Primary kids get set for Daily Mile

A few minutes of physical activity aids health and boosts performance

running

The Education and Health Secretaries have written to all primary schools in Scotland to encourage them to implement daily physical exercise as part of the school routine, through the roll out of the Daily Mile or other initiatives.

The Daily Mile, introduced by St Ninian’s Primary School in Stirling, sets aside 15 minutes each day to ensure children get daily exercise by running or walking one mile.

Cabinet Secretary for Education Angela Constance said: “We know physical activity improves the health and wellbeing of children and in turn, can improve their performance in the classroom.

“Initiatives like the Daily Mile are simple but effective and other schools around the country have already adopted the idea after seeing the success at St Ninian’s. That is why we are encouraging all schools to consider implementing the scheme or develop their own physical activity initiatives.

“We will also produce an online resource with Education Scotland to provide further information for schools on how they can implement the Daily Mile and other evidence-based approaches that can incorporate physical activity across the wider curriculum.”

Cabinet Secretary for Health Shona Robison added: “The Daily Mile is a fantastic initiative, with teachers and parents seeing a significant impact on the health and wellbeing of those children taking part. Programmes such as these can also encourage children and their parents to pick up healthy habits from a young age.

“I’m really pleased to see so many Scottish schools are already taking part and I hope more schools will consider it – or look to develop their own physical activity approaches – when they receive further information about how to implement them in their school.”

 

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davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer