Prime Minister David Cameron is today expected to confirm that funding for Primary Physical Education and the government's Sport Premium scheme will be continued throughout the course of the next parliament - securing the current level of funding until 2020.
The announcement will mean that the government is committing a total of £750m in school sport - continuing an earlier pledge to invest £150m a year in PE up to 2016.
Baroness Sue Campbell, Chair of the Youth Sport Trust, said the government had made an "incredible commitment" and the funding would provide an unique opportunity to "transform PE" in primary schools across the country.
She added: "With this investment we should have absolute confidence that physical literacy is embedded within all primary schools.
"For some time now we have called for a long term strategy for PE and sport that will allow schools the security to plan for sustainable improvements in the quality of PE teaching in primary schools.
"If we are to develop excitement, enthusiasm and passion for sport and physical activity amongst young people then we must offer them a high quality PE and sport experience from an early age.
"I would strongly recommend that head teachers carefully consider how this funding could best impact on their pupils through a rounded PE, physical activity and wellbeing strategy. As a first step, I would encourage them to invest in up skilling their teaching workforce."
Compass, the trade association for sport and physical activity providers, also welcomed the news.
CEO Martin Gallagher said: "The extension of this funding is fantastic for schools, and more importantly for the children who will benefit from extra sports and physical activity during lesson time.
"We understand that many schools do not have the necessary facilities or expertise to carry out quality physical activity classes, so this funding will enable them to invest in the use of external providers to ensure first class sports provision."
Gallagher also invited the government to further collaborate with the association to ensure that external sports provision is properly regulated.
"Compass and its members are committed to improving standards and best practice of external, non-teaching specialists who deliver services in schools and the wider community," he said. "We do this by working with other stakeholders, primarily the Association for Physical Education to help raise the quality of school sport and physical activity.
"With this extra funding available, it is crucial that we make sure schools and children benefit from it – and that the opportunity isn't lost due to schools investing in poor services and equipment."
