In conjunction with the pledge in the School’s White Paper, MPs in education, music and public health have pledged their support for investment in an enriching curriculum. The investment will provide high-quality PE, sport and music provisions to tens of thousands of children.

As part of the Levelling Up agenda, £25 million of capital funding will be available to schools to buy instruments and equipment. This should help the hardest-hit subjects during the pandemic, and research by the government found that more than a third of schools replaced Music and PE with English and Maths.

Schools will be asked to offer at least 1 hour of music a week along with a dedicated music lead or head of music. The investment will include adapted instruments for pupils with special education needs and disabilities (SEND).

In line with new guidance from the National Plan for Music Education, an additional £79million will be available until 2025 for the Music Hubs programme. The investment comes as new research shows that support for these subjects can not only improve standards but contribute to their wellbeing. Both PE and Music can greatly improve a child’s cognitive development and creativity.

Alongside the £320 million PE Premium that has been confirmed for 2022 and 2023, another 11 million will be used to support the School Games Programme. The funding will be used to give children high-quality PE lessons, sports, and opportunities for inter and intra-competitions.

It’s not too late to plan your PE provision with First Step PE. Whether you’re looking for inventive enrichment opportunities from Archery to Orienteering, or need hands-on help from one of our PE Managers, we have a package to suit you.

Pick ‘n’ Mix towards all of your PE and sports targets with First Step PE!