Girls, Sport and Physical Activity K-6

The involvement of students in physical activities is an important part of a comprehensive education. Schools need to develop and implement policies that encourage and support all students to participate in such activities throughout their school life and to develop positive attitudes that will continue into adulthood.

Childhood and adolescence are critical phases in the development of health behaviours and provide the opportunity to maximise the long-term benefits of health education and health promotion. There is considerable evidence that physical activity and improved fitness have direct and immediate effects on the health of young people.

Research shows that some groups of girls within our schools need support to take up the challenge of participation in sport by improving their skills, developing a positive attitude towards physical activity and by having the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of such activities.

Barriers to physical activity for a significant proportion of girls relate to a lack of enjoyment in physical activity, a narrow range of suitable available sports, a perception that they lack appropriate skills and lower levels of encouragement. Policies, strategies and programs need to be developed to remove these barriers.

Schools can teach explicitly about the impact gender issues have on students' lives and assist them to challenge stereotypical understandings of masculinity and femininity. Schools can also promote teaching and learning practices that are gender inclusive and include the recognition and equal valuing of the sporting achievements of girls.

Assessing the needs and interests of girls will assist schools to develop programs which aim at increasing the proportion of girls that are physically active. Peer and adult role models are useful ways of assisting girls to understand the benefits of physical activity.

School communities provide a range of services that can support schools to promote girls' sport. Useful links with community organisations can be developed which assist in the school's program and extend girls' experiences in physical activity beyond the school.

Schools can create an environment in which all girls are engaged in physical activities that are enjoyable, satisfying and beneficial by working with students, parents and community groups to encourage, facilitate and support the participation of girls in sport.

When staff, students and parents researched the use of playground space they found that the active play spaces were dominated by groups of boys.

• a playground timetable was developed to allow girls specific access to active play areas such as the basketball courts, playing fields and climbing equipment to encourage more physical activity
• playground game skills such as handball, bat and ball skills, and soccer were taught to assist girls to participate in playground activities
• issues of bullying and harassment were addressed in PDHPE lessons
• classrooms discussions were initiated about playground use and associated gender issues to allow students to talk about their experiences
• a peer support program was implemented with a focus on co-operative group skills and gender issues around being a boy or being a girl
• training and development for teachers took place to develop understandings about gender issues
• an alternative sport program providing students with a wide variety of choice such as bike safety and archery was introduced.

• an increase in girls' participation in physical activities with girls' teams being entered in inter-schools knock out days in cricket and soccer
• strong support by girls for the sport program offering a wide variety of physical activities.

• NSW Department of Education and Training (1998) Fitness and Physical Activity: A resource to support school communities, Sydney: NSW DET, Curriculum Support Directorate.
• Board of Studies NSW (1997) Physical activity for health and fitness: A support document for K-6 personal development health and physical education, Board of Studies NSW, Sydney.

• ACHPER (1994) Fitness. Lower primary: fitness, dance, gymnastics, games skills, ACHPER, Kingswood. (Version for upper primary also available) Sidentop, D. (1990) Introduction to physical education, fitness and sport, California: California Publishing Company
• Ashton Scholastic (1994) Action pack. Lower primary: Fitness education program, Sydney.