Equality in Sport or Physical Education

Summary

The requester asked for the Department of Education, Sport and Culture's stance on gender equality in school sports and discrimination based on sport type. The authority responded by detailing the broad range of sporting opportunities available to both genders, citing specific examples from Castle Rushen School, and explaining that curriculum breadth is necessary for exam success, though some health and safety constraints exist.

Key Facts

• The Department contacted all 5 secondary schools to gather feedback on sporting opportunities.
• PE curricula are designed to encourage lifelong participation and offer a wide range of sports to prepare students for IGCSE exams.
• Castle Rushen School girls participated in 15 different sports including Rugby, Football, and Cricket in the last year.
• Extra-curricular clubs and sports tours are run by staff in their own free time.
• Health and safety guidelines, such as those from the RFU, sometimes restrict male and female students from competing against each other.

Data Disclosed

• 5 secondary schools
• 2019-11-14
• 2019-12-09
• 50% based on practical ability
• 4 practically assessed areas
• Year 7
• Year 11
• Key Stage 4
• Key Stage 5

Original Request

Under the FOI Act 2015, I am requesting the Departments stance on equal access to sports in school and on gender discrimination that occurs dependent on sport. I.E. Girls can do yoga/cheerleading ect., boys cannot ect. and vice versa, boys can do rugby and girls can not. The Information sought in the "Departments Stance" is a statement on their policy for gender inclusion in sports and what they are doing to actively ensure this as well as steps they will take to ensure they abide with the Equalities Act. In answer to your second question equal access for sport does is the same as 'gender discrimination that occurs dependant on sport'.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Dear [Redacted],

Thank you for your petition regarding the sporting opportunities offered to students across the Island’s secondary schools. I hope that the information below answers your concerns. As part of my response, I have contacted each of the 5 secondary schools and asked them to feedback to me, personally, with their comments in light of your petition.

There are a wide number of factors which are considered when creating the PE curriculum across our schools, with each school operating slightly differently to accommodate both student and staffing numbers, expertise and facility availability. However, there are a number of common threads.

Our PE departments aim to encourage life long participation in sport. We do this because we understand the long-term benefits of being fit and healthy, but we also appreciate the amazing social impact sport can have on lives. Sport improves self-confidence, builds friendships, increases resilience and develops an appreciation of rules and boundaries. All of these life skills are easily transferred away from the sports fields and make us stronger people.

In order to encourage high participation levels part of our role is to introduce our students to a wide range of sporting opportunities. Therefore within our curriculum you will enjoy the chance to learn and develop new skills in a significant number of sporting areas. These curriculum opportunities are then supported by an outstanding number of extra curricular clubs across our schools.

The rich extra curricular programmes offer the chance for students to develop their skills and interests further. Participation may simply be aimed at getting fitter or at gaining a place in the school 1st team. No matter what the goal, the PE departments will try to help you achieve it. All of these opportunities are given by staff in their own free time, either before school, at break times, lunch times or after school. Many of the schools offer a range of sports tours to students during their time in education; this is aimed at improving the competitive opportunities for our students.

There are also Island schools’ representative teams in a large number of sports for students to aspire towards. In recent years, successful sports men and women have had the chance to compete in competitions in the UK, Europe and even America. The dedicated PE staff run all of these trips in their own time in order to give our students the chance to be the best that they can be.

I appreciate that at this moment you may feel that there are not the same level of opportunities for girls as there are for boys and possibly vice versa. However, during the last year alone at Castle Rushen, the girls have had the opportunity to take part in Rugby, Football, Basketball, Cricket, Athletics, Swimming, Badminton, Softball, Weight Training for Fitness, Cross Country, Table Tennis, Gymnastics, Dance, Boxercise, Yoga, Rounders and Walking. There have also been inter-school competitions specifically for girls in Rugby, Football, Netball, Hockey, Rounders, Badminton, Athletics and Cross Country. There has also been the opportunity for girls to play alongside the boys in Basketball.

In recent years each of our schools have worked hard to develop the links with our local sports clubs. Students are encouraged to participate with them outside of school and club coaches can often be seen promoting their sport alongside the PE teachers. The schools also work closely with Sports Development Officers and Manx Sport and Recreation to encourage participation at all levels and improve the coaching abilities/qualifications of our PE staff.

