Stafford student makes Parliament debut, co-hosting School Sports Week roundtable with Leigh Ingham MP
A local student from Stafford has made a memorable debut in Parliament, helping to lead a vital national conversation on the future of physical activity in schools. Tane Meredith, a student at Sir Graham Balfour School in Stafford, joined his local MP, Leigh Ingham, in co-hosting a high-profile roundtable event to mark National School Sports Week. This follows the MP’s Backbench Business Debate on Access to PE in Education.
The MP and student’s efforts have not gone unnoticed, as this week the Prime Minister met with the Lionesses to announce a new approach to school sport, which includes new plans to give every child equal access to high quality PE and sport as part of a new approach to school activity.
Held in Parliament, the roundtable event brought together leading figures from across the sport and education sectors. Attendees included representatives from the Youth Sport Trust, Women in Sport, Paralympics GB, Activity Alliance, Sport England, Swim England, Active Partnerships, The Football Association, Sport Impact, and the Association for Physical Activity, alongside MPs, teachers, and school leaders.
The roundtable explored key issues affecting children's physical activity today, including children's activity levels in and out of school and the specific challenges faced by children from underrepresented backgrounds; what schools with high activity rates are doing differently and how targeted interventions can create more inclusive opportunities, particularly for young people with special educational needs and disabilities; and future funding and policy priorities.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Leigh Ingham MP and Tane Meredith, who emphasised the importance of listening to young people and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to lead an active life.
Tane Meredith, Student at Sir Graham Balfour School, said: "Being active is super important for your body and your mind. Since Covid, though, I’ve seen a lot of people my age stop playing sports, and overall, way fewer are getting involved – I think that really needs to change.
"School sport is one of the easiest ways for us to get active, so I’d love to see better equipment, more options for activities, and more funding for it. It was honestly such an amazing experience getting to speak in Parliament about what sport means to me and how better access could really help people my age."
Leigh Ingham, MP for Stafford, Eccleshall, and the villages: “I'm incredibly proud of Tane and grateful to everyone who took part in this vital conversation. If we want healthier, happier futures for our children, it starts with making physical activity a national priority.
“I am pleased that our campaigning has been supported by the Prime Minister, who has since announced a commitment to new School Sport Partnerships and a new Enrichment Framework to ensure all young people have equal access to high quality sport and extracurricular activity.”
