New analysis released during Mental Health Awareness Week by children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, for the first time places an economic value on the critical importance of free-to-access school sport and physical activity for a child’s mental wellbeing. Find out more from our press release.

Headline findings

• This is the first study to investigate the relationship between Physical Activity (PA) in and out of school (primary and secondary) and personal wellbeing
• We find that already being motivated and enjoying sport and activity accounts for at least half the wellbeing benefits at secondary school age: thus, generating and creating that motivation and enjoyment at primary school age is of vital, lifelong benefit
• Those more active out of school are from higher socioeconomic backgrounds, likely because such activity tends to have significant costs (clubs, kit, lessons, travel etc.)
• Those doing less than 30 minutes of PA a week are more likely to be eligible for Free School Meals (FSM)
• The wellbeing impact of free PA at school is almost double for those children who are disabled and/or receiving FSM than for those who aren’t
• Using the new, Treasury recommended measure of wellbeing - the WELLBY, the economic value of providing PA in primary schools is at least £4bn, and likely to be more than double this figure.