Politicians have relegated sport to a minority status
MISSING - the legacy from the London 2012 Olympic Games. If found please return to the rightful owners. That is every child of school age in every village, town and city throughout the United Kingdom.
A legacy of real value should not be driven solely by and judged on how many medals Team GB wins in Rio in 2016.
It should be formed of far greater reaching and desirable objectives such as our nation's health, physical and psychological welfare alongside aiding social cohesion.
Any legacy should also be focused on the immediate, long term and complex needs of our children.
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A real legacy will only be achieved when every child attending our nation's schools in particularly primary schools have access to regular high quality PE and sport taught by confident, knowledgeable and specialist teachers in appropriate and high-quality surroundings and when the status of physical education throughout the entire educational system at all levels and for all ages has equal importance to that currently enjoyed by science, mathematics and English.
PE for generations has been relegated to the role of the academic poor relation to all other subjects. Politicians, local education authorities and most regrettably even head teachers have and still do grossly undervalue the numerous benefits of the subject to individuals, the school and the "big society" as a whole.
Through well-planned expertly delivered and as a result highly challenging and enjoyable PE lessons for at least three hours a week for children of all ages will raise participation rates amongst our children resulting in dramatic effects on their healthy lifestyle choices reducing obesity rates saving the tax payer millions of pounds in NHS costs.
Involvement in PE and sport encourages tolerance, understanding, and respect for opponents, officials and self. It also fosters a sense of belonging, community responsibility and self-worth crucially missing from many young people who turn to anti-social behaviour and a gang culture for a similar emotional fulfilment.
Throughout history PE and sport has been abused by its perceived worth. The subject only moved forward in recognition when politicians expressed concern that our young soldiers engaged in warfare were lacking in fitness.
We are a nation of sports lovers yet we have allowed successive governments and leading personnel in the education sector to relegate the subject to minority status.
We as a nation lit the torch of a legacy with our enthusiasm for the London Games. Physical education's role in schools should be afforded with immediate effect priority status and not viewed as the antidote to the nation's ills but as the legacy pathway to help create a better society for everyone.
Brian Hobbs has 15 years of experience as a director of sport in schools in London and Bristol and eight years' experience as a GCSE PE moderator in the South West. He has responsibility for schools delivering GCSE PE from South Gloucestershire to Cornwall
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