The DfE also sanctioned any Primary PE and Sport Premium funding from the previous academic year (2019-20), that schools were unable to use due to the coronavirus pandemic, could be carried forward to utilise in the current academic year.

For 2020 to 2021, schools with 16 or fewer eligible pupils receive £1,000 per pupil and schools with 17 or more eligible pupils receive £16,000 and an additional payment of £10 per pupil.

What is the premium and how does it help?

The Primary PE and Sport Premium is a government-backed funding initiative aimed at helping primary schools across England improve their physical education and sport provisions.

The premium is designed to help children get an active start in life, supporting primary schools to improve the quality of their PE, physical activity/literacy, and sport provision so that pupils experience the benefits of regular exercise. This results in pupils becoming healthier both mentally and physically, to improve behaviour and academic achievement

What are the objectives of the premium?

The Primary PE and Sport Premium is ring-fenced and must only be spent on physical education and sport provision in schools.

The funding aims to achieve improvement in all areas of PE, from the standard of physical education to introducing health focused physical activities and after school sports. The key objectives of the premium are:

• Engage pupils in regular physical and healthy activity
• Raise the profile of PE and sport across the school as a tool for whole-school improvement
• Increase confidence, knowledge, and skills of all staff in teaching PE and sport
• Create a broader experience of a range of sports and activities offered to pupils
• Increase participation in competitive sports