All PE teachers must have formal qualifications in relevant PE subjects or from National Governing Bodies of Sport, and the school must ensure that teachers continually train for and gain coaching qualifications. Schools gaining Sportsmark Gold must achieve higher standards than the above, in terms of amount of time offered both within and outside of the curriculum, the amount and range of sports on offer, the participation rates of pupils in extra-curricular activities and the level of commitment between the school and local sports clubs. They are under tremendous pressure within the curriculum from other subjects, and often PE time is the first to suffer. In the case of these schools, they quite rightly recognise the value of sport, not just in terms of health and fitness education, but how it can help pupils to achieve in other subjects. I believe that sport can also help to combat the problems of social exclusion, youth crime and drugs.
Sport begins at grassroots level.
Schools have a vital role to play in fostering young people s enjoyment, confidence and basic sports skills through quality programmes which provide a wide range of sporting opportunities. The schools receiving Sportsmark awards should serve as examples of the quality of sports provision that Sport England wants every young person in the country to enjoy. A breakdown of the Sportsmark and Sportsmark Gold results for 2000-2001 Copyright of Sport England. However this may be reproduced without permission for personal and in-house use.