The Sports Premium is a government initiative designed to improve the quality, breadth, and sustainability of physical education (PE) and sport in primary schools. It provides additional funding each year to help schools ensure that all pupils—regardless of background or ability—benefit from high‑quality physical activity experiences. This funding is intended to strengthen PE and sport provision in ways that have a lasting impact on children’s health, wellbeing, and development. [gov.uk], [thepehub.co.uk]

Why the Sports Premium Exists

The government recognises that active, healthy children are more likely to thrive—physically, emotionally, and academically. Primary school is a crucial time in which children develop confidence in movement, fundamental physical skills, and positive attitudes toward physical activity. The Sports Premium helps schools enrich this experience, supporting pupils to lead healthy, active lives. The DfE guidance specifically states that schools should use this funding to make participation in PE and school sport easier, broaden opportunities, and embed the foundations of long‑term physical activity habits. [gov.uk]

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day, and the Sports Premium is designed to help schools support pupils in meeting this target. [gov.uk], [thepehub.co.uk]

What Schools Are Expected to Provide

The funding is intended to help schools offer:

• High‑quality PE provision, aiming for a minimum of 2 hours of taught PE per week.
• A wide range of extracurricular sport and active experiences.
• Opportunities for all pupils—including the least active—to participate in sport and physical activity.
• Positive, enjoyable early experiences that build lifelong healthy habits.

Schools must use the funding for additional provision, not to replace core curriculum activities or routine school spending. It should help schools do more and do it better—not simply maintain existing PE arrangements. [gov.uk]

How Schools Can Use the Funding

The Department for Education expects schools to focus on making sustainable, long‑term improvements. This includes work that continues to benefit pupils long after the funding has been spent. Examples include:

• Developing staff confidence and skills through high‑quality professional development (CPD).
• Expanding the range of sports and activities available to pupils.
• Increasing engagement in daily physical activity, especially for less active pupils.
• Raising the profile of PE and sport across the school.
• Supporting participation in competitive sport.

The guidance is clear that the Sports Premium must not be used for core curriculum lessons, staffing costs for statutory PE, capital building projects, or general school improvements. Its purpose is to enhance—not replace—existing provision. [twinkl.co.uk]

Accountability and Reporting

All schools must report publicly each year on how they have used their Sports Premium allocation. This includes:

• A summary of spending.
• The impact on pupils’ physical activity, PE participation, and wider outcomes.
• How improvements will be sustained over time.

Find our latest public reporting here: Sports Premium Report