Physical education (PE) is one of the most significant and beneficial subjects in the school curriculum. However, not all children and parents view it enthusiastically. According to the World Health Organization, more than 80% of teenagers worldwide do not do enough physical activity, which can lead to serious health and developmental consequences. Some parents believe that PE distracts from academic subjects or is simply too easy for their children. So, why is physical education important in school, and what benefits does it offer? What modern approaches are employed at Trinity Private School?
Why Do Young People Need Physical Education?
Physical activity is essential for the healthy and balanced development of children. PE lessons in school act as a counterbalance to the sedentary lifestyle often associated with gadgets, especially when classes are engaging and varied. PE is not only a way to improve physical health but also a valuable tool for teaching children to assess risks, overcome challenges, and collaborate with others.
Benefits of Physical Education:
- Strengthening Immunity and Disease Prevention
Regular physical activity boosts the immune system, helping children resist infections more effectively, fall ill less often, and recover from illness more quickly. - Developing Proper Posture and Preventing Scoliosis
A sedentary lifestyle and prolonged sitting at a desk can have a negative impact on students’ posture. Exercise strengthens muscles and supports the spine, reducing the risk of scoliosis, particularly during growth spurts. - Building Muscular Strength, Coordination, and Flexibility
Diverse exercises enhance muscle development, improve coordination, and increase flexibility. This contributes to a well-developed body and improves overall physical health. - Improving Cardiovascular Health
Aerobic activities like running or swimming strengthen the heart and blood vessels, improving circulation and regulating blood pressure. PE lessons help to reduce the future risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Enhancing Brain Function and Academic Performance
Physical activity increases oxygen flow to the brain, boosting concentration, memory, and cognitive functions. Research shows that physically active children often perform better academically. - Regulating Emotional Well-being and Reducing Stress
Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins ("happiness hormones"), alleviating anxiety, depression, and stress. Participation in physical education helps improve students’ mental health. - Fostering Discipline, Teamwork, and Resilience
Sports instil responsibility, teamwork, goal-setting, and improve self-confidence through achievement.
The Risks of Insufficient Physical Education
The modern lifestyle of most children is associated with a lack of physical activity. Children spend a significant amount of time using computers, mobile phones, and other devices, leading to a predominantly sedentary way of life. Insufficient physical exercise can have serious consequences for a child's health and overall development.
Hypodynamia, or a lack of movement, can result in a range of health disorders, including:
- Weakness in the musculoskeletal system (e.g., scoliosis, flat feet, arthritis, osteoporosis).
- Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (e.g., hypertension, ischemia, heart attack, stroke).
- Respiratory issues and decreased oxygen saturation, increased risk of chronic respiratory conditions.
- Metabolic disorders, weight gain, obesity, and diabetes risk.
- Lower immunity and higher susceptibility to infections.
- Decline in mental health, leading to depression, anxiety, apathy, neuroses and aggressive behaviour.
- Cognitive impairments, such as poor memory, attention, and a reduction in creative and problem-solving abilities.
- Impairment of motor skill development, coordination, flexibility, strength, endurance and dexterity.
When a child does not engage in sufficient physically activity, it negatively affects not only their physical health but also their mental well-being. Hypodynamia reduces overall endurance and stress resilience, making it more difficult to adapt to the learning process and impairing social skills. Schoolchildren who do not engage in sports often struggle with self-confidence and social integration.
Modern Approaches to Physical Education at Trinity Private School
Children's health is our highest priority.
Physical education at Trinity is not just a set of lessons but a comprehensive system that includes general physical training, international programmes, and traditional PE classes with a modular structure. Trinity cares not only for its students but also for their parents, involving them in events and providing access to information about their children's physical development. The school implements various forms of physical activity and analysis of student progress.
- Health.trinity. Wellbeing is a unique system for monitoring and analysing students' physical, psychological, and medical well-being. School specialists input test results into a central database, creating a personalised health profile for each student. This profile is accessible to parents, enabling them to track their child's overall condition.
- The Polar system is a tool for assessing the cardiovascular system’s response to physical exertion. Teachers can monitor the intensity and effectiveness of training in real time, ensuring an optimal workload for each student.
- BlazePod and Batak Lite sensors represent a modern approach that utilises smart technology to train reaction speed, decision-making, and student engagement in physical activity during breaks and training sessions.
- Warm-up with Parents is a unique activity that allows parents to spend quality time with their children, participate in team games, and set a positive example of an active lifestyle.
- General Physical Training consists of specially designed exercises and techniques aimed at preventing flat feet and posture disorders. The focus is on developing key physical attributes: strength, speed, endurance, coordination, and flexibility.
- International Programme Sessions are engaging projects that help students explore how the world around them works. For example, lessons on the evolution of sports equipment, such as the ball, allow children to try different sports and analyse how sports rules and mechanisms have stood the test of time.
- Classic PE Lessons with a Modular System are adaptive programmes offering a variety of sports, allowing students to choose the most suitable activity and develop a lasting interest in physical education.
These approaches make PE lessons diverse and motivating. An individualised approach ensures that each student’s age and physiological characteristics are taken into account. Team activities, such as games and relay races in the sports hall, foster friendship and mutual support.
Physical education in a private school is an essential part of the curriculum, aimed at fostering the holistic development of children - physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. At Trinity, we strive to make PE lessons not only beneficial but also engaging, nurturing students' interest in sports while unlocking their personal potential.
