New Standard For School Sports

10/03/2023

Levelling the playing field for school sports

On International Women’s Day (Wednesday 8 March 2023), the Government set out new standards for equal access to sports to ensure girls and boys are offered the same sports during PE and extracurricular time in schools.

The package will help boost equal opportunities in school sport both inside and outside the classroom, delivering on promises made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan to the Women’s Euro 22 winners, the Lionesses.

This follows from the success of the Football Association’s (FA) #LetGirlsPlay campaign, which aims to change perceptions and make sure girls get the chance to play football within the school curriculum, during breaktime, after school, and at local clubs.

The campaign was launched by the Lionesses squad and the FA after the England Women’s team’s success at the Euro 22 tournament last year.

Schools that successfully deliver equal opportunities for girls and boys will be rewarded through the School Games Mark, which will assess parity of provision in PE and extracurricular sport.

Schools are also being asked to offer a minimum of two hours of curriculum PE time. The Government will provide support to schools on how to do this through the upcoming refresh of the School Sport Action Plan.

Furthermore, Ofsted will publish a report on PE in the coming months. This will inform future inspections and set out what it believes is possible in terms of offering high-quality PE and equal access to sports.

A package of cross-government funding will help boost sport and activities both inside and outside school hours. This includes the confirmation of over £600 million in funding over the next two academic years for the PE and Sport Premium, and £22 million for the School Games Organisers (SGO) network.

Commenting is Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“Last year the Lionesses’ victory changed the game. Young girls know when they take to the pitch that football is for them and, thanks to the Lionesses, they too could be a part of the next generation to bring it home for their country.

“We want schools to build on this legacy and give every girl the opportunity to do the same sports as boys, as well as provide a minimum of two hours of PE. This means every child can benefit from regular exercise and we are proud to provide them with the support needed to do so.”