The Guardian – Lisa Spiller and Sarah Marsh
“We’ve all been there: standing on a freezing cold sports field in the middle of winter wearing nothing but jogging bottoms and a sweater, begging for mercy from the elements. At this time of year physical education (PE) can be challenging to say the least. But keeping fit is vital, especially given that December’s excessive festive food consumption is upon us. So, as the weather cools down, how can schools warm kids up to the idea of exercise? Sophie Wilkins, director of sport at St Martha’s school in north London, brings all PE lessons (apart from netball) indoors. “We concentrate on activities such as badminton, trampolining, gymnastics and dance. This is a clear shift to the more aesthetic section of our curriculum, while we maintain the elements of competition and team dynamics in badminton.” She adds that further up the school, at key stage 4 and 5, students can go to a local leisure centre to use the gym or join a pilates class.”(more)