A useful PE & School Sport funding update for MAT leaders…

It looks like the DfE has listened to some of the concerns around moving away from the Primary PE & Sport Premium.

Transition funding for 2026/27 is increasing from £100m to £150m, with eligible schools expected to receive a one-off payment of around £8,000 (median average) in the autumn.

The bigger shift, though, is the move to a new national PE and School Sport Partnerships Network from 2027.

From what I’ve read, the intention is to move towards a more joined-up model, connecting schools with local providers, coaches, facilities and National Governing Bodies, while targeting more support at pupils and schools facing the greatest barriers to participation.

There will broadly be three levels of support: a universal offer for all schools, targeted intervention where need is greatest, and the ability for schools to request support based on local need.

My initial thought? For MATs, there could be a real opportunity here to think more strategically about PE and sport across groups of schools, rather than treating this purely as individual school funding.

Guidance lands in September, allocations in October and the new network starts delivering support from April 2027.