Schools in England are to receive extra funding to open their sports facilities outside school hours in light of mounting concern over lack of provision for young people during lockdown.
On Friday morning, the Department of Education announced that £10m to “encourage pupils to be more physically active” would be included as part of a £1bn programme of school building.
The funding will be distributed by Sport England through its Active Partnerships county-level networks, which will work with local schools to identify those most in need.
The government provides £320m to primary schools for sporting provision under its “PE premium”, a figure that was only confirmed for the current school year last July. The £10m is additional to that sum but will not only be expected to help disadvantaged pupils but increase accessibility to sports for disabled children and improve facilities, including swimming pools.
On Thursday, the Guardian reported concerns over a lack of opportunities for children in the forthcoming half-term and an ongoing shortage of guidance on how schools – and associated providers in the leisure sector – could offer sport and exercise opportunities safely once lockdown measures are eased.
Alison Oliver, the chief executive of the Youth Sport Trust, welcomed the announcement but called for a “national guarantee” on after-school sport.
“It is really encouraging that this school capital investment will include funding to help improve young people’s access to sport,” she said. “We particularly welcome the opportunity for schools to invest in equipment to support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
“The additional support to open up school sport facilities outside the school day is a welcome step towards what should become a national guarantee of after-school sport for every child. It is absolutely right that areas of deprivation and where levels of physical activity are lowest should be prioritised.
“To truly help a generation in need of our support, we believe there needs to be a long-term national plan to tackle inactivity and recover young people’s wellbeing.”
Oliver’s sentiments were echoed by the leisure industry body UK Active. Its director of children and young people, Jack Shakespeare, said: “We know that 39% of community sports facilities are locked behind school gates over the holidays, while children are losing up to 74% of their cardio-respiratory fitness over the summer holiday period.
“Opening up school gates can reshape school holiday experiences for those children and young people that really need it. It is vital that progress on this initiative from the government builds on the lessons learned from our members and partners that are already activating school facilities and engaging their local communities year-round.”
