Increase In Sports Participation

The number of young people inclined to participate in sport and exercise is increasing, according to research from MORI. A new report, commissioned by Sport England, shows seven in 10 young people consider themselves to be a 'sporty type of person'. They are also now more inclined to participate in sport or exercise averaging 8.1 hours a week in their leisure time, compared with 7.5 hours in 1999.

The comprehensive survey on children and PE -- Young People and Sport in England 2002 -- follows previous research carried out in 1999 and 1994. More than 3,000 children and young people aged six to 16 were surveyed in over 200 primary and secondary schools in England. They were asked about their participation in sport during school lessons and their leisure time, their attitudes to being active and which activities and sports they enjoy. The survey also includes the view of teachers about PE and sport in their school.

Sport participation within school hours:

• nearly all young people participate in some kind of sport in school lessons.
• an increase in the percentage of young people who do not take part in any sport in school time on a regular basis (at least 10 times in the past year) from 15% in 1994 to 19% in 2002.
• the percentage of young people receiving two hours or more of PE a week has increased dramatically from 33% in 1999 to 49% in 2002. However, when compared with 1994, the increase is just three per cent (46% in 1994).
• there is a strong increase in competitive sport with a quarter of all school children taking part in competitions with other local clubs. (19% in 1994 to 25% in 2002).

Sports within school hours

• two have shown a significant increase -- rounders (24% in 1994 to 30% in 2002) and tennis (16% in 1994 to 21% in 2002).
• over the past eight years, there has been a decrease in participation in gymnastics (39% in 1994 to 31% in 2002) and aerobics/keepfit (18% in 1994 to 14% in 2002). Gymnastics has seen a decrease in primary schools although not at secondary level.

Young people and sport

• the number of girls playing football in school has doubled (seven per cent in 1994 to 13% in 2002)
• in secondary schools gymnastics, rounders, tennis and netball all saw an increase of participation, although hockey saw less young people taking part.

Sport out of lessons

• young people are playing a wider variety of sports out of school hours than ever before (average 10 in 1994 to 11.2 in 2002)
• the top three sports that young people enjoy have remained the same. Half (51%) of young people swim regularly, 49% cycle and 37% play football. However the order of popular activity has changed since 1999 with cycling losing out as the most popular activity to swimming (cycling dropped from 57% in 1994 to 49% in 2002) as more parents drive their children to school.
• less young people are playing cricket (19% in 1999 to 13% in 2002).

Sports facilities

• dissatisfaction at the quality of sports facilities among secondary school PE teachers has increased from a quarter (24%) in 1994 claiming facilities are fairly or wholly inadequate to two in five (39%) in 2002.

Technical details

Survey of 3,028 young people aged 6-16 in 203 primary and secondary schools in England. Fieldwork was conducted between June and October 2002. Survey conducted using a self-completion methodology, either in-school or by post.