An important role of PE within our schools is also to offer qualifications for students to work towards at the end of key stage 4 and 5. At KS4 the IGCSE exam is assessed with 50% based on a student’s practical ability. This 50% is then broken down into 4 practically assessed areas. If we were to allow students to specialise in just 1 sport from year 7 then we would be failing them in their preparation for success in year 11. It is the wide range of practical activities that are offered at KS3 that underpin much of the Island’s considerable success at KS4. When comparing practical percentages attained by Manx students they are significantly higher than our UK equivalent students. Much of this can be put down to the breadth of opportunity our students access at school.

In an ideal world we would offer every opportunity to every student all of the time. However, we do have some constraints within which we have to work. From a health and safety perspective some of the sports offer specific guidance for when male and female students are no longer allowed to compete against each other. For example the RFU states that from the age of 12 boys and girls must compete separately.

Within the Isle of Man Schools’ Sports Association (made up of all the Secondary PE Departments) we look to provide as many competitive pathways for as many students as possible. Unfortunately, mixed gender competition would have several knock on effects. For example, the introduction of males to a netball team would reduce the playing opportunities for the female players. Also, sadly many of the female students are more reluctant to perform in front of the male students. A change such as this would impact significantly on the numbers of female students who therefore participate in that sport. This goes directly against our initial objective to encourage participation.

Giving students the freedom of choice of practical activity could also place significant demands on the student/teacher staffing ratios. This could in turn place unrealistic/dangerous numbers in our facility areas and leave staff delivering activities with which they are not currently competent. I am sure that you understand that this is a risk which needs to be avoided.

During the past 10 years there have been substantial changes to our PE curriculum across the Island. Most significantly the girls have seen increased opportunities in sports such as Cricket, Football and Rugby during curriculum time and extra-curricular clubs. This has now culminated in a range of additional competitive fixtures and tournaments. I hope that this information helps to alleviate your concerns about a lack of equality in PE across our schools. When comparisons are made with many UK schools, the range of available opportunities for young people in our inclusive education system are outstanding. If you would like me to explain any of the points in more detail to you then I would be happy to do so. Alternatively, the PE department at [Redacted] would equally welcome your views.

I wish you every success in your new school and look forward to hearing of your endeavours on the sports field.

Yours sincerely,

[redacted]

[Redacted]

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1045761 9 December 2019

Dear ###,

We write further to your request which was received on 14 November 2019 and which states:

"Under the FOI Act 2015, I am requesting the Departments stance on equal access to sports in school and on gender discrimination that occurs dependent on sport. i.e. Girls can do yoga/cheerleading etc., boys cannot etc. and vice versa, boys can do rugby and girls cannot. In order to identify and locate the information that you asked for, we needed to clarify what information is being sought regarding the ‘Departments stance’ and if the information requested in relation to ‘equal access to sports in School’ is the same as ‘gender discrimination that occurs dependant on sport’. You advised: The Information sought in the "Departments Stance" is a statement on their policy for gender inclusion in sports and what they are doing to actively ensure this as well as steps they will take to ensure they abide with the Equalities Act. In answer to your second question equal access for sport does is the same as 'gender discrimination that occurs dependant on sport'." Our response to your request is as follows: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested. Specifically the Department does not have a policy on gender inclusion in sport in schools. However by way of advice and assistance I have enclosed a copy of a response to a Petition for Redress of Grievance at the 2019 Tynwald ceremony, which is linked to gender equality. Some of the information within this document has been redacted because it is absolutely exempt under section 25 (2) (a) and (b) (i) of the Act (absolutely exempt personal information). The reasons why this exemption applies is that: • It constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject; and • In a case where the information falls within any of paragraphs (a) to (d) of the definition of “data” in section 1(1) of the Data Protection Act 2002, the disclosure of

the information to a member of the public (otherwise than under this Act) would contravene any of the data protection principles. In addition to this, at the Tynwald sitting which took place on Tuesday 16th July 2019 the Minister for the Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided a written answer to a question about promoting equality in sport at secondary schools. This information can be found using the following web link: http://www.tynwald.org.im/business/hansard/20002020/t190716.pdf (Q42, Page 76) In terms of ensuring compliance with the Equality Act, all staff are required to take mandatory Equality and Diversity awareness training. Policies and practices are also being reviewed for equality purposes on a rolling basis where service offerings are being amended, developed or discontinued. This includes the use of equality impact screening and assessment tools. Please quote the reference number 1045761 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator