As part of its commitment to providing children with an enriching school curriculum, the government has announced that the PE and Sport Premium will continue for the 2022/23 academic year.

The PE and Sport Premium is aimed at giving children more access to high quality PE lessons and sporting opportunities, supporting both their physical and mental wellbeing – a goal we share.

The £320 million funding must be used to make improvements to a school’s quality of PE, physical activity and sport. For an average one form entry primary school, this equates to roughly £18,000 for the academic year 2022-23.

Whilst we applaud the commitment to improving PE, physical activity and school sport, we are mindful of the additional challenges faced by the schools sector.

Ben Jones, Premier Education’s Head of Operations, comments: “The PE and Sport Premium is more integral to pupil wellbeing than ever before, so it’s encouraging to learn that it will continue for another year. It will help primary schools to make sustainable improvements to the quality of their PE and sporting offering, which will support children on a journey to live a more physically active, healthier life. 

“Ideally, we’d like to see a longer-term funding commitment announced earlier in the year. We know it’s hard for schools when they can only plan use of the premium one year at a time. Extending the term would result in better impact for children and more cost-effective strategies for schools, as well as less stress for school leaders; we mustn’t forget, their wellbeing is being squeezed too. We have worked with some school partners to create 6 year plans to ensure that children’s development is planned from entry to exit at primary school. We would also welcome greater scrutiny on the spend via normal Ofsted inspection, to ensure that ALL schools are investing wisely with a sustainable impact’.”

• Look through the eyes of the child. Is the PE equipment well cared-for and fit for purpose? A child’s experience of physical activity can be very different if they are supplied with good-quality resources.
• See beyond putting on an activity for a school. It’s about wider intent and school ethos. 
• Look to inspire and engage every child in the school. Mass participation initiatives such as the Golden Mile are easy and cost-effective to implement and have wide impact.
• Be passionate about the benefits the money can bring to your children. Ideally spend it on a broad range of uses and ensure it’s measurable. 
• Get the buy-in from everyone within the school, including teachers and parents. The main driver will be the PE co-ordinator, but having a good holistic attitude towards physical activity can be championed with support en-masse.
• Look at your PESSPA plan and whole school improvement plan. Identify areas where PE, school sport or physical activity can positively impact outcomes such as academic attainment, behaviour or attendance. 
• If you plan long-term you are likely to see better results from the children. Short-term thinking offers no longevity or consistency, no real progression.
• Don’t negotiate on quality – safe provision is a priority! 

We support many schools to maximise their Sport Premium funding with our after school clubs, which you can find out more about here.