PRODUCT NEWS
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| Government expected to announce £100m school sports funding boost |
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| 13 Mar 2013 . BY Jessica Tasman-Jones |
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| The funding would provide a boost for school sports delivery |
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The government is preparing to make a major announcement on sports in schools, which could see £100m to £150m committed to the Department of Education.
Leisure Opportunities understands that media reports - suggesting that an announcement would be made this week and that the government would brief the Football Association, England and Wales Cricket Board, Lawn Tennis Association and other organisations on Thursday - are accurate.
The Premier League is also understood to be working with the government to determine how its club community projects might be used as a delivery vehicle for the new policy.
Education secretary Michael Gove was criticised in 2010 when he abolished the £162m School Sport Partnerships programme.
A recommendation for two hours of PE in schools each week was also abandoned.
Funding of £65m was reinstated following protests but is due to cease in September 2013, before the start of the next academic year.
In February Ofsted released a report recommending the government develop a national strategy on PE to harness momentum from last year's Olympics and Paralympics.
The report found more able students were not challenged sufficiently in PE, that few schools had adapted PE programmes to suit overweight and obese students and lessons often did not involve enough strenuous activity.
Martin Gallagher, chief executive of The Compass Association - the industry body looking to support and promote physical activity and sports providers working with schools and local communities - said the government's plans would be 'terrific news' for the delivery of school sport.
"If the news and papers are correct, school sport getting up to £150m of funding is fantastic and the government is to be applauded in these challenging times.
"What must be taken into consideration, however, is not to replicate the delivery mechanisms - there are other pathways to school sport delivery. While NGBs and other bodies deliver as part of Sport England's Whole Sport Plan in secondary schools, we need to ensure that these young primary school children who are the benefactors of this legacy initiative aren’t forced into a ‘sport’ that doesn’t suit them. Young children want to have fun, physical activities that are sporty - but not necessarily a specific sport.
"We must not to disengage those who are not sporty. We can ensure that by having knowledgeable, proficient, skilled providers who can connect with children to participate and have a fun sporty time.
"The TCA Membership is very well placed to work with head teachers in primary schools to deliver high quality sessions through good practise in physical activity & sport in primary schools."
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