Judy Murray: PE as vital as reading, writing

Tennis coach Judy Murray is advocating strongly for physical education to receive equal priority with core academic subjects in all Scottish schools. She emphasizes that sport provides vital life skills such as leadership and resilience, alongside significant benefits for young people's physical and mental health. Murray proposes a minimum of 40 minutes of daily exercise for children, asserting that "physical literacy is just as important as numerical and alphabetical literacy."

The expansion of Murray's 'Learn to Lead' scheme, designed to train girls as future sporting leaders by helping them run clubs, is being supported by Sky. This initiative will now reach 50 more schools, aiming to combat a reported annual deficit of 280 million sports hours for girls aged 11-18 compared to boys. A report also indicated that childhood participation in sport is as strong an indicator of future success as a university degree.

Murray returned to Dunblane Primary School to announce the expansion, noting the increasingly sedentary lifestyles of children. She stressed that sport offers crucial life skills, teamwork, and lifelong friendships, preparing individuals for adulthood. The 'Learn to Lead' program specifically aims to build confidence and self-esteem in young girls, potentially paving the way for careers in sport.