Can you help shape sport and physical activity for young people?
What is the Active Lives Survey?
We want all children and young people regardless of their age, background and ability level to be able to take part in and enjoy sport and physical activity.
The Active Lives Survey run by Sport England provides really useful information for anyone working with children and young people aged 5-16 to help understand their attitudes and behaviours to sport and activity. Subsequently it provides schools with a valuable insight into how well they are engaging their students in sport and physical activity.
The survey is supported nationally by the Department for Education, the Department for Health and Social Care and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Locally the survey is endorsed by the Local Authority PE Advisor, School Games Organisers, Public Health and Healthy Schools.
In Cambridge and Peterborough…
- 45.3% of our county’s children and young people (years 1-11) are currently meeting the recommended level of activity (taking part in sport and physical activity for an average of 60 minutes or more a day)
- 31.6% (years 1-11) still do less than the average of 30 minutes a day and 54.7% are not active enough to benefit their health
- 37% of children (years 5-11) volunteer in some capacity to support sport and physical activity
How does the survey work?
- Each term schools are randomly selected by Sport England to take part in the Active Lives survey. These schools are contacted in turn by Living Sport.
- Alternatively schools can volunteer to take part by contacting Living Sport: [email protected]
- Schools take part by choosing a minimum of 3 classes across 3 different year groups to complete the student survey which takes less than 20 minutes to complete.
- 1 teacher also needs to complete a survey which takes around 10 minutes.
- Each participating school is provided with everything it needs including templates for letters to parents, information sheets for teachers and students and technical guidance from Living Sport.
A summary of the process can be found here:
Flow Chart
Video
What are the benefits to schools?
- Each school that takes part is given a bespoke report summarising its own results from the survey (if at least 30 students complete the questionnaire). This report covers measures of the student’s activity levels, physical literacy, swimming proficiency, wellbeing, self-efficacy and levels of social trust.
- Participation in The Active Lives Survey provides access to The Healthy Schools Rating Scheme which comprises of an on-line teacher survey, this is based on four key areas of assessment: Food Education, School Food Standards, Physical Education and Active Travel. The responses given are calculated to determine a rating – bronze, silver, gold. The rating will remain confidential to the school/DfE although schools can choose to notify Ofsted about the rating achieved and promote their participation in the scheme as evidence of their provision to pupils. Where relevant, Ofsted inspectors may wish to consider the scheme as evidence when reaching the judgement on “personal development.”
- Completion of the combined Active Lives Survey and Healthy Schools Rating Scheme can be cross referenced to the nutrition and physical activity standards for the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Healthy Schools Award. This can help accelerate the school’s progress to achieving Healthy Schools status and being granted use of the local authority Healthy Schools logo. A plaque is also awarded in acknowledgement of the achievement and provides good evidence of the schools commitment to Health Education.
- Schools can also choose sports or well-being equipment and resources worth at least £100 as a token of thanks for their participation.
- Ongoing support will be provided by the organisations comprising the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough PE and School Sport Strategy Group.
Student Survey Example Yr7-11
Secondary Report Example