Primary PE and sport premium to continue at £320 million for 2022-23

The Department for Education has confirmed today that the Primary PE and sport premium funding will continue for academic year 2022-23.

The funding is a ring-fenced grant for English primary schools to provide additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of PE, sport and physical activity. Allocations to schools are determined by a formula based on pupil numbers. The average one form entry primary school will receive roughly £18,000 for the academic year 2022-23.

£320 million will be delivered to schools in 2022/23 to give more children access to high quality PE lessons and sporting opportunities, supporting both their physical and mental wellbeing.

In addition, £11 million will also support the continuation of the School Games programme to give particularly passionate and talented young people the opportunity to participate in competitive sport.

The PE and sport premium and School Games programme support the government’s commitment to ensuring children and young people have access to at least 60 minutes, or 20 minutes for children with a disability, of physical activity a day. Building on this commitment, £10 million is supporting schools to open up sport and swimming facilities. The Department for Education has already provided funding from phase one and two of this initiative to schools and is currently procuring a national delivery partner to allocate further funding and advice to schools over the next phase of the programme.

Nadhim Zahawi, Education Secretary said:

The PE and sport premium will continue to support schools and I hope that upcoming events like the Women’s Euros and Commonwealth Games will inspire more young people to get active.

 

These opportunities will give thousands more pupils access to an ambitious, enriching curriculum that not only supports them academically, but also supports their physical and mental wellbeing.

Sue Wilkinson MBE, afPE’s CEO said:

Schools will be pleased to know that another £320 million pounds of investment will be available for physical education and sport in primary schools for the 2022/23 academic year.

The past two years disruption caused by Covid brought to the forefront the critical impact and implications on children and young peoples’ physical and emotional wellbeing.

Their physical, social, emotional and cognitive development is vastly improved by learning in PE, taught by a highly skilled workforce. The subject is part of a broader solution to develop and improve both physical and health literacy as well as making a significant contributions to child development.

In addition this funding can help to top up swimming provision to ensure every child leaves primary school able to safe self rescue and swim a minimum of 25 metres. Now more than ever we need to recruit, retain and value the workforce as they are key to ensuring all children have access to an excellent PE curriculum that is relevant to their needs and context.

We must provide CPD that will embrace their pupils’ needs and empower practitioners to be confident to teach PE and advocate so that it can be placed at the front and centre of the school. Please invest this funding so that it will leave a legacy for future generations, small steps will create great change. As John Dewey said ‘If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday’s, we rob them of tomorrow.’ So thank you for your patience, please join us in prioritising the spend on need and what will achieve the best outcomes for children. Schools visited this week for Quality Mark, have really made a difference through appropriate investment as a result of a thorough self review

Professor Jeanne Keay, afPE’s Chair said:

We are pleased and relieved that the Government has announced investment in primary physical education and sport for the next academic year. This funding will enable headteachers to further invest in their staff to ensure that all children in their schools receive high quality teaching in this vital area of the curriculum. Our recently launched strategy makes it clear that afPE is well positioned to continue to support schools to provide excellent learning experiences and will continue to support teachers through the delivery of high quality professional development, the provision of expert advice and support, and access to examples of best practice.

Professor Jo Harris, afPE Board member said:

I am delighted that the Primary PE and sport premium is to be continued. This means that primary schools can make additional, sustainable improvements to the quality of physical education, sport and physical activity offered to all pupils.

In particular, the funding will ensure that schools are able to build capacity and capability by increasing the confidence, knowledge and skills of all staff in teaching physical education, to the benefit of current and future pupils.

Ali Oliver MBE, Youth Sport Trust’s CEO said:

At the end of a really successful National School Sport Week, we welcome confirmation of this funding for primary schools across England, it is urgently needed, and we know schools will be relieved to be able to confirm arrangements for September. We would like to take this opportunity to thank those working in and with schools who have maintained momentum, keeping children active and schools moving.

Unhappy and unhealthy children don’t learn, if children don’t learn we won’t have a society fit for the future. The Youth Sport Trust is working to build back play, physical activity, and school sport in children’s lives, helping them to balance the demands of a digital age, and create societal change when it comes to the place and value of PE and school sport. Today’s announcement is a positive first step toward this.

Further Information:

• Guidance on the PE and sport premium, including how schools can utilise the funding, is available HERE.
• The PE and sport premium is funded by both the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care. Funding allocations to primary schools are determined by a formula based on pupil numbers.
• The Government’s commitment to ensuring that children and young people have access to at least 60 minutes of sport and physical activity per day is set out in the school sport and activity action plan.
• UK Chief Medical Officer Physical Activity Guidelines are available HERE.
• UK Chief Medical Officer Physical Activity Guidelines for disabled children and disabled young people are HERE.