Sports Premium
What is the Sports Premium?
The Government has provided funding of £150 million per annum since 2013 to ‘provide new, substantial primary school sport funding’. This funding is being jointly provided by the Departments for Education, Health and Culture, Media and Sport, and will see money going directly to primary school headteachers to spend on improving the quality of sport and PE for all their children. The sport funding can only be spent on sport and PE provision in schools.
Purpose of funding
Schools will have to spend the sport funding on improving their provision of PE and sport, but they will have the freedom to choose how they do this. Possible uses for the funding include:
- Hiring specialist PE teachers or qualified sports coaches to work alongside primary teachers when teaching PE
- New or additional Change4Life sport clubs
- Paying for professional development opportunities in PE/sport
- Providing cover to release primary teachers for professional development in PE/sport
- Running sport competitions, or increasing participation in the school games
- Buying quality assured professional development modules or materials for PE/sport
- Providing places for pupils on after school sport clubs and holiday clubs.
How will Arley Primary Academy be spending the Sports Funding and who will benefit?
At our school, we believe that the money must be used so all children benefit regardless of sporting ability; that the most able children are given the opportunity to compete in advanced tournaments, that children who are not ‘sporty’ have the opportunity to try something different, and that staff have access to training opportunities and continued professional development.
End of Year Statement 2024-25
This year, the delivery of sports and PE lessons has changed with a huge positive impact. CV Life have been employed to support the delivery of PE lessons, extra-curricular sports clubs, lunch time clubs and support for staff CPD. As a result, the children across the school have accessed quality first teaching and coaching leading to better behaviour and sporting knowledge and skills. To support pupil’s well-being coaches have delivered sensory circuits, a Breakfast club for reluctant attendees and a multi-sports activity club for children with SEMH needs. In addition, children have participated in a wider variety of competitive fixtures across year groups; sporting events and festivals organised by MAT lead, CV Life competitions and also the children participated in a football competition organised by Sky Blues in the Community. The children have also competed in inter-school football matches with Stockingford Academy; both boys and girls teams from year 4-6 took part which increased the enjoyment level and developed closer links with our local MAT school.
At lunchtimes, all children have access to and have been encouraged to be more active. Coaches and staff have responded to pupil’s requests of different sports being offered; football, tennis and basketball as well as other pick-up-and play activities are all on offer. Over the year, there has been an increase of extra-curricular clubs being offered to the children increasing from 1 a week to now 6 different clubs reflecting the interests and abilities of the children from years 1-6. On average, 35% of each club was attended by Pupil Premium children and 5% are on the school’s SEN register. To enable quality lessons, clubs and lunchtime activities, much of the sports premium budget has been spent on ensuring the equipment is compliant with standards and supports the changing curriculum.
Also, this year and leading into next, we have accommodated an Apprentice Sports Coach from CV Life. The apprentice has shadowed and worked alongside the existing CV Life coach in delivering lessons and clubs across the school. In addition, the apprentice has undertaken activities within classrooms to gain TA experience and a wider understanding of the Primary curriculum. She has supported children with SEMH needs in accessing learning and has been a positive role model for girls and sport within the school.
All children in years 4-6 have been swimming for one term. The percentage of children being able to swim 25m and being confident with water safety is at 74%. Although, this is a decrease from 86% last year, there has been a significant increase in the number of children engaging with swimming lessons and only two this year have not attended due to medical issues.
