The government has committed to funding the primary school Sports Premium up until 2020 – an investment worth £750 million.
The pledge, which is dependent on the outcome of the next General Election, would see the existing £150 million a year initiative continued for the duration of the next Parliament.
Prime minister David Cameron has also announced that an additional £11 million is to be invested into the National School Games to help fund School Games Organisers across England – it is the fifth academic year that this funding has been made available.
Elsewhere, primary schools have until March 24 to submit applications to the £18 million Primary Spaces fund set up late last year to improve outdoor spaces for school sport.
The Sports Premium is a key part of the government’s Olympic Games legacy work and is ring-fenced funding for primary schools.
Schools with 17 or more pupils getting £8,000 a year plus a £5-per-pupil supplement, while schools with 16 or fewer pupils get £500 per-child. The funding is worth £9,250 a year to an average-sized primary school with 250 children.
The initiative was first announced in 2013 and was to run for two years. Chancellor George Osborne announced last year that it would be extended to 2016.
However, prime minister David Cameron made this new pledge last month as part of attempts to secure the London 2012 legacy. It also signalled that school sport will form an important part of the Conservative Party’s 2015 General Election campaign.
Mr Cameron said: “Sport is so important because it encourages children to be active, lead a healthy lifestyle, make friends and, of course, have fun.
“But quality school sport has benefits that spread right across the curriculum and beyond – it develops confidence and a sense of achievement, it teaches young people how to rise to a challenge, and nurtures the character and skills that will help them get on and succeed in life.
“It's an important part of our long-term plan to deliver the best schools and skills for young people. That is why I am committing to guarantee the primary school sports funding until 2020.”
Schools have so far spent the Premium on a variety of projects, including CPD for teachers, expert coaching for pupils, inter-school competitions, after-school clubs and to buy better equipment.
Other focuses have included improving sport for SEN children and delivering holiday or weekend activities.
School Games
Meanwhile, the national School Games, organised by the Youth Sport Trust, has received an £11 million investment to fund School Games Organisers across the country.
The Games are open to both primary and secondary schools and run at four levels – in-school, inter-school, county or area, and the National School Games themselves.
To date over 14,000 schools have signed up to the School Games website, and over 90,000 young people have taken part.
For details, visit www.yourschoolgames.com
Facilities Fund
Elsewhere, more details have been published of the £18 million Sport England fund that was announced late last year to help primary school improve their outdoor spaces.
The Primary Spaces fund is Lottery-funded and is open for applications, with selected schools possibly getting as much as £30,000.
Schools with little or no outside space will get priority and the aim of the projects must be to improve sports facilities to benefit both pupils and the wider community.
Sport England states: “The school must be able to show it has little or no outdoor space which can currently be used for PE and sports sessions, but that there is capacity for improvement. For example, a school may have a concrete playground that could be turned in to a multi-sport area. The school needs to demonstrate a commitment to PE and sport.”
Sport England has published a prospectus and assessment criteria and expects schools’ applications to address three key areas: need within the school, impact on PE and sports activities, and added value to pupils and the community.
As well as helping provide sports facilities, staff and volunteers at successful schools will receive support on how best to use the new facilities and equipment to help children get active.
The fund is open for applications up until March 24, with decisions to be announced in July. For details, visit www.sportengland.org/funding/our-different-funds/primary-spaces/