AQW 19930/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail the average amount of time primary and post-primary school pupils spend (i) outdoors; and (ii) exercising during each school day.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 4 June 2021
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 4 June 2021
- Answer due by
- 21 June 2021
- Answered
- 9 June 20215 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
My Department does not hold information about the amount of time pupils spend outdoors or exercising each school day. This will vary according to each school.
However, information about the amount of time schools allocate to Physical Education (PE) on a weekly average is collected via the School Omnibus Survey. The last survey was conducted in 2018 and the results are available in the tables below. I will keep this under review:
| Primary Schools | |
| 2018 | |
| 0-59 mins per week | 37.8% |
| 60-119 mins per week | 57.4% |
| 120 or more mins per week | 4.8% |
Based on responses from 248 primary schools
| Post-Primary Schools | |
| 2018 | |
| 0-59 mins per week | 26.8% |
| 60-119 mins per week | 63.5% |
| 120 or more mins per week | 8.1% |
Based on responses from 67 post-primary schools
The 2021/22 School Omnibus Survey will again include questions on PE provision and will issue to all schools in September 2021.