being overlooked at a time when it is needed most.
"We have an obesity crisis and an urgent need to combat levels of inactivity and sedentary behaviour among young people."
The 2011 National Child Measurement Programme revealed that a third of all children entering secondary school are overweight or obese, and the 2009/10 Annual PE and School Sport Survey revealed an alarming drop in levels of physical activity between the ages of 16 and 17.
"If the Government is to reach its goal of breaking this cycle and help young people establish a sporting habit for life, it is vital that primary and secondary schools offer opportunities to try a wide range of physical activities.
"It is also important to recognise that dance can make a valuable contribution to school life, and we are disappointed that the Prime Minister dismissed Indian dance in an interview in August this year.
The Alliance also believes that the value that the potential value that PE could bring to the economy is also being overlooked.
"There are over 600,000 sport-related jobs in the UK accounting for 2% of all employment, and attributes like team work, perseverance and self-motivation that are all fundamental to sport are skills that employers in all industries value highly.
"There is also strong evidence that physical activity improves the ability of young people to learn and can also enhance self-esteem, motivation and determination.
"It is therefore very clear that sport and physical activity should be a key part of the strategy to improve educational standards, rather than separate to it.
"We urge the Government to look again at how schools can be best incentivised to deliver at least two hours of physical education per week for every pupil."
For media enquiries, contact Libby Jellie, the Alliance's communications officer on 020 7979 3933.
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