红桃影视

The 拢320 million PE and sport premium for primary schools in favour of a new “partnerships network” with around 22 per cent less annual funding than the current scheme.

Ministers said last year they would review the funding stream as it was “not delivering the step change that we would like to see”.

Now the Department for Education has said a new “PE and school sport partnerships network” will run from spring 2027, bringing targeted support to primary and secondary schools based on their needs.

This could include providing new coaches, top-up swimming lessons and increased extra-curricular activities to meet local demand. Schools will also be able to access a universal offer, which will include online training.

Rather than money flowing directly to schools as it does now, a national delivery partner will work with national governing bodies to deliver this support.

Annual funding for PE and sports has also been cut. The DfE said the network will receive 拢580 million over three years.

Schools Week initially reported that this worked out as less than 拢200 million a year, 40 per cent less than the value of the old premium.

But following publication the DfE clarified the 拢580 million would be spent over seven school terms, not three full years. Based on that clarification, the funding is 22 per cent less than the equivalent value of the old premium.

There will also be 拢200 million in capital funding for school sports facilities and a one-off 拢100 million for schools to help them during the transition to the new system.

Questions over funding

Paul Whiteman, general secretary at NAHT, said: 鈥淎t a time when budgets are under huge pressure, school leaders will be deeply concerned at the loss of a well-established funding stream.

“While there may be some merit in a network-based approach, leaders will have a range of questions about how that will work in practice, particularly as the funding now appears to be spread across more schools.

“School leaders will want assurances that these networks will reach every part of the country and that all the funding will get to the frontline and not be spent on new layers of bureaucracy.鈥�

But Ali Oliver, CEO of the Youth Sport Trust, said the announcement reflected a step towards a new approach they 鈥渉ave consistently called for鈥�.

鈥淎 period of change with the transition to a new era of PE and school sport will take time and understandably cause uncertainty. We know many questions will remain from across the sector and we, like others, await further detail about what the investment today will mean in practice.

鈥淚n the meantime, we hope today鈥檚 announcement is a step towards longer-term clarity and stability for schools and those working with education to harness the many life changing benefits that come from play and sport.

鈥淲e are optimistic a new approach can transform the system, building capacity within schools, closing the gaps created by inequality, improving quality and opportunity, and building the right local partnerships which maximise resources and long-term sustainability.鈥�

Kate Thornton-Bousfield, CEO of the Association for Physical Education, also welcomed the news.

“We are encouraged to see progress towards a long鈥憈erm vision for PE and school sport. We hope today鈥檚 announcement marks the beginning of greater stability and long鈥憈erm planning for schools.”

The PE Premium was introduced in 2013 as part of the London 2012 Olympic Legacy. Teachers previously claimed that this funding was being misused by schools and that there needed to be further scrutiny.

Education secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 鈥淪chool sport builds confidence, belonging and wellbeing: priceless gifts that put kids on the path to getting on in life 鈥� and can even uncover the elite sports stars of the future.

鈥淵et too many children have been missing out. Our聽new approach聽will see every child 鈥� across both primary and secondary 鈥� more physically active regardless of their circumstances, background, ability or where they go to school.鈥�

Sport Minister Stephanie Peacock said the new model 鈥渨ill not only mean that children get access to high-quality PE lessons, it will also bring in clubs, coaches and sporting bodies to help physical activity become part of their everyday lives.鈥�

The DfE say the new model will 鈥榤odernise鈥� the previous partnerships model, which was in place in the early 2000s but was scrapped by the coalition government.