Everywhere you look in today is newspapers there are articles about falling academic standards and English students not comparing favourably to their foreign counterparts. Parents, teachers, and politicians are all looking for ways to improve exam performance in children, so why have their eyes not fallen greedily on the 2 hours a week allotted for PE? After all, for 90% of students it will not lead to employment and who really likes cross-country runs in February? Could the time be better spent on maths, English, or other homework?

Tavistock Tutors certainly does not think so, that is why we offer sports tuition. We subscribe to the theory that a healthy body means a healthy mind. As summer approaches and exams draw nearer, student’s free time will be increasingly taken up by revision. It would never do to underestimate the value of two hours of fresh air and exercise, during which time a student and forget any problems they are having in the classroom. If nothing else it provides a natural break in the day, which allows the brain, absorb what it has learnt, hour after hour in a warm classroom is more likely to cause drooping eyelids than boosted grades.

As a parent keen to see their child do well, the temptation at exam time is to simply lock them in their room each weekend to revise. This is especially true given the lack of sporting activities available in the London area. However, this only opens up a world of procrastination and YouTube. The Chiswick Schools Skateboarding Club is one alternative. It is more obvious benefits include knowing that your children are in the hands of skilled teachers rather than playing amongst themselves, it also operates a public transport pick up and drop of service for added piece of mind. It has all the benefits of a sport without the associated parental worries.

Finding the right sport for your child is like trying to find the right pair of shoes. However, it is well worth the effort. Sport teaches so many transferable skills including honesty, integrity, fair play, and teamwork that children just do not learn anywhere else. It helps to make them more rounded people, which is crucial going forward in life. I remember getting a job simply because I played at the same rugby club as the interviewer! Of course, it is crucial to get the work life balance right, even if your child excels in a sport to the point where a career may result; allowing it to dominate is dangerous. Nevertheless, encouraging you child to find a sport that is right for them will make them healthier and happy as well as a more rounded person. You should also find that their productivity levels increase when they return to their schoolwork. So as the weather continues to improve, help your child find a sport that suits them and encourage this as an alternative to computer games and television. To quote a famous comedian television is “chewing gum for the eyes” whereas sport is “food for the soul”.

Additional resources:

Finding the Work-Life Balance
How to Make the Most of University Life
Extra-Curricular Music Activities at University