The Youth Sports Trust (YST) this week expressed its concern after figures released by the Government show that 4,000 hours of physical activity were lost in state-funded schools in the last academic year. The figures reveal that 326,277 hours of PE and sport were delivered in secondary schools in England in 2011/12. But that fell to 290,033 in 2021/22 and then to 285,957 over the last 12 months. There has also been a 12% drop since the 2012 London Olympics. And this is despite the Government offering £600m over two years to encourage greater involvement in sports and to ensure equality of access for girls and boys. YST chief executive, Ali Oliver MBE, said: “Fewer than half of children in the UK currently meet 60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, which is the chief medical officers’ minimum recommended level. “This is contributing to a nation where too many children are missing out and have poor wellbeing and lack a sense of belonging. “The evidence is clear: unhappy and unhealthy children do not learn and just this week we are seeing proof of this as high levels of persistent absence and mental ill health have been cited as undermining pupils’ GCSE results.” In December, funding agency, Sport England, said children and young people’s activity levels had recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with 47% of children meeting recommended activity level. But, in April, it also revealed there were nearly half a million fewer active young people aged 16-34 than six years ago.