Updated School Sport and Activity Action Plan & Refreshed Primary PE and Sport Premium Guidance
19 July 2023
- Government confirms two-year plan to boost quality and equal access
- Kitemark to recognise schools providing girls with equal access to PE and sport
- PE and Sport Premium digital tool for primary schools to report on spending of their allocation
More girls are set to benefit as the Government publishes a two-year plan to improve equal access and the quality of PE and sport in schools for all pupils. The School Sport and Activity Action Plan will support teachers and schools to deliver two hours of high-quality PE and provide competitive and extra-curricular opportunities to both girls and boys.
This is set to encourage more children to follow in the footsteps of their heroes, such as footballer Millie Bright leading the Lionesses in the World Cup this summer, Katie Boulter representing Great Britain at Wimbledon or Sarah Hunter captaining the
women’s England rugby team to success in the women’s Six Nations in March.
New guidance also published today, alongside the action plan, includes details of the digital tool to help schools spend their allocation of the Primary PE and Sport Premium to the best advantage of pupils. Headteachers can use this money to improve teacher training, offer more opportunities for pupils to take part in competition and expand the range of sports on offer at school.
On top of funding for the PE and Sport Premium, an extra £57m is already supporting over one thousand schools across England to open sport facilities outside of the school day. This fund is targeted at girls, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special
educational needs and disabilities.
Click HERE to view the School Sport and Activity Action Plan.
Association for Physical Education CEO Sue Wilkinson MBE said:
“At a time when the school workforce is very much under pressure, we are pleased to see that physical education is placed at the heart of the plan to achieve the wider PESSPA outcomes.”
“An aspiration of a minimum two hours of transformative PE has been in place since 2014 and the Lionesses have helped to raise the profile of ‘the ask’. We are confident that the sector will rise to the challenge to achieve the commitment, we hope that the PE workforce will be recognised for its significant contribution to PE, school sport and physical activity going forward. A continuing investment is key to sustain and build a workforce that continue to deliver on the physical, emotional, social and cognitive wellbeing of all children and young people. afPE is committed to working with partners who believe in a collaborative, unified approach to supporting colleagues in the PESSPA sector.”
“It is a key that a transformative curriculum is implemented to ensure all children and young people have equality of access as well as an ambitious, compelling and sequential offer. We are pleased to see that this is a focus.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:
“As another nail-biting British summer of sport continues, with Markéta Vondroušová winning her first grand slam at Wimbledon, Heather Knight leading the women’s cricket team through the Ashes and our inspirational Lionesses still having all to play for in the World Cup, it’s so important our next generation not only see their heroes but have the opportunities to emulate them.”
“Our School Sport and Activity Action Plan sets out how we will support schools to make sure girls and boys alike have those same great opportunities.”
“Today’s plan crystalises our commitment to equal access to all sports and two hours of PE per week, and will help instil a lifelong passion for sport and fitness in each and every young person.”
Guidance will be published later this year to support in the delivery of equal access and two hours of PE per week. With support from national governing bodies and other sporting organisations, the Government will identify schools that offer
equal access for girls to sport during the school day and additional extracurricular activities. This guidance will include detailed case-studies outlining examples of good practice, to help support teachers and senior leaders to deliver
good PE and sport in schools.
Included in the guidance on providing high quality PE and sport will be practical and detailed case studies from schools. Helping schools to provide two hours of PE a week, equal access for girls and areas where schools currently need additional
support, such as swimming and water safety lessons.
Government will also share new resources and findings from targeted programmes that support children with special educational needs and disabilities and encourage competition and leadership opportunities for girls.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:
“While statistics show the young are becoming more active, over two million children do not do enough to keep fit. This plan means that we can get even more of them across the country moving to experience the physical and mental health benefits regular sport and physical activity bring.”
“Schools will be able to deliver even better PE lessons – helping their pupils to make regular exercise a habit for life and have fun, while improving their physical and mental health.”
“This plan builds on over £600 million for school sport which is already helping children and young people exercise more and stay fit and healthy.”
The action plan sets out how we will encourage and recognise the success of schools providing equal access for girls through new equality criteria in the School Games Mark, This will recognise schools that create positive sporting experiences
across all sports for young people, supporting them to be active for 60 minutes a day. We will celebrate this with an annual moment of recognition in National School Sports Week.
Today’s announcement comes ahead of the Government publishing its new sport strategy which will set the long-term plan for sport in the UK and focus on addressing inactivity levels at all ages and making the sport sector more sustainable.
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