WHAT THE PRIMARY PE AND SPORT PREMIUM MEANS FOR WE ARE FORGING FUTURES

Following the government’s recent funding commitment announcement, BF Commercial Director James Craig talks about how this will affect We Are Forging Futures.

In September 2022, primary schools across England wondered if funding for sport and PE would be secured for another year. Many businesses and governing bodies selling to schools also wondered if the funding would be available to sustain or grow their networks. We Are Forging Futures, in association with British Fencing, were not as concerned about the funding or potential lack of it.

BF’s team were instead launching a new identity for the education sector named We Are Forging Futures, aligned nicely with Primary PE and Sport Premium funding. This new identity’s primary intention is personal development. It uses fencing as a vehicle to introduce personal development themes in a meaningful and active way. Aiming to identify school budgets that can benefit in improving staff and student relationships with physical activity, school sport, and PE.

In March 2023, the government announced “over £600 million across the next two academic years (2023-24 & 2024-25) for the continuation of the Primary PE and Sport Premium – a funding commitment to improve the quality of PE and sports in primary schools to help children benefit from regular activity” (Source: Association for Physical Education).

According to James Craig, Commercial Director at BF, the funding announcement is welcome news for schools and those in the eco-system that support PE, school sport and physical activity. However, We Are Forging Futures will continue to focus on evidencing the impact of its programmes that utilise other funding streams. Craig sees this announcement as an opportunity to seed fund a programmatic approach to personal development and physical literacy that schools can sustain independently of the Primary PE and Sport Premium.

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