All children and young people should live healthy active lives. The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend that all children and young people should take part in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day, with the recommendation for disabled children and young people being 20 minutes of physical activity per day.

It is important that schools are supporting children and young people to achieve this aim. This is particularly true of primary schools where the foundations of positive and enjoyable participation in regular physical activity are embedded.

The Department for Education (DfE) wants all children to have equal access to high-quality PE provision and opportunities to experience and participate in a wide range of sports and physical activities. Schools should aim to provide high-quality PE and sport for at least 2 hours a week, complemented by a wide range of extracurricular sport and competitive opportunities. By providing this it can help improve children’s health and wellbeing, personal development as well as academic attainment.  

Schools should use the PE and sport premium funding to support children to meet 60 active minutes and achieve the above aims. This funding must not be used for core-type school activities. Schools should use it to:  

• make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide
• provide or improve equal access to sport for boys and girls
• 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