FEATURE FOCUS: FUNDING
Invest in fitness equipment to successfully build a fitness legacy with the PE and Sport Premium
The Government chose International Women’s Day to commit £600 million over the next two years in the continuation of the PE and Sport Premium for primary schools.
W
ith a two-year commitment pledged to the PE and Sport Premium for primary schools, it’s time to invest wisely and maximise the opportunity to help children develop healthy habits for life. Whether it is raising participation rates for girls or encouraging the most reluctant pupils to exercise, breaking down barriers is the key to a more active school community. In our second feature looking at funding this month, outdoor gym specialist Daniel Goddard, divisional manager for Sunshine Gym, explains how investing in inclusive playground equipment can help more children get active – and build a legacy of fitness for life.
April 2023
It took the opportunity to pledge equal access to sport for both girls and boys, along with a minimum standard of two hours of PE a week, after the Lionesses wrote an open letter to the Government following their Euro triumph in July last year calling for transformational change. ‘Huge boost to level the playing field for the next generation of Lionesses’ is a great headline. It’s clear the changes made to the PE and Sport Premium guidance in November, with a keener focus on inclusivity, were quite purposeful. Finding activities which interest pupils of all genders is, however, only part of the battle to improve the quality of PE so more children benefit from participation in physical activity. To create inclusive opportunities in sport and PE issues such as confidence building, social inclusion and enjoyment also need to be addressed.
Activities need to be adaptive and responsive to individual needs, strengths and interests. At Sunshine Gym we design outdoor gyms to support activities that are accessible and engaging, bringing pupils together to motivate and encourage each other while also allowing them to work out at their own speed and pace without intimidation.
Investing in outdoor fitness equipment using
www.education-today.co.uk 29
the PE and Sport Premium is an effective way to not only meet the aims of the funding but to fully embrace the spirit of the scheme by providing a lasting, sustainable legacy.
Tackling inequalities
In its annual report into PE and School Sport in England last year (2022), the Youth Sport Trust warned that existing inequalities were widening, having a negative impact on the physical, emotional and social wellbeing benefits that come from sport and physical activity. It said children from poorer backgrounds face
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
