Additional funding allocated for PE and sport provision

The government has announced that additional funding is to be made available to schools to help them improve the quality of their PE and sport provision.

The Department for Education has confirmed that the PE and Sports Premium will be doubled from £160 million to £320 million, with details of the individual allocations announced on a school-by-school basis.

This step is being taken in response to a growing awareness of the vital role that healthy eating, physical activity and sport can play not only in helping to tackle childhood obesity, but also in improving pupils' behaviour, attendance rates, concentration and attainment.

According to government guidance, the purpose of the new funding is to ensure students are able to engage in physical activity on a regular basis, while raising the profile of PE and sport on a school-wide basis, offering a wider variety of activities and providing staff with the necessary expertise they need to support these efforts.

As such, it is recommended that the funds be spent on teacher training programmes or fresh hiring initiatives, as well as inter-school partnerships and targeted initiatives aimed at the least active students.

Alongside the doubled PE and sport premium, an extra £100 million will also be added to the Healthy Pupils Capital Fund, which will help to increase and improve access to and use of relevant facilities such as kitchens, dining areas, changing rooms and sports centres.

Public health minister Steve Brine said: "Investing in school facilities such as sports halls, playgrounds, kitchens and dining facilities will undoubtedly make a significant difference to children's health across the country.

"The school environment is critical in shaping a healthy lifestyle, which is why we are using the money from the soft drinks industry levy to double the PE and sport premium."