Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The purpose of this study was to establish the first ever collection of national statistics on children's involvement in sport, concentrating on their participation in sport in the twelve months prior to the survey, which took place in summer 1994. The study also aimed to explore some of the factors which affect children's involvement in sport, particularly that of their school.

Main Topics:

The children's questionnaires covered the following subjects: sport within school lessons, and separately sport outside school; which sports (from a list of 40 choices) respondents participated in, and whether they participated in the sport less or more than 10 days within the year; sports enjoyed most and least in school sports lessons; whether respondents were studying P.E. and games or dance at GCSE level (school years 10 and 11 only); whether respondents participated in any extra-curricular sports, and if so, which ones; membership of sports clubs outside school, and which sports covered; any sports participation at other clubs or organisations; how much time spent on sports outside school lessons; participation in sports competitions, and at which level; leisure and other activities done in free time; respondents' views on sport, and respondents' family and sport. Demographic data gathered included the respondents' age (6-16 years), school year (2-11) and gender. Schools' and teachers' questionnaires (attached to the children's data) covered: school size and type, and number of P.E. staff; sports taught within and outside school lessons to children, and to which gender; time spent in P.E. lessons by each school year; sports facilities, their adequacy and community use; trends in extra-curricular sports provision; sports competitions entered by the school; the sports policy/ethos of the school.

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Postal survey

Self-completion