Survey of School Sport in Wales

The Survey of School Sport gives children across Wales the opportunity to have their say on sport and their wellbeing. The purpose of the survey is to share very important information about schoolchildren's levels of participation, behaviour and attitudes to sport in general.

The most recent survey issued in 2018 represents the voice of 120,000 Welsh schoolchildren.

Main survey findings on school sport 2018

48% of 3 to 16-year-olds participate in sport three or more times a week in addition to timetabled PE lessons.

45% of children with a disability or impairment now participate in sport three or more times a week in addition to timetabled PE lessons. This is a 5% increase from the 2015 report.

The ethnic minority group has the lowest participation with only an increase from 36% to 40%, bringing them closer to the national average.

In 2018, 46% of girls participated in sport three or more times a week compared with 50% of boys. In 2015, 44% of girls and 52% of boys reported regular participation.

63% of pupils said they enjoyed PE lessons ‘a lot’ and 48% of pupils enjoyed extra-curricular sports after school or in lunchtime clubs ‘a lot’.

56% of pupils thought school PE and games lessons helped them 'a lot' towards a healthy lifestyle.

In the report, football, rugby, swimming, gymnastics and running were the five most popular in-school or extra-curricular activities amongst boys and girls.

Glossary

Survey

A survey is a method of gathering information on a specific topic from a sample of people.

Average

Mean, median, mean something that represents a middle point.

Participation

Taking part in something.

Perception

The way in which something is regarded or understood.

Audio

Image & text

Diary entry

morgan@calon.cymru

18/08/2020

Volunteering?

Hiya Afreen,

How are you? Would you like to volunteer with me coaching the football team?

Some people think that doing voluntary work is boring but this is not the case at all. I've been volunteering for two years and I've enjoyed every minute. I'm having lots of fun, I've made lots of new friends and I've become a more confident person myself.

As I'm helping the coach who trains the under-10 football team, I've learned a lot of skills, like how to play well, how to train, how to work with other people and I've learned a lot about safety on the playing field as well. All of this will help me in future because I'd like to work as a fitness instructor one day.

Volunteering is fun and there are plenty of different opportunities available, e.g.

fundraising for a good cause
helping at events run by charities
helping to organise interesting activities for less fortunate people
helping a local group to look after the environment
reading for a blind person
helping with the horses in a riding centre for disabled children
helping with sport for children etc.

So, do you want to help me and do something worthwhile with me? 

See you, Morgan

Conversation

Chris

I have two PE/sports lessons a week in school and I really enjoy them. I'm not particularly good but I know keeping fit is important to me, so I'm very happy to do games.

Daf

Yes, keeping fit is important but I don't enjoy games at school. I prefer to go to the leisure centre to do karate in the evenings.

Irfan

But sport in school is free. I don't want to spend money on karate, swimming in the public swimming pool and having other lessons.

Lyn

You don't have to spend money on keeping fit. Why not go power walking, or why not go out on the bike on a Saturday? I cycle every weekend.

I don't enjoy sport at all. I prefer to hang out with my friends or read in the evening.

Hyperlink

News article

The Times

Aiming for Gold

01 /11/1908

The Olympics ended yesterday after a period of 187 days.

They were very successful Games, especially given the short period that London had to prepare for them. Italy was supposed to host these Games in Rome but since Mount Vesuvius erupted two years ago, the money was needed for rebuilding the city of Naples rather than hosting the Olympic Games.

Over two thousand competitors came to compete for the medals. The winners were presented with gold, silver and bronze medals – so different from the paintings presented eight years ago in 1900!

It was nice to see women compete this year – 37 of them. At the original Olympic Games, in Greece, only men competed. In fact, that was the rule until 1900, when 22 women came to participate in the Paris Olympics.

Opening Ceremony 

This year for the first time, there was a special ceremony for the opening of the Games which was pleasant to see. The athletes paraded around the stadium behind their country's flag. This is the first time that competitors have competed as national teams rather than individuals.

Memorable competition

Some competitions remain in the memory. Who can forget the marathon, for example? For the first time, competitors had to run 26.2 miles. Together with the hot weather this proved too much for Tom Longboat of Canada, the favourite. He fell after 19 miles. It looked as if Dorando Pietri of Italy was going to win, but he was suffering from the heat and dehydration. As he ran into the stadium at the end of the race, he started running the wrong way. He then fell five times on the track and officials had to help him. He crossed the line to win the race. However, the American team protested, saying it was not fair that he had been helped to finish the race. The gold medal was given to the runner who came in second – Johnny Hayes of America.

Britain was the most successful team this year. Our athletes won 146 medals, including 56 gold. Our national team is to be congratulated for their excellent work.

Top trump

Slideshow

Olympia, Greece. The founding site of the Olympic Games.

ArcelorMittal Observation Tower and London Olympic Stadium 2012.

Sports team - a team of girls enjoying and discuss tactics.

Female team celebrating success after winning the trophy.

Football teammates consoling each other after a loss on a football pitch.

Video

Interactive