PE And Sport Premium For Primary Schools

Click here for the Department of Education link to the Primary School’s Sports Funding page.

What is the Sports Premium?

All children and young people should live healthy active lives. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that all children and young people should take part in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day. Children with special educational needs and disabilities should take part in 20 minutes of daily activity.

The Childhood Obesity Plan says that at least 30 minutes of daily activity should take place in schools.

Schools have a key role to play in achieving this aim. This is particularly true of primary schools where the foundations of positive and enjoyable participation in regular physical activity are embedded. All children should have equal access to high-quality PE provision and opportunities to experience and participate in a wide range of sports and physical activities. Academic achievement can improve in school because of the benefits children can gain.

Schools should use the PE and sport premium funding to help achieve these aims. It must not be used for core-type school activities. They should use it to make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide, such as:

  • funding high-qualityPE and sport for at least 2 hours a week, complemented by a wide range of extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities
  • providing or improving equal access to sport for boys and girls

Schools should prioritise PE and sport premium spending to improve in the following 5 key areas:

  • increasing all staff’s confidence, knowledge and skills in teachingPE and sport
  • increasing engagement of all pupils in regular physical activity and sport
  • raising the profile ofPE and sport across the school, to support whole school improvement
  • offer a broader and more equal experience of a range of sports and physical activities to all pupils
  • increase participation in competitive sport

What is the Sports Premium?

The PE and Sport Premium is additional government funding for all primary schools to support the provision of Physical Education (PE) and sports.

The Government is providing funding of £320m to all primary schools to make additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of the PE, physical activity and in so doing, to support young people’s physical health as well as mental well-being. This funding is being jointly provided by the Departments for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport, and will see money going directly to primary school head teachers to spend on improving the quality of sport and PE for all their children.

Click here for the Department of Education link to the Primary School’s Sports Funding page.

How can the PE and Sports Premium be used?

The sport funding can only be spent on sport and PE provision in schools but individual schools have control on they do this.

Possible uses for the premium include:

  • Hiring specialist PE coaches and PE teachers to work alongside staff in school teaching PE.
  • Providing activities to support and involve children who are less active.
  • Providing a  range of extra-curricular sorts clubs which are open to all children.
  • Encouraging physical activity at break times and lunchtimes.
  • Encouraging pupils to take part in sport competitions against other schools and participating in the School Games.
  • Paying for profession development opportunities for staff to develop PE skills.