BACKGROUND

Back in 2013 and as part of the London Olympics legacy the government pledged additional funding of £150 million per annum for the academic years 2013/14 and 2014/15 to improve provision of physical education (PE) and sport in primary schools. The funding - provided jointly by the Departments for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport - was allocated to primary school Headteachers. In 2016 the Prime Minister announced that the government would continue to provide Sports Premium funding until 2020. The funding is ring-fenced and therefore can only be spent on provision of PE and sport in schools.

PURPOSE OF THE FUNDING

Schools can spend the additional funding on improving their provision of PE and sport, but will have the freedom to choose how they do this.

Possible uses for the funding might include:

• Hiring specialist PE teachers or qualified sports coaches to work with primary teachers when teaching PE.
• Supporting and engaging the least active children through new or additional Change4Life clubs.
• Paying for professional development opportunities for teachers in PE and sport.
• Providing cover to release primary teachers for professional development in PE and sport.
• Running sport competitions, or increasing pupils’ participation in the School Games.
• Buying quality assured professional development modules or materials for PE and sport.
• Providing places for pupils on after school sports clubs and holiday clubs.
• Pooling the additional funding with that of other local schools.

LONG TERM BENEFITS OF THE FUNDING

Schools must use the funding to make additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of PE and sport they offer. This means that schools should use the premium to:

• develop or add to the PE and sport activities that the school already offers
• build capacity and capability within the school to ensure that improvements made now will benefit pupils joining the school in future years