Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of levels of school funding on the provision of (a) physical education, (b) extracurricular sporting activities and (c) sporting facilities in secondary schools in England.

The government recognises the important role of PE, school sport and physical activity in supporting children and young people’s health, wellbeing and attainment.

Curriculum PE is funded through schools’ core budgets, which schools can allocate according to pupils’ needs. The government is investing over £1 billion in PE and school sport over the next three years, including £530 million for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network and almost £200 million to improve sporting facilities. The network will support primary and secondary schools through universal and targeted provision, including coaching, swimming and stronger links with extracurricular sport and local clubs.

The £22.5 million Enrichment Expansion Programme will support over 400 schools in the most deprived areas of England to meet the Enrichment Framework benchmarks. In addition, the ‘Every Child Can’ programme will provide £132.5 million from dormant assets for enrichment activities in schools, communities, weekends and holidays.