FROM England’s European Championship win to record-breaking viewing figures for all-female boxing cards, 2022 was a big year in the rise of women’s sport at both home and globally.

But there is more to sport than such visibility at the top level, and more to physical activity than just sport: successes at an elite level can perpetuate the idea that it’s only for “sporty types,” something that new research has highlighted stems from early experiences in PE.

After finding that 40 per cent of English women say PE in school made it difficult for them to be excited about physical activity in later life and over a third — 36 per cent — were put off sport for life, This Girl Can — Sport England’s campaign to get women and girls moving, regardless of shape, size and ability — is calling for our approach to PE to expand beyond its traditional confines.