Primary PE and School Sport Premium

What is the Primary PE and Sport Premium?

The Primary PE and Sport Premium is a government initiative that aims to improve the quality of physical education (PE) and sport in primary schools in England.  The initiative was introduced in 2013, and since then, schools have received significant additional PE funding to help them enhance their PE and sports provision.

In previous years, schools have evidenced the impact of the funding in their school via the reporting form.  This form was a working document that could be amended and updated throughout the year.  In 2025, the government will launch a new online digital tool to replace the current form.

This article covers in-depth what the funding is, how it can be used, how to maximise the impact of your funding, accountability, links to resources and more.

How is the Primary PE and Sport Premium used?

The Department for Education (DfE) wants to ensure that every child has equal access to high-quality physical education and a broad range of opportunities to enjoy, experience, and participate in sport and physical activity. Schools are encouraged to deliver at least two hours of high-quality PE each week, a well-rounded extracurricular programme, and chances to participate in competitive sports. The overarching aim is to boost children’s physical health and wellbeing while supporting their personal development, which can have a positive impact on academic achievement.

The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that children participate in at least 60 minutes of vigorous activity each day.  Primary schools should use the PE and sport premium funding (sometimes referred to as sports premium funding) to support children to meet 60 active minutes target. The funding must not be used for core-type school activities. Schools should use it the PE and sports premium:  

1.    Make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide

2.    Provide or improve equal access to sport for boys and girls

3.    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

Most schools with primary-aged children will receive the funding, but some are excluded, including nursery schools, studio schools, university technical schools and independent schools (excluding non-maintained special schools).

Schools have a lot of flexibility regarding how they use the Primary PE and Sport Premium, but the funding is intended to be used to improve the quality of PE.  Schools are encouraged to use the budget to best suit their needs, but they are expected to report how they have used the funding and its impact on their pupils.

5 Key areas of effective use of the PE and School Sport Premium

Schools must make the most effective use of the premium. To achieve this most effectively, spending should concentrate on enhancing five key areas to assist in:  

1. increasing confidence, knowledge and skills of all staff in teaching PE and sporting activities
2. increasing engagement of all pupils in regular physical activity and sporting activities
3. raising the profile of PE and sport across the school, to support whole school improvement
4. offer a broader and more equal experience of a range of sports and physical activities to all pupils
5. increasing participation in competitive sport

Some suggested ways (DfE) say this can be achieved is through:

• Active travel to school (walking, cycling) and active break time (playground games and equipment).
• Target less active children with specific intervention activities, e.g., lunch clubs.
• Providing equal access to activity and sport, for example, ensures both boys and girls have a football club and competitive football opportunities.
• Provide CPD for all school staff.
• Provide extracurricular activities for pupils to participate in specialist sports instruction or an increased number of sports, such as Judo or Gaelic football, which are not often taught in schools.
• Providing top-up swimming and water safety lessons for those pupils who do not meet national curriculum requirements after they have completed core swimming and water safety lessons.
• Providing specialist support to help children with additional needs to access and participate fully in PE lessons and clubs.
• Take part in inter and intra-school competitions, including house or class competitions.

What are the rules for spending?

There are some ways the PE sports premium funding cannot be used, and these mainly pertain to things schools should cover to meet the minimum requirements of the national curriculum. The aim of the funding is to build capacity and capability in the school, ensure improvements in the quality of PE, sport, and physical activity provision, and develop or add to the PE, sport, and physical activity that the school provides.  So school should be mindful of this when choosing where to apportion the funding.

Some key areas in which the funding cannot be used are as follows: 

• 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 PPA time (this should be funded from the school’s core staffing budgets)
• Teaching the minimum requirements of the national curriculum, including paying for transport to travel to swimming lessons, travel to outdoor adventure activities or other sports or activities the school was providing during the school day.
• Staff salaries – for instance, allocating your premium funding to hire someone specifically to administer the PE and sport premium, or using your entire funding allocation to employ an individual responsible for organising and conducting PE, sport, or activity sessions.
• Buying services that will be delivered or used in the future academic years (this includes paying for invoices in advance)
• Purchasing staff PE kit

Reporting and accountability: What schools need to know

Accountability remains a key part of the Primary PE and Sport Premium. Schools must demonstrate how they use the funding to achieve sustainable improvements in PE, sport, and physical activity. The purpose of the report is to demonstrate the impact of the funding on pupils in your school.

All primary schools receiving the Premium must publish details of their spending on their school website by the end of July of each academic year. This should include:

• A detailed breakdown of how the funding has been spent.
• The impact it has had on pupils’ PE and sport participation and engagement.
• How improvements are sustainable and will benefit children in the future.
• The percentage of Year 6 pupils meeting the national curriculum swimming requirements of 25 metres.

A clear, well-structured report is essential for meeting DfE requirements and communicating value to governors, parents, and Ofsted. 

Gathering and Demonstrating Evidence

Included in their reports, schools should collect and present clear evidence of impact. The Youth Sport Trust and The Association for Physical Education (afPE) created a website reporting form for schools. This form support schools in evaluating their provision, tracking pupil progress, and highlighting how funding is being used effectively and equitably. The form focuses on the 5 Key Areas discussed earlier in this article.  However this reporting method is due to change for the 2024/25 academic year.

Coming Soon: The New Digital Reporting Tool (May/June 2025)

 To streamline and strengthen accountability, the Department for Education is launching a new digital reporting tool in May/June 2025. This tool is designed to help schools:

• Record and report how the PE and Sport Premium is being spent.
• Align spending with the five key indicators more clearly.
• Demonstrate impact in a structured, consistent format.
• Save time and reduce administrative workload.

 Once launched, this tool will become essential to the reporting process, making it easier for schools to ensure they meet DfE expectations and share their achievements.

Top Tip: Review your current evidence-gathering and reporting practices and organise the necessary data and evidence so that you're prepared when the new tool goes live. To assist you in this, refer to the pilot document on which the PE digital reporting tool will be based. It covers the key metrics that schools will be required to report. Please be aware that this is a sample and is for demonstration purposes only; the final PE Premium digital reporting tool may differ.  Once launched, the tool will be available for schools to input data until July 2025.

2025 and beyond

The Primary PE and Sport Premium continues to be a much-needed source of funding for primary schools, helping to deliver high-quality PE, increase physical activity, and improve outcomes for all pupils. In 2025, schools should remain focused on making sustainable improvements, ensuring equal access, and investing in CPD. With statutory reporting requirements still in place and the new digital reporting tool launching in May/June 2025, accountability and transparency are more important than ever. By planning strategically, using evidence to demonstrate impact, and reflecting and refining on previous years, schools can ensure they are using the Premium effectively to benefit all pupils now and in the future.