PE lessons could soon include parkour and pickleball

Fancy a game of pickleball?

Your school PE lessons could feel different soon as three new sports will be added to the curriculum for schools in England.

It is hoped parkour, pickleball and korfball lessons will encourage more young people to take part in physical activity.

A review of the nation's PE lessons in 2023 showed there had been cuts to the number of hours children spent doing sport.

Most schools in England are required to deliver a minimum of two hours of PE per week.

In Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, it is a recommendation rather than a requirement and many schools say they struggle to stick to it.

Matt Hood, chief executive of Oak National Academy, said: "I'm delighted we are offering such a wide variety of sport in the PE curriculum so teachers have the resources to offer everything from football and hockey to parkour and pickleball - something to engage all their pupils."

What do you think? Will introducing a variety of new sports help make your PE lessons more fun?

What sports do you enjoy doing during sports lessons, and which sports do you want to do more of?

Let us know using the comments section below.

What is parkour?

Parkour was invented in Paris in the 1990s but it could soon be hitting your school

Parkour, also known as free-running, was invented by bored teenagers in Paris in the 1990s.

It was originally a training method to overcome all forms of obstacles in urban and natural environments.

It involves jumping and climbing over barriers, walls, stumps, bollards and other fixtures in a series of gymnastic-style movements.

Even though the artform was originated in France, the UK became the first country in the world to officially recognise it as a sport in 2017.

What is pickleball?

Pickleball is a racket sport with similar rules to tennis.

It is a mash-up of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and can be played by singles or in pairs, either indoors or outside.

The aim of the game is to get the ball over the net and prevent your opponent from hitting it back.

What is korfball?

Korfball is a mixed-gender sport and has a similar feel to netball.

It involves two four-a-side teams who are trying to put a ball through a basket on a high pole.

Playing the sport is said to improve endurance, balance and co-ordination.

What other changes might we see in school lessons?

Could your computing lessons include new subjects?

The Oak National Academy, a government-funded organisation which provide learning content for schools, will send supplies for nine subjects over the next year.

These include computing, art, design and music.

The computing lessons will cover the risks of too much screen time, responsible online behaviour and cyberbullying.