I am delighted that the Prime Minister has committed to keeping the £150 million a year Primary PE and Sport Premium, provided directly to Primary school head teachers to spend on sporting activities for pupils, until 2020
Having been an active team player myself, I know how important sport is so because it encourages children to be active, lead a healthy lifestyle, make friends and, of course, have fun. But quality school sport has benefits that spread right across the curriculum and beyond – it develops confidence and a sense of achievement, it teaches young people how to rise to a challenge, and nurtures the character and skills that will help them get on and succeed in life. Children who are not achieving academically can often find that they star in sports and every child should have access to sport in school as often it is a struggle to find the time or money to join teams outside school.
I have visited the Pompey Study Centre which runs many sports in schools and outside and is a fantastic resource in Portsmouth. We really need to encourage children and young people to get involved to make sure they deliver healthy lifestyles for the future.