Physical education has been a central component of the national

education system since its first implementation in public schools

in the late 19th century. Incorporation of physical activity into
schools is believed to offer a range of physical, psychological and
social benefits and the National Curriculumcontains policy, based
on research by the British Heart Foundation and independent
education researchers, for physical education and sport promotion
amongst the nation's youth. This policy has generally been
effective in helping students increase their physical activity levels
and meet national guidelines. However, this policy is lacking in
some ways and metrics for evaluating the success of the region's
physical

education

programme

are

somewhat

limited.

The

purpose of this essay is to review existing evidence regarding

physical education in schools. The benefits of physical activity for
children will first be considered, followed by a review of the
National Curriculum's policy on physical education. The efficacy of
this policy will then be discussed, highlighting any evidence
evaluating this relationship. Limitations to existing policy will then
be presented, and recommendations for future research and
practice will be provided. This essay concludes with a brief
summary and outline of key points.
Benefits of Physical Activity for Children
The UK public education system had upheld a tradition of physical
activity promotion within its schools, as well as recognised the
multiple benefits of regular exercise on educational outcomes.
These beliefs are based on empirical research, of which the

benefits of physical activity for health and well-being have been

widely documented (see Hills et al., 2011). These benefits appear
to impact three broad dimensions of well-being in youth, including
physical, psychological and social dimensions (Metcalf, Henley &
Wilkin, 2012). These three dimensions combine to determine an
individual's Quality of Life (QoL), or an individual's subjective
standard

of

happiness

and

general

life

satisfaction

(Hills,

Andersen & Byrne, 2011). QoL has become an increasingly

targeted

outcome

variable

in

public

health

and

medical

interventions due to its strong correlation with physical health

(Hills et al., 2011). Numerous empirical studies (e.g., Marmot et
al., 2012; Metcalf et al., 2012) have demonstrated that improved
QoL is associated with reduced disease and illness, as well as
reduced

healthcare

costs

associated

with

treating

such

conditions. Including physical education in schools has, therefore,

been recognised as a productive means of promoting exercise and
healthy lifestyle habits from a young age (Hills et al., 2011).
A recent review of the health benefits of physical activity and
fitness for school-aged youth demonstrated that even moderate
amounts of daily exercise led to numerous positive outcomes
amongst youth population members (Janssen & Le Blanc, 2010).
Based on a review of 86 papers yielding 113 intervention
outcomes, this study demonstrated that physical activity was
associated with moderate-to-strong positive effects on blood
cholesterol, blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, obesity, bone

density, psychological depression and physical injury (Janssen &

Le Blanc, 2010). Furthermore, physical activity was associated
with a dose-response effect, whereby children who received more
exercise experienced greater benefit (Janssen & Le Blanc, 2010).
Finally, this study demonstrated that exercise of vigorous
intensities yielded greater benefits, while aerobic activities were
associated with the strongest effect on bone density. Based on
these findings, it was recommended that children aged 5 to 17
years old accumulate at least 60 minutes daily of moderate-tovigorous physical activity (Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010).
Furthermore, Level 2 students are believed to benefit from even
higher exercise intensities, while all children in this age group
should continue to include weight-bearing and resistance training
activities that promote bone and muscular strength (Janssen & Le
Blanc, 2010). An increasing body of research has demonstrated
the positive effects of more vigorous exercise intensities, and
health professionals and sports scientists alike are incorporating
high-intensity interval training into their program designs (Janssen
& Le Blanc, 2010).
These findings confirm several previous studies (e.g., Craggs et
al., 2011; Metcalf et al., 2012) regarding the positive physical
effects of physical activity for physical outcomes, and Janssen and
LeBlanc's (2010) physical activity recommendations provide more
rigorous guidelines than those of the National Health Service NHS

(2013). Physical activity is also associated with social benefits

that can improve QoL in children (Hills et al., 2011). From an early
age, physical activity plays a key role in the socialisation process
of young students, who engage in play activities as a means of
understanding social dynamics such as observation, modelling,
sharing, social reciprocity, social exchange, gender roles and
more (Brockman et al., 2011). As children reach later stages of
their

academic

careers,

involvement

in

sports

and

non-

competitive activities serve as a key social outlet for children to

continue to understand social processes and develop social skills
needed to function in both the academic and professional
environment (Hills et al., 2011). Continuing to encourage the
'play' aspect of physical activity appears to be an important
means by whichto ensure continued participation and prevent the
natural decline in physical activity that typically occurs around the
ages of 10 to 11 (Brockman et al., 2011).
Finally, physical activity offers psychological benefits, both with
respect to general affect and cognitive capacity (Craggs et al.,
2011). A recent review of physical activity interventions for
American children (i.e., Tomporowski, Lamnbourne & Okumura,
2011) demonstrated that consistent exercise of moderate-tovigorous intensities was effective for promoting emotional and
intellectual development. Exercise is particularly effective for
enhancing executive functioning (Tomporowski et al., 2011).
Biddle and Asare (2011) performed a similar review of physical

activity studies with British children, demonstrating that physical

activity had strong positive effects on reducing depression, with a
small effect shown for reducing anxiety. However, interventions
conducted

specifically

with

children

from

the

UK

remain

somewhat limited, with authors finding just nine interventions

that met inclusion criteria (Biddle & Asare, 2011). Findings related
to improved cognition within these children as a result of physical
activity are somewhat inconsistent, although there is some
evidence (e.g., Craggs et al., 2011) of improved cognitive
performance and academic achievement resulting from physical
activity of various modalities. Although the physiological route by
which these benefits take place is not fully understood, the effects
of exercise on cognitive functioning may result from the release of
neurochemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, that regulate
mood and clarify cognitive processes (Craggs et al., 2011). These
activities may also enhance self-efficacy for physical activity, an
affective state that may transfer to cognitive activities as well
(Best, 2010). As technology develops, research is expected to
match physical activity designs with benefits (Craggs et al.,
2011).