Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on her Department’s efforts to increase the level of students involved in sport in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30494/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school, including arrangements for co-curricular and extra-curricular activities. The decision taken to become involved in organised school sports is a matter for each school.

However, the Deputy may wish to note some of the developments that are in train in relation to physical education and physical activity in schools.

PE Curriculum and Time Allocation

All schools are required to deliver physical education as part of the curriculum.

The current Physical Education (PE) curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999). It provides a balanced range of activities for children through the six strands: Athletics; Dance; Gymnastics; Games; Outdoor and Adventure Activities; and Aquatics.

Through the new Primary Curriculum Framework (PCF), published in March 2023, the suggested minimum curriculum time for Wellbeing, which includes PE, has increased: junior infants to senior infants will increase from 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours per week; first to sixth class will increase from 1.5 hours to 3 hours per week. The new Primary Wellbeing curriculum, which includes Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and PE, is currently under development by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

At Junior Cycle, schools develop their programme of study based on the physical activity areas of: Health Related Activity; Athletics; Adventure; Aquatics; Dance; Gymnastics; and Games. School are required to provide a minimum of 135 hours of timetabled PE over three years of Junior Cycle, as part of the 400 hours of wellbeing.

There are two options for PE at Senior Cycle – Leaving Certificate Physical Education (LCPE), which is an examinable subject, and the Senior Cycle Physical Education (SCPE) Framework which is non- examinable.

In LCPE, students learn about the different theoretical perspectives through their engagement in different physical activities. Each activity must be selected from one of six distinct physical activity areas, these areas are: Athletics; Artistic and Aesthetic Activities; Adventure Activities; Games; Aquatics; and Personal Exercise and Fitness. LCPE is designed to be taught in approximately 180 hours over two years.

The SCPE Framework provides a flexible planning tool for physical education for all students in senior cycle and is not assessed as part of the Leaving Certificate examination. Learners can be encouraged to undertake different roles and responsibilities, including leadership, coaching and officiating roles. They can learn to plan, organise, participate in and reflect on their experiences in physical activity. In relation to SCPE, schools are required to ensure that a double class period (totalling 80 minutes per week), or its equivalent, of Physical Education is timetabled for all senior cycle students.

Oide, the new Integrated Teacher Education Support Service, was launched on 1 September 2023. It promotes the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of Teacher Professional Learning and support for our physical education teachers.

Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme

The Physical Activity in Teaching and Learning Pilot Programme was launched on Thursday 22 February 2024 by the Minister for Sport and Physical Education, Thomas Byrne TD. The purpose of the Pilot Programme is to provide an opportunity for schools to be innovative and creative in integrating physical activity into the teaching and learning of a subject area. This is in addition to the physical activity experienced by learners during designated physical education lessons.

The projects undertaken by schools as part of this Pilot Programme will also be used to inform future Department of Education policy developments in relation to physical activity in teaching and learning in schools.

Active School Flag

The Active School Flag (ASF) programme is an initiative of the Department of Education and is jointly funded with the Department of Health (Healthy Ireland) as part of the National Physical Activity Plan.

The aim of the programme is to get ‘More Schools. More Active. More Often’. The Active School Flag initiative provides schools with a framework to guide, support and incentivise them to work towards achieving a physically educated and physically active school community.

Active School Flag is awarded to schools that strive to achieve a physically educated and physically active school community. Once awarded at primary, Active School Flag remains valid for a period of three years. In addition, 46 schools are currently involved in the co-design of a new whole-school programme at post-primary, with student voice and student leadership at its core.

As part of Budget 2024, increased funding has been made available for the expansion of the Active School Flag programme.

School Building

Investment and expenditure on sports facilities is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. The provision of outdoor play areas form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.

My Department’s Design Guidelines for all new schools provides for outdoor multi use games areas (hard play areas) and the level of play space provided varies with the size of school. The play space also includes specific provision designed to meet the needs of children with special educational needs.