'No shock' girls aren't enjoying PE lessons, says Lincolnshire school fitness programme

New research has found girls still aren't enjoying physical activity in schools, which is 'no shock' according to a programme in Lincolnshire aiming to make more girls active.

The research, by Studio You, revealed most girls were uncomfortable taking part in lessons - with periods named as the number one barrier.

M2 Club works with schools across Lincolnshire to show how physical activity can positively impact every aspect of life for young girls.

New findings released today, have found that girls are still not participating as willingly or with as much confidence as boys in PE.

The research, by educational platform Studio You, found that double the percentage of girls surveyed stated they would drop the subject if given the option, compared to boys (40% vs 20%), and PE was selected as the subject most likely to be dropped by girls.

They also admitted to skipping twice as many PE lessons in a school term, with 38% saying, “I go because I have to and I do not enjoy it.”

Boys said they found the class “exciting” (33%) and “engaging” (26%), girls said it was “embarrassing” (30%) and “stressful” (28%) for them.

Indeed, half of girls (49%) say that if given the choice, they would never attend PE lessons, compared to just under a third (32%) of boys who say the same.

Furthermore, only 45% of girls said they are comfortable taking part in mixed gender lessons, compared to 66% of boys, with over a third (34%) of girls saying they don’t try as hard in mixed gender PE lessons.

This drop in enjoyment - through research emerges as girls get older, with over half (57%) admitting they enjoyed PE more in primary school.

Periods are named as the number one barrier, as 45% say they have made PE less enjoyable for them.

46% of girls say PE kit options would enhance their comfort and enjoyment during PE sessions. This sentiment is echoed by the majority (74%) of parents, who believe that such a uniform adjustment could make things easier for female students, especially as 59% of parents feel that girls tend to have a more difficult experience in PE lessons than boys.

Given female and male experiences in PE have vastly differed throughout generations – 58% of female parents admitted they did not enjoy PE when they were in school compared to 34% of male parents.

Meanwhile, M2 Club has been developed from the successful Mini Mermaid Running Club UK, which was launched in 2015. They saw that there was a need to change and develop Mini Mermaid Running Club UK and make it more relevant to girls of today. So, with this in mind, M2 was born.

Their mission isn’t to create ‘runners.’ But to strive to create a generation of young girls who enjoy being physically active, with a strong sense of self-worth and self-belief that flows through all aspects of their lives.

Following a successful pilot programme in Lincolnshire in Autumn 2023, supported by Active Lincolnshire and Sport England, Elite Sports Academy have become the exclusive provider of the M2 curriculum in Lincolnshire and are set to offer the programme immediately.

“Elite Sports Academy is a natural fit for M2,” said Hannah Corne, Executive Director, M2 Club UK. “We have a shared belief that physical activity has a profound effect on young girls, emotionally and mentally, as well as physically. Studies show girls’ confidence peaks at 9 years old, as well as correlations between confidence and physical activity. The M2 curriculum combined with the Elite Sport Academy delivery expertise will help young girls preserve their confidence through movement.”

The M2 programme uses a multi-week curriculum that combines discussions, journalling, games and structured workouts, and games. Girls learn about self-compassion, goal setting and the value of physical activity.

And mostly, they have fun.

At the end of the programme, the girls participate in a 5km challenge, for which they set their own goals. The celebration focuses on their ability to work hard and persevere to achieve that goal. The lasting impact extends into the classroom, friendships and their aspirations and goals.

M2 Impact:

• 96% of girls enjoy running
• 80% of girls feel confident speaking up and having their voices heard
• ¾ of girls keep trying, even when something is hard
• 91% girls don't worry if they make a mistake

“We are delighted to be working with M2 moving forwards and are excited to continue our work inspiring the next generation,” said Andrew Tidswell, Head Coach & Managing Director of Elite Sports Academy.

“M2’s scheme in supporting young girls emotionally, physically & physiologically is a passion we both share & we look forward to getting started.”

We spoke Colleen Krenzer from the group.

She told us: "It's not just about the physical but mental and emotional - the way in which we use physical activity - it can be to hang out with our friends."

"It can be to blow off steam."

"And your mental state can shift therefore there's so many benefits besides just playing sport."

"Girls' confidence starts to drop as young as nine and that correlates with when girls start to drop out of physical activity and PE."

"Their bodies are changing - they're figuring out their friendship groups - they may not be comfortable."

We try and create an environment where girls can talk about how they're feeling

"We started doing a programme in Lincolnshire, working with active Lincolnshire - through a grant we have with Sport England."

"In doing that a number of schools continued in the programme."

"Now working with the Jane Tomlinson appeal we are continuing with the grant funded programmes."

"We are very focused on delivering our curriculum - that creates an environment where girls can talk about how they're feeling, why they get nervous trying something new, what might they be able to do to feel more comfortable."

"And it's really about building that resilience."

For Lincolnshire schools interested in offering the M2 programme, please contact Andrew Tidswell at Andrew@elitesportsacademy.co.uk.

You can find out more about the programme on theM2 Club website.

To find out about the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, go to their website.

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