• The initiative is supported by Sky, the UK’s leading investor and broadcaster of women’s sport
• Sky’s Game Changing report reveals playing sport as a child is as strong an indicator of future success as earning a university degree

Judy Murray is today calling for PE to be a priority for all schools in Scotland as she announces the expansion of an initiative, supported by Sky, to keep girls active and engaged.

The Scots tennis coach believes regular participation in sport supports the development of life skills such as leadership, resilience, teamwork and communication as well as the obvious physical and mental health benefits that come from being active.

A former GB Federation Cup captain and mother to Jamie and Andy Murray, Murray believes that physical literacy is every bit as important as numerical and alphabetical literacy and has called for youngsters to get 40 minutes of physical activity each day.

Earlier this year, Murray launched her Learn to Lead programme which aims to equip and empower young girls to become Scotland’s next generation of sporting leaders – supporting them to run their own lunchtime and after school clubs.

Today she is announcing an expansion of the initiative with a further 50 schools now able to take part thanks to investment from Sky. 

Sky is the UK’s leading investor in women’s sports rights, broadcasting 70% of all women’s sport shown in the UK. Working with Public First, Sky recently commissioned the Game Changing report which revealed that girls aged 11-18 miss out on 280 million hours of sport every year compared to boys. The report also found that playing sport as a child is as strong an indicator of future success as earning a university degree, with sport helping to build resilience, confidence, and leadership.

Learn to Lead gives p6 and p7 pupils (aged 10-12 years) the opportunity to develop basic leadership and organisational skills by training and empowering them to set up and run lunchtime or after school starter tennis clubs for p1 to p4 girls (aged 4-9 years).

The clubs, run in school gyms or playgrounds, incorporate fun-filled games and skill-building exercises in a playful environment, building on the successful Miss Hits programme which Murray launched in 2014.

Although a teacher is required to supervise, Learn to Lead allows older pupils to take charge by working in pairs to plan, set up and deliver the classes.

To announce the expansion, Murray today returned to Dunblane Primary School, the school both she and her sons attended as youngsters.

Judy Murray said: “Children are now living lives that are far too sedentary, often spending much of their spare time in front of screens. Sporting activities offer children and young people not just fun and fitness, but the opportunity to develop life skills and lifelong friendships in a way that sitting in front of a screen cannot. That is why physical education should be made a priority in all schools in Scotland, giving all children equal opportunity to participate.”

As well as encouraging active lifestyles, Murray wants her programme to help girls build confidence and take on leadership roles as they develop through school and their careers.

She said: “Learn to Lead is about inspiring and supporting the next generation of sporting leaders, keeping them engaged throughout their schooldays and beyond, and perhaps even providing the first step into a sporting career. But we also want to create opportunities to build confidence and self esteem before they move up to secondary school.

“Leadership opportunities for young people are few and far between. For me, the opportunities to first begin developing my leadership skills came from school and having the opportunity to captain my school tennis and hockey teams. It’s through this that I started to develop my communication skills, learning how to identify strengths and weaknesses, and how best to get my teams working together. The life skills you develop from being part if sport are second to none and really help you to prepare for what adulthood will throw at you.”

Sky Chief Sports Officer, Jonathan Licht said: “As the UK’s leading investor in women’s sports rights, we are committed to using our platform to grow visibility and boost grassroots participation. The Game Changing report released earlier this year highlights the vital role that sport plays in developing confidence, communication, and teamwork skills that extend far beyond the court. We’re proud to support Judy Murray’s Learn to Lead initiative to double the number of schools involved, giving more girls the opportunity and resources to engage in sport and help create the next generation of female leaders.”