Worries over confidence and periods hitting UK girls’ enjoyment of PE

Girls’ enjoyment of physical education at school has declined over the past six years as a lack of self-confidence, concerns about periods and fears about their appearance stop them from doing so, a study has found.

Less than two-thirds of girls and young women (64%) who took part in a survey by the UK charity Youth Sport Trust (YST) this year said they enjoyed sport. At the start of the survey in 2016 it was 74%.

Enthusiasm declined as girls got older and was lowest among girls in secondary education, where only 59% said they enjoyed sport, leading to a growing gender ‘enjoyment gap’, with boys’ enthusiasm remaining at 86% remained high.

Olympic pole vault bronze medalist Holly Bradshaw, who has experienced the barriers described by young women in the survey, said she was not surprised by the results and urged teachers and others who work with girls and young women in sport to pay attention to theirs Listen to concerns and enable flexible solutions.

Bradshaw, who has worked with YST’s girls’ activity program, said: “It’s not surprising, but disappointing, to see that so many girls still lack the confidence to really enjoy sport and physical activity at school.”

“I can really understand their concerns about being watched and judged by others. I too struggled with body confidence issues while participating in Team GB, particularly after being subjected to online abuse regarding my body shape.”

Bradshaw has advocated for more choice in gear for girls “so they can wear something that feels most comfortable for them, so they can focus on the activity and not what their body looks like.” The priority has to be that “To help more girls get active in ways that work for them.”

Almost 25,000 students, including more than 18,000 girls and 6,000 boys between the ages of seven and 18, took part in this year’s survey, and although 64% of participating girls said they would like to be more active in school, they are being held back through known barriers.

They would like to play trampolining, swimming or netball – the three most popular options for girls – but are put off because they don’t feel confident, may be on their period, don’t like being watched by others and are worried about how they are doing Look, the survey showed.

Ali Oliver, chief executive of YST, said more needed to be done to remove the barriers holding girls back. “Not only should this research raise alarm bells about future adult activity levels and the resulting consequences, it is also devastating for the physical and mental health of young women today.”

“At a time of unprecedented low social and emotional well-being, we know that doing things right for girls in sport can be life-changing.”

In March the government called for schools to offer at least two hours of physical education every week and pledged £600 million over the next two school years to help improve the quality of physical education and sport in schools for girls and boys.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Despite progress in promoting women’s sport – through things like the success of the England women’s football team – there are clearly deep-rooted societal barriers around issues such as body confidence, the girl child and scares women away.

“We must redouble our efforts to overcome these challenges and ensure girls can enjoy and benefit from the important role sport plays in health and wellbeing.”

A Department for Education spokesman said: “Building on an inspiring summer of British sport, including the Lionesses’ success at this year’s Women’s World Cup, we want to ensure all children have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of their sporting heroes.”