Sport Premium

The Sports Premium is a funding initiative introduced by the UK government in 2013, aimed at improving physical education (PE) and sports participation in primary schools. The goal of the funding is to enhance the quality of PE lessons and increase opportunities for physical activities, promoting healthier lifestyles among children.

Key Details:

1. Purpose:
   • To improve the quality of PE, sport, and physical activity in primary schools.
   • To inspire pupils to engage in regular physical activities, helping to combat issues like childhood obesity and sedentary lifestyles.
2. Funding:
   • Schools receive funding based on the number of pupils in Years 1-6.
   • Typically, schools get a base amount of £16,000 plus an additional £10 per pupil.
   • The funding is ring-fenced, meaning it must be spent specifically on improving PE and sports provision.
3. Use of Funds: Schools can use the funding to:
   • Hire qualified sports coaches to work with teachers.
   • Provide teacher training to improve PE teaching.
   • Offer more extracurricular sports activities.
   • Purchase sports equipment.
   • Introduce new sports or physical activities.
   • Improve the engagement of all pupils, including those less active.
   • Organize sports competitions.
4. Accountability:
   • Schools are required to publish details of how they use the Sports Premium on their website, including the impact on pupils' PE and sports participation.
   • Ofsted inspections consider how effectively the funding is being spent.
5. Impact:
   • The Sports Premium has been credited with increasing engagement in physical activities, improving teacher confidence in delivering PE, and broadening the range of sports offered in schools.

Recent Updates:

The Sports Premium has been extended several times, most recently until the academic year 2023-2024. Schools are encouraged to align their spending with broader government initiatives to increase physical activity among children, such as the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of 60 minutes of activity a day.