Why physical education holds the key to pupil wellbeing

Just as Covid-19 shed a light on the importance of supporting teacher wellbeing, it also increased the gaze on student health. Physical education and fitness activities are crucial for managing pupils’ overall well-being, which is why schools have been implementing measures to ensure that students get enough exercise at school.

The benefits of physical education in schools are wide, including increased student physical health and better academic performance. Growing evidence of the positive link between physical activity and improved mental health is contributing to greater awareness of the need to provide children and young people with ample opportunities for sport and exercise.

Let’s explore some of PE’s benefits for improving and maintaining student wellbeing.

With the outbreak of Covid-19 came an unprecedented change within the classroom, as students were forced to adapt to learning from home. Feelings of stress and anxiety may have been new for some students, while for others these emotions may have been heightened. Although lockdowns now seem to be a thing of the past and students are well- back in the regular school routine, the challenge of managing students’ anxieties, fears and uncertainties is still present.

Physical education is a fantastic way of managing stress and anxiety. Physical activity that significantly raises the heart rate is proven to release endorphins, giving the brain a feel-good pump and helping to reduce the symptoms of stress. By providing a varied and effective physical education strategy at school, you can give students the outlet that they need to manage any worries about school and personal life.

According to a range of studies, physical activity has a significant impact on cognitive skills such as concentration and attention, and it also enhances classroom attitudes and behaviours, all of which are important components of improved academic performance. Academic performance can often affect a pupil’s wellbeing, for better or for worse. Therefore, by engaging in activities that can improve performance within the classroom, students can drastically reduce their levels of stress.

Whether it’s a walk around the school grounds, a team sport or a cycling session, getting students away from the table and raising their heart rates can reap extraordinary rewards. Additionally, sport often gives children the opportunity to divert their minds from their studies and indulge in an alternative form of learning. It offers the chance for them to relax and to spend time having fun with their classmates, all of which are important to improving academic performance.

For students, discovering what they like to do, and how to get involved in physical activity can help them make informed choices about lifelong physical activity and build healthy habits. PE improves motor skills, increases muscle strength, and can contribute to students building positive relationships with exercise. This, in turn, makes students more likely to engage in healthy activity outside of school, helping combat childhood obesity.

PE opens up a world that brings out the positive benefits of exercise on their daily lives. Participating in PE gives students the foundations to ensure that physical activity is part of their own wellbeing routine. Promoting a positive mindset about exercise from an early age will help to keep them fitter as they get older and help them build healthy lifestyle habits.

If you feel that you have all the skills to be a great teacher of PE or any other subject, then we want to help you find a brand-new role.

Teaching Personnel is the UK’s leading education recruitment agency. We place newly qualified teachers, fully qualified teachers and support staff in supply jobs at thousands of schools every year. Our passion for education drives us to deliver outstanding results throughout the recruitment process. We ensure that the best candidates are matched with the best teaching roles so that all children can benefit from a full education.

We have years of experience in finding the best candidates for education jobs, so browse our teacher jobs and find your next role.