Activity Levels of Children and Young People Remain at All Time High in Herts

The Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, led by Sport England, provides a national picture of how physically active children and young people are across England. In Hertfordshire, a more detailed breakdown of the data has been provided with the support of Press Red, a leading insights partner for Herts Sport & Physical Activity Partnership (HSP). Most notably, Hertfordshire continues to perform above the national average, with 52% of children classified as active, compared to 49% nationally. To be classified as active, children must be meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. 52% also marks a sustained all-time high in physically active children for the county, representing a 6-percentage point increase since the survey began in 2017/18.

Participation was most commonly driven by active play (65%), alongside team sports and walking (both 61%). However, it should be recognised that there is still plenty of work to be done, with around 85,000 children and young people in Hertfordshire not currently meeting recommended activity levels. Clear inequalities do remain and children from higher affluence families (59% active) are significantly more likely to be active than those from lower affluence families (45% active). HSP’s targeted programmes, such as the HAPpy holiday activity camps, which provide activity support to children eligible for free school meals, are therefore crucial in supporting those from lower affluent families to access opportunities to be physically active. The Summer Parks initiative, returning again in 2026, also aims to provide accessible activity for children from less affluent backgrounds to stay active during the school holidays.

Children and young people are clear on what would help them to be more active but it’s up to organisations to deliver the necessary support. A higher percentage of children and young people strongly agree that knowing how to get involved in sport and physical activity, feeling confident when being active, and finding sport and physical activity easy would help them to be more active. They understand why being active is important, but it is about providing them with the confidence and competence to be active. HSP remains committed to ensuring that all children and young people across Hertfordshire can access high-quality opportunities to be active, with welcoming and supportive environments encouraging children to take part and thrive.

Useful Links:

Link to Summer Parks

Link to HAPpy

Link to Active Lives CYP Data