Physical education in schools data: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of primary schools in Scotland who did not meet, or did not report whether they met, the primary PE target (2 hours) in 2023/24 and 2024/25.

2. The number of secondary schools in Scotland who did not meet, or did not report whether they met, the secondary PE target (2 periods) in 2023/24 and 2024/25.

3. The ways in which the Scottish Government monitors their commitment for primary and secondary PE time.

Response

Some of the information you have requested relating to the number of schools not meeting the PE targets is available from the school contact details page of the Scottish Government website which you can access at https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-contact-details/. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy. As part of the school contact details dataset, published in September 2025, the latest statistics on the provision of PE in schools show 99% of primary schools were meeting the target of providing two hours of PE per week, and 90% of secondary schools were meeting their target of two 50 minute periods of PE per week for all pupils between S1 and S4.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

In reference to your request for ways in which the Scottish Government monitors their commitment for primary and secondary PE time, the data collected above supports the Scottish Government in monitoring the PE commitment.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.