City MP Stephen Morgan has said more needs to be done to ensure that Portsmouth children’s access to cultural and sporting experiences outside of the classroom is expanded.
Mr Morgan made the comments following visits this week to summer holiday provision across the constituency including tennis coaching and cooking classes for children taking place in Portsmouth – programmes which a new survey says are sadly becoming rarer.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s Taking Part Survey, which tracks the participation of children aged 10 and 15 in a range of cultural and sporting activities, shows just how much opportunities have narrowed over the last decade.
Participation among children aged 10 in theatre and drama activities has declined by nearly 50%, music participation is down more than a third, and competitive sporting activities are down 13% with a 16% decline in schools.
Mr Morgan said it was key that local families are made aware of the free opportunities available for their children, particularly given the rising cost of living which has made cultural and sporting experiences more expensive.
A recent study by Campaign for Learning found that cost of living pressures have led to nearly half of children missing out on trips and outings outside of school, with parents also unable to able to afford educational resources and extra-curricular activities.
The City MP added that the closure of libraries, leisure centres, youth services and sports facilities such as swimming pools up and down the country has stripped opportunities away from children.
Commenting, Portsmouth South’s Stephen Morgan MP, said:
“This week I’ve seen some great local projects that are providing Portsmouth children with cultural and sporting opportunities outside of the classroom during the holidays.
“Unfortunately, up and down the country the closure of libraries, swimming pools, youth services and sports clubs over the past decade by the government has made these programmes increasingly rarer and have taken opportunities away from children.
“If we are to break down barriers to opportunity and provide children with the skills they require, enriching experiences need to be available for all children and that parents are made aware of these opportunities”.
Mr Morgan will continue to speak up for Portsmouth families in Parliament to ensure their voices are heard in Westminster.
The Taking Part survey
The Taking Part survey is a continuous face to face household survey of adults aged 16 and over and children aged 5 to 15 years old in England. It has run since 2005 and is the main evidence source for DCMS and its sectors. The survey’s main objectives are to:
- provide a central, reliable evidence source that can be used to analyse cultural, digital, and sporting engagement, providing a clear picture of why people do or do not engage.
- meet the needs and interests of everyone who uses Taking Part data.
- underpin further research on driving engagement and the value and benefits of engagement. The survey is commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and three partner organisations (Arts Council England, Historic England and Sport England)
- https://www.gov.uk/guidance/taking-part-survey
Almost half of children missing out on trips and outings outside of school due to cost of living pressures – NCFE: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/all-articles/cost-of-living-pressures-family-trips/#:~:text=Rampant%20prices%20and%20cost%20of,resources%20and%20extra%2Dcurricular%20activities.
