We are experts in the supply, installation, maintenance, servicing and inspection of sports, play and fitness equipment for schools and colleges throughout the UK.
As such, we are delighted to support the government’s recent initiative to set a new standard for school sports that will see girls and boys offered the same sports. This is an exciting development and an excellent incentive for schools to take a fresh look at how they use their Primary PE and Sport Premium for the benefit of all pupils. This new approach levels the playing field for boys and girls – every sporting opportunity available for everybody – and should help to inspire a new generation of sporting adventure and achievement.
At Sportsafe, supporting the next generation is at the core of everything we do. We are here to advise and help your school to do just that.
What is the Primary PE and Sport Premium?
The PE and Sport Premium for primary schools is a government-directed financial package designed to help schools to improve children’s health, wellbeing and personal development (as well as academic attainment) through physical activity.
The Department for Education (DfE) wants all children to have equal access to high-quality PE provision, plus opportunities to experience and participate in a wide range of sports and physical activities. It is noted that a positive attitude towards physical exercise, and the confidence to participate in activities, can be most effectively embedded in the primary years.
As a result, it is recommended by the UK’s chief medical officers that all children and young people should take part in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day, with the recommendation for disabled children and young people being 20 minutes of physical activity per day.
To facilitate the above, schools should aim to provide high-quality PE and sport for at least two hours a week, complemented by a wide range of extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities. This provision by schools will contribute to the overall aim of improving children’s health, wellbeing and personal development, as well as their academic attainment.
Using the PE and Sport Premium, schools can support children to meet the daily 60-minute physical activity target and provide other opportunities for participation in sport that would not otherwise be available.
How can Primary Schools use the Sport Premium?
The Sport Premium enables primary schools to fund their plans for complementing PE core curriculum provision with extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities for all their pupils.
Sport Premium schools need to focus their spending on making improvements in five key areas, with the purpose of 
- increasing confidence, knowledge and skills of all staff in teaching PE and sporting activities
- increasing engagement of all pupils in regular physical activity and sporting activities
- raising the profile of PE and sport across the school, to support whole school improvement
- offer a broader and more equal experience of a range of sports and physical activities to all pupils
- increasing participation in competitive sport
Here are some examples of how the Sport Premium can be optimised
examples of how the Sport Premium can be optimisedSupport for your School
The School Games Organisers (SGO) network is managed by Sport England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Sport England invests in the Youth Sport Trust (YST) to support the SGO network.
SGOs are useful contacts if you are organising competitive opportunities for young people of all abilities, from Key Stage 2 to 4. They also support the development of clubs to further access to sport for young people. Furthermore, they are employed in the recruitment, training and deployment of sports providers.
To find out more about how the SGO network could help your school, have a look at School Games programme.
Similarly, Active Partnerships (APs) is a nationwide physical activity and sport network dedicated to creating a healthier, fairer nation. APs are supported and funded by Sport England.
You can find your local AP through the Active Partnerships website.
Active PartnershipsWhat are the Restrictions on the use of the PE and Sport Premium?
There are some projects for which Sport Premium cannot be used and your school needs to be aware of these restrictions. Funding must NOT be used for:
- capital expenditure, except for goods below the de minimis value (the threshold limit value set for purchases) – items above this limit would be recognised as an asset on the school’s balance sheet
- employing coaches or specialist teachers to cover planning preparation and assessment arrangements (this should be funded from the school’s core staffing budgets)
- teaching the minimum requirements of the national curriculum or, for academies, the existing PE curriculum (teaching the curriculum should be funded through the school’s core funding)
- staff salaries – for example, using your premium funding allocation to employ someone whose role is to specifically administer the PE and sport premium, or to use your entire funding allocation to employ someone that is responsible for arranging and running PE, sport or activity sessions
- buying services that will be delivered or used in following academic years (this includes paying for invoices and subscriptions in advance)
- buying staff PE kit
Examples of what comes under capital expenditure include:
- multi-use games areas and active mile tracks
- forest school environments and Trim Trails
- buying vehicles
- fixed playground equipment, such as climbing frames
- trophy cabinets or similar
Examples of what schools should pay for from their staffing budget include:
- funding to cover teaching during the school day
- funding the cost of a teaching assistant or apprentice to deliver PE lessons instead of teaching staff
Schools should use the funding to: 
- make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide
- provide or improve equal access to sport for boys and girls
- ensure teachers have the relevant skills and knowledge to confidently teach PE in a structured way, prioritising continued professional development (CPD) and training where needed
This PE and Sport Premium funding is to provide added sports and PE opportunities and must not be used for standard core school activities.
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Focus on CPD
Government directives stress that CPD is essential to help ensure that the quality of the teaching of high-quality PE, sport and physical activity in a school is sustainable. There is specific reference to schools prioritising CPD when spending the PE and Sport premium. This includes providing staff with:
- professional development
- mentoring and support
- appropriate training
- access to external resources’
Who can access Sport Premium?
According to Gov.uk guidance, most schools with primary-age pupils receive the PE and Sport Premium. The exceptions are:
- nursery schools
- studio schools
- university technical colleges
- independent schools, except for non-maintained special schools
Schools receive PE and Sport Premium funding based on the number of pupils they have in Years 1 to 6. In cases where schools may not have set year groups (for example, in some special schools), pupils aged five to 10 attract the funding.
Payment times and amounts vary, depending on the school and academy type and circumstances. The schedules can be found at:
How to Monitor your Sport Premium
Your school leadership team is responsible for ensuring that the funding is spent appropriately and is accountable for its management. The Sport Premium must be spent within the allocated academic year and across all relevant Year groups. The next deadline for all spending and reporting is 31st July 2025.
The following sites may be helpful for efficient monitoring of your Sport Premium:
How can Sportsafe help with my Sport Premium funding?
Sportsafe is here to support you. As experts in the supply, installation, maintenance, servicing and inspection of sports, play and fitness equipment for schools and colleges throughout the UK, we are best-placed to support schools in making cost-effective decisions to enhance their sport, PE and play provision using the Sport Premium.
Give us a call now on 0333 300 0032
How much funding is your school entitled to?
*estimation of your allocated funding*
Want more information about the Primary PE & Sport Premium and how we can help you?
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