Sporting and Performing Arts Opportunities for Pupils in State Schools

Lord Addington Excerpts

Monday 2nd November 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Addington]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that pupils in state schools have access to sporting and performing arts opportunities through partnerships with voluntary and community organisations.

[The Minister of State, Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions (Baroness Smith of Malvern) (Lab)]

My Lords, we want all pupils to have access to sports and performing arts at school, supporting well-being, belonging, confidence and skills such as teamwork. Voluntary and community organisations are key in broadening access. Our enrichment framework encourages schools to work in partnership with them, and the enrichment expansion programme will support 400 schools in areas of greatest need to make links. PE and school sport partnerships and the National Centre for Arts Education will further support access.

[Lord Addington (LD)]

I thank the Minister for that reply. Will she expand upon this? What are we doing to make sure that schools have the necessary testing ground or experience ground to mean that they can link with these groups outside? If you come to a sport and you do not know the basics, you are much less likely to go to an environment outside to take part in it. The same is true of the arts. What are we doing for a coherent plan to allow you to have the necessary grounding to access these groups?

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

PE remains part of the national curriculum from key stage 1 to key stage 4. There are many sports organisations at local level—clubs, often supported by their national governing bodies—which will provide young people with that start and a welcome. Through the PE and school sport partnerships, we want better to join schools with the local and national sporting organisations that will help young people get the experience the noble Lord outlines.