It is no secret that sport and physical education is necessary for pupils’ overall well-being. The benefits of physical education in schools are great for pupils’ physical health and academic performance.
Physical education is more than just running around the field or kicking a ball. It teaches pupils essential life skills of discipline, teamwork, patience and leadership.
Japari motivates its pupils to get a balance between school work and physical education from a young age. These healthy disciplines enable them to keep fit as they get older.
Many schools have cut back on their PE classes to focus solely on schoolwork to prepare their pupils for mainstream or high school. However, this has the opposite effect on their academics. At Japari, we have noticed this and ensure that our pupils receive a holistic education; we explain why PE is so important below.
Healthy development & growth
PE improves motor skills and increases muscle strength and bone density, which makes pupils more likely to engage in healthy activity outside of school. It also allows pupils to understand the positive benefits of exercise and how good it can make them feel afterwards, creating a healthy mind and body.
By having a set hour to sports, pupils can be active without any distractions. PE creates a discipline where regular exercise becomes a habit. PE builds the foundation for combatting chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabites at a young age.
Since pupils spend a lot of time at school, it is a great place for them to learn valuable sports skills and take responsibility for their health at a young age. Pupils can learn which sports they like and know which sports to pursue when they are going into mainstream.
Studies have shown that PE reduces stress levels and anxiety, contributing to healthy sleep patterns, which lead to better mental health and overall well-being. After a long day and good exercise, pupils will crave a good night’s sleep allowing them to be more attentive and alert during school hours.
PE contributes a lot to mental health especially during the pandemic. At Japari we understand how important it is for our pupils to get enough exercise during the week. That is why we have a dedicated hour to sports every week at Zoo lake where we can practise our ball skills, teamwork and communication skills.
Social & emotional benefits
PE teaches pupils to be a part of a team creating healthy relationships with their fellow teammates and be able to support each other. Teamwork is a great skill that should be learnt at a young age.
PE enables pupils to work together and prepare pupils for real life situations in the future. Playing on teams and interacting with others in a competitive environment can actually encourage pupils to behave more positively towards each other and create friendships outside of the working environment of schoolwork.
PE creates a happier environment where pupils interact with one another and learn valuable co-ordination skills that filter into other parts of their school life.
At Japari we want to make sure that our pupils are getting a great education and learning to work with others from a young age.
Self-esteem & confidence
Sportsmanship is encouraged at Japari. Whether it be between pupils or other schools, the same applies and our pupils learn to understand and respect this.
Gestures such as a handshake, a pat on the back or a high-five from a team-mate help build confidence. Earning praise from coaches or other players also helps to improve self-esteem.
After every game, pupils will shake hands with their teammates out of respect, whether they have lost or won the game. Pupils will receive constructive criticism from their coaches, and this is very important for making changes to improve themselves, whether at school, at work or in sport.
Team sports creates various roles and leadership positions. Sport encourages pupils to respect their roles and others as they learn a new skill on leadership.
Pupils confidence is boosted when they learn a new sports skill, practise it and get better at it. At Japari we love seeing how excited and happy our pupils get when they have just scored a goal. We see how excited they get with their teammates and its great to see how well they work together.
Better academic performance
Studies state that children who participate in PE can concentrate and stay focused in class. Often sport allows pupils to take their minds off their school work and focus on something else. The sport will enable them to relax, release frustration, stress or angry emotions and have some fun with their friends while they are still at school.
At Japari we find that PE is a great way for our pupils to make good friendships. Often, in other schools, sports is only done at the end of the day and children do not have as much time to interact with one another as they are rushed home after their game. Sports are necessary for building good relationships.
Our coaches often have games in their PE lessons that are stimulating and require a lot of concentration and strategising. PE is a great way to learn problem solving skills and teamwork. For example, an obstacle course is full of problem solving issues that teams must work out together. This helps grow the pupils motor skills and problem solving skills.
Although PE is not an academic subject, it is just as important.
To sum up
The value that sports add to the education of a pupil is significant. As stated above, PE is more than keeping a pupil fit. It helps develop fundamental skills that would not be learnt elsewhere and enables pupils to work as a team rather than by themselves.
At Japari, we want to make sure that our pupils get a full rounded education, ensuring that their sports is taken seriously with our committed coaches and sporting facilities. We aim to help pupils understand the importance of sport and build necessary skills for the future.
We have seen a lot of our pupils excel academically after being more active in our PE classes and we know that there is a link.
For more information, please get in touch or enrol here.
