Labour government abolishes primary school sport premium in major funding overhaul

The UK Labour government, through the Department for Education (DfE), has confirmed the abolition of the £320m annual PE and sports premium for primary schools in England. Established in 2012 following the London Olympics to support physical education in primary institutions, the direct grant will be scrapped and replaced by a new “sport partnerships network”. This replacement scheme, valued at £193m annually, will be shared between primary and secondary schools, marking a significant restructuring of how physical activity is funded in state education.

The transition to the new model is scheduled to be fully operational by spring 2027, with a full rollout expected by September 2027. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated that the change aims to increase physical activity for all children, regardless of their background, ability, or school location. The DfE indicated that a delivery partner would be appointed to provide a mixture of universal and targeted support, which may include top-up swimming lessons, online training, and increased extra-curricular opportunities.

However, the announcement has been met with immediate scepticism from school leaders, who have highlighted the complexity and lack of clarity surrounding the new initiative. Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, described the removal of an established funding stream for a less clear alternative as potentially detrimental, particularly for primary schools. He warned that the change appeared to be a funding cut disguised as an initiative to boost sports, which could have the opposite effect on student engagement.

Leora Cruddas, chief executive of the Confederation of School Trusts, echoed these concerns, noting that the lack of clarity was unhelpful for schools that had already made plans for the upcoming academic year. She urged the government to delay implementation until September 2027 to allow for proper planning, especially given that the new funding scope now includes 3.6 million secondary school pupils at a significantly reduced annual budget.

The shift represents a 40 per cent reduction in comparable funding for primary schools, although the government has earmarked additional capital funding of less than £200m for improving sports facilities, separate from operational costs. This move follows internal government battles earlier in the year, where the Department of Health and Social Care sought to end its £60m annual contribution, and the DfE reportedly sought to cut £60m from its own share. The Youth Sport Trust acknowledged the short-term challenges but welcomed the protection of dedicated funding for children’s development, urging stakeholders to work together through the transition.