Ofsted should ‘reward’ schools for promoting physical activity and healthy nutrition says report

A new report to MPs recommends broadening Ofsted’s role to ‘reward’ schools that provide enhanced physical activity and healthy nutrition options.

The report commissioned by the Child of the North Initiative in partnership with the Centre for Young Lives, was led by academics at the University of Bradford, with contributions from the N8 research partnership and wider universities across the North of England.

It evidences poor diet and a lack of physical activity as key factors contributing to increasing levels of childhood obesity, which has knock on long-term impacts on wider physical and mental health challenges.

Dr Andy Daly-Smith, Reader in Healthy Childhood at the University of Bradford and an executive editor of the report, said: “A greater focus on physical activity in school is long overdue, as are the resources and specialist staff to deliver rich physical activity experiences.

“We need to better recognise those schools which are placing a greater importance on improving physical activity, healthier diets, and wellbeing by recognising their endeavours through the schools’ inspection system. Widening Ofsted’s remit to reward schools that follow such an approach would also encourage more schools to make this a priority for their students.”

It showcases a number of evidence-based projects that are already having a positive impact within schools and wider communities, including FUNMOVES (led by Dr Lucy Eddy at University of Bradford) which empowers schools to assess foundational motor skills which underpin physical activity behaviours, and support children to improve these skills within PE lessons, classroom movement breaks and at home.

In addition, it highlights the Creating Active Schools framework, developed by the University of Bradford and Yorkshire Sport Foundation as part of the Sport England local delivery pilot. The Creating Active Schools programme has already been embraced by 250 schools nationally and is the subject of an international conference on whole-school physical activity in Bradford in June.

Dr Lucy Eddy, an Executive Editor of the report, said: “The broader curriculum in schools emphasises the importance of wider health and wellbeing behaviours for later life chances.

“Schools need to be empowered to and rewarded for supporting more holistic child development. The adoption of whole-school approaches that are tailored to the needs of local communities, have the potential to have long-lasting impacts on education, health and wellbeing for the next generation and beyond.”