Education Secretary confirms £320 million for PE & Sport Premium for the next academic year 2020/21
The Education Secretary announced on Sunday 5th July, that all schools in England will benefit from £320 million from the PE and Sport Premium during the academic year 2020-21.
The PE and Sport Premium is designed to help children get an active start in life, supporting primary schools to improve the quality of their PE and sport provision so that pupils experience the benefits of regular exercise – from becoming healthier both mentally and physically to improved behaviour and better academic achievement.
Gavin Williamson has confirmed that funding for the PE and Sport Premium, which was doubled in 2017, will once again continue at this higher rate of £320 million next year. It builds on the ambitious School Sport and Activity Action Plan launched last year and underlines the importance of PE and sport in the Government’s manifesto.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, said:
During these challenging times, it has become clearer to me than ever the importance of keeping active and how it benefits not just our physical health but also our ability to pay attention, our mood and our mental health too.
Every family will have had a different experience of the pandemic, and I know that many children will have missed time spent outdoors with their friends – that’s why it’s so important that ahead of a full return to school in September, schools get the certainty they need to prepare their PE and sports activities for next year.
Additionally, the Department for Education also confirmed that any PE and Sport Premium funding from the current academic year (2019-20) that schools were unable to use as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, can be brought forward to use in the next academic year, giving school leaders an opportunity to develop or add to their existing provision, or to make improvements that will benefit pupils joining the school in future years.
The PE and Sport Premium is a ring-fenced grant for English primary schools to provide additional and sustainable improvements to the quality of PE, sport and physical activity.
Allocations to schools are determined by a formula based on pupil numbers. The average one form entry primary school will receive roughly £18,000 per year.
PE Grant reporting and swimming concerns:
In terms of reporting, we would also encourage schools, where possible to update their website / template as usual as good practice. The information may be incomplete, but it will help schools reflect on where they have used their PESSP this academic year and the impact it has made. If schools have not been able to deliver on previously stated objectives, this should be declared with any proposals as to ‘re-purposing’ this funding being mentioned.
With reference to the swimming reporting condition, if the year 5/6 pupils haven’t been able to complete all of their swimming tasks, this should also be stated highlighting that due to ‘Covid 19’ , the data could not be added . In essence, do not leave any blank spaces on the reporting template. Additionally, it would be prudent to advise the secondary schools that the pupils will be going too, that these children ‘didn’t’ meet the required standard and may need ‘top up’ sessions.
Wiltshire and Swindon Sport are aware that it is a difficult time for schools as they work tirelessly to support children and young people, so anything we can do to make it easier for you and your schools to embed sport and physical activity into school recovery plans, will be offered.
Full details of the announcement can be found here :
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pe-and-sport-premium-for-schools-confirmed