PE and Sport Premium Changes
If you run a primary school or a children’s activity business, one word probably landed in your inbox this week and made your stomach drop:
Scrapped.
The PE and Sport Premium is being scrapped. That’s true.
But the story most people are telling about it isn’t the full one.
Before the noise takes over, here’s the calm, clear version of what’s actually happening, what it means for schools and providers, and how you can prepare.
What Is Changing to the PE and Sport Premium?
On 21 May 2026, the government announced that it will replace the PE and Sport Premium with a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network, which will be fully operational from Spring 2027.
Understanding the Funding
The headline figures are important because they’re often misunderstood.
The government has committed more than £1 billion to school sport over the next three years, made up of:
- £580 million for the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network
- Almost £200 million to improve school sport facilities
- £100 million in transitional funding for primary schools
Has School Sport Funding Been Cut?
Not exactly.
The funding hasn’t disappeared, and in headline terms there is actually more money being invested in school sport overall.
However, there is an important distinction.
The existing PE and Sport Premium provides approximately £320 million per year directly to schools, allowing them to decide how the money is spent.
The new Partnerships Network funding equates to less than £200 million per year, and schools will no longer receive this funding directly.
Instead, support will be coordinated through a national delivery model working with governing bodies and local partners.
The key change isn’t that funding has disappeared. It’s that the route to accessing support is changing.
What Will Replace the PE and Sport Premium?
The new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network will offer two main types of support.
Universal Support
Every school will have access to:
- Online training
- Resources and guidance
- On-demand professional development
Targeted Support
Additional support will be directed towards schools and children who need it most, including:
- Expert and quality-assured coaches
- Swimming catch-up programmes
- Additional extracurricular opportunities
- Targeted interventions for underrepresented groups
A Return to School Sport Partnerships?
For many education professionals, this model will feel familiar.
The approach closely resembles the School Sport Partnerships that operated in the early 2000s.
According to Ofsted, those partnerships helped improve:
- Participation in sport and physical activity
- Access to opportunities
- Relationships between schools and community clubs
The government appears to be rebuilding elements of that model in a more structured, nationally coordinated way.
What Do These PE and Sport Premium Changes Mean for Schools?
Schools are moving from a system where they controlled a dedicated budget to one where support is coordinated through a wider network.
For some schools, that may feel like a loss of flexibility.
For others, it may provide access to expertise and opportunities that were previously difficult to source independently.
Regardless of perspective, every school will need to adapt.
Actions Schools Should Take Now
1. Use Existing PE and Sport Premium Funding Effectively
The current funding rules remain in place.
Schools should:
- Spend remaining funding appropriately
- Focus on sustainable impact
- Ensure reporting requirements are completed before 31 July
2. Review Your Current Provision
Create a clear picture of:
- Clubs currently offered
- External providers used
- Areas of strongest impact
- Services that may need protecting during the transition
3. Explore Future Facilities Opportunities
The new facilities funding could help schools:
- Improve accessibility
- Upgrade sports facilities
- Increase participation opportunities
- Better support children with SEND
What Does This Mean for Children’s Activity Providers?
For activity providers, sports coaching companies, and childcare organisations, the landscape is changing too.
If your business relies heavily on schools purchasing services directly through PE and Sport Premium funding, the route to market will look different from Spring 2027.
However, the government’s announcement does not remove providers from the picture.
In fact, coaches, clubs and external partners remain central to the new model.
How Providers Can Prepare
Strengthen Quality Assurance
Ensure you can clearly demonstrate:
- Safeguarding compliance
- Staff qualifications
- Quality assurance processes
- Impact reporting
Build Strong Local Relationships
Focus on developing partnerships with:
- Schools
- Sports clubs
- Local authorities
- Community organisations
Improve Your Reporting and Evidence
Schools and network partners will increasingly favour providers who can demonstrate measurable outcomes through:
- Attendance data
- Participation figures
- Impact reports
- Progress tracking
The providers who thrive under the new model are likely to be those who can clearly evidence the value they deliver.
The SEND Opportunity That Deserves More Attention
One of the most important parts of this announcement has been overshadowed by the word “scrapped.”
SEND Is a Major Focus of the New Model
The government’s plans place significant emphasis on improving access for children with SEND.
This includes:
- Facility improvements designed to increase accessibility
- Targeted support aimed at children who are least likely to participate
- Greater focus on inclusion within school sport and physical activity
Why This Matters
Schools are seeing increasing numbers of children with:
- SEND requirements
- Behavioural challenges
- Additional support needs
This isn’t simply a compliance exercise.
It’s an opportunity to create genuinely inclusive physical activity experiences for children who often benefit from movement, sport and structured activity the most.
The Biggest Lesson: Start Preparing Now
Major changes in education funding always create uncertainty.
But they also create opportunities.
The organisations that succeed through transitions like this are rarely the loudest voices.
They’re the ones that:
- Prepare early
- Build strong partnerships
- Stay informed
- Focus on outcomes for children
Schools, providers, governing bodies and community organisations all share the same goal:
Helping children become more active, healthier, happier and more engaged.
The smartest approach is not to debate the old system endlessly, but to start preparing for the new one.
How All Incompass Can Help
At All Incompass, we work alongside childcare providers, activity providers, schools and local authorities every day.
Our platform was built to reduce administrative burden, improve compliance, and help organisations demonstrate their impact more effectively.
As these funding changes approach, we’re helping schools and providers:
- Understand what is changing
- Prepare for the transition
- Improve reporting and evidence collection
- Demonstrate impact and outcomes
- Build systems that support future funding requirements
Speak to Our Team
If you’d like a plain-English explanation of what these changes mean for your organisation, we’d be happy to help.
Book a short briefing or a demo with our team.
No jargon. No hard sell. Just practical advice on what happens next.