Cymryd Rhan Mewn Chwaraeon Trefnus

The School Sport Survey (2018) showed that 48% of children took part in sport on three or more occasions a week in an extracurricular or community club setting. These data showed an upward trend in the percentage of children taking part in sport on three or more occasions a week from 27% to 40%, in 2011 and 2013, respectively, and has levelled off at 48% over the last two survey cycles (2015 to 2018). Moreover, similar proportions of primary and secondary pupils participate in extracurricular or community sport three or more times per week – 47% of primary pupils in Years 3-6 and 48% of secondary pupils in Years 7-11. There remains a sex difference in participation levels, with 50% of boys and 46% of girls participating in extracurricular or community sport at least three times per week. Furthermore, socioeconomic inequalities also exist and have widened slightly from 2015 to 2018, with the gap in participation rates between the least deprived and most deprived increasing by 2% from 2015 (the disparity in participation between FSM1 (least deprived) and FSM4 (most deprived) in 2015 was 11%, the disparity in participation between these same two quartiles in 2018 was 13%). However, the gaps between ethnicities/ethic groups and between those who are impaired/disabled and those who are not, have closed from 2015 to 2018.

The Further Education Sport and Active Lifestyles Survey (2018) showed that 44% and 46% of students aged 16 and 17, respectively, take part in sport or physical activity on three or more occasions per week. The findings in relation to subgroups (sex, age, ethnicity, disability, and socioeconomic status) emphasise that inequalities exist. There remains a sex difference in participation levels, although this gap has closed from 2015 to 2018. Disparities between ethnic groups also exist, with students from a Black/African/Caribbean/Black British ethnic group being more likely to participate in sport/physical activity three or more times a week (45%) than White (43%) and Asian/Asian British (35%) ethnic groups. Furthermore, there remains a difference between those who are impaired/disabled and those who are not, with 33% of students with an impairment/disability participating three or more times a week in 2018, compared with 45% of those who did not identify an impairment/disability. This gap has widened from 2015 to 2018.

The Research Working Group assigned a C to this indicator as, 48% of children taking part in extracurricular (school based) or community club (outside of school) sport on three or more occasions per week, while 44% and 46% of students aged 16 and 17, respectively, take part in sport or physical activity on three or more occasions per week. Full calculation for grade: ‘Taking part in sport on three or more occasions per week’ = 44% (years 3-4) + 51% (years 5-6) + 49% (years 7-9) + 46% (years 10-11) + 44% (16-year-olds) + 46% (17-year-olds) /6 = 47% = C grade. This grade is unchanged from the 2016 AHK-Wales Report Card, but has decreased from the 2018 AHK-Wales Report Card. It is important to note that different questions and surveys were used for the grading of this indicator in 2018 compared to the 2014, 2016, and 2021 Report Cards. Therefore, the changes in grades across Report Cards should be viewed with caution.

There is a lack of evidence on children of early years (under 5 years old), this needs to be addressed through systematic robust data collection methods. Current surveys regarding participation in sport/dance/physical activity promoting clubs in Wales do not capture the duration of the sessions that children and young people take part in. The 2018 School Sport Survey and the Further Education Sport and Active Lifestyles Survey both used self-report methods, although, a major strength of the School Sport Survey is its reach and coverage, with the survey being the largest survey of its kind in the UK.

An increase in participation in sport, dance and organised physical activities/adventures in children and young people should be a priority in Wales, so that “everyone can have a lifetime enjoyment of sport” and Wales can be transformed into an Active Nation (The Vision for Sport in Wales, Sport Wales). To encourage participation, there should be a focus on maintaining investment in sport programmes, managing competitive structures in an inclusive manner, including a wider range of dance programmes, and introducing alternative sports. Promoting physical literacy and the inclusion of physical education as a core subject in the school curriculum should also be considered. In addition, efforts should be made to address the inequalities that exist. Finally, there is a need for more detailed research across the age range, including objective measures.