Labour plans to cut primary school sport funding in England, replacing a £320m annual grant with a £193m "sport partnerships network" for all schools. Critics fear a 40% cut, while the DfE claims additional capital funding and transition payments will mitigate the impact.
Labour's plan to scrap the £320m primary school PE and sports premium and replace it with a £193m sport partnerships network has been met with scepticism by school leaders, who warn of a 40% cut in funding and lack of clarity.
The general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers has criticised Ofsted at his union's annual conference in Belfast, saying school leaders are being pressurised "to the point of destruction". Paul Whiteman placed "the education establishment on notice" over risks to headteachers' mental health, referencing the 2023 suicide of headteacher Ruth Perry after an inspection. The NAHT had considered industrial action after a legal challenge to the new scorecard inspection framework failed, but paused this following talks with Ofsted and the Department for Education.
A poll indicates that two-fifths of school leaders in England are cutting support for children with special educational needs due to a long-standing financial crisis. Many are reducing teaching assistants and support staff, with further cuts anticipated.
