Schools are to receive £415 million in the 2018 to 2019 academic year to help pupils benefit from healthier, more active lifestyles.
Primary, secondary and sixth-form colleges will be able to use the funding to pay for facilities to support physical education (PE), after-school activities and healthy eating.
Schools will also be able to use the new healthy pupil’s capital programme to improve facilities for children with physical conditions or support young people struggling with mental health issues.
Local authorities and larger multi-academy trusts will receive an allocation for schools and will make decisions locally on how this money is invested. Smaller multi-academy trusts (MATs), individual academies and sixth-form centres will be able to bid for grants for specific one-off projects.
Funding guarantee
The money - from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy - will be available to schools in the 2018 to 2019 financial year and more details on how the fund will be distributed will be published later this year. Government has also pledged to ensure that the amount schools receive will not fall below £415 million regardless of the funds generated by the levy.
Healthy Pupils Capital Programme
On 28 February, the DfE announced a new initiative called the Healthy Pupils Capital Programme. Money is to be handed to Local Authorities and larger Academy Trusts for one off capital build projects. The healthy pupil’s capital programme will build on the government’s plans for schools to provide a longer school day by changing the focus of the scheme to provide new facilities or improve existing ones to make it easier for a range of extra-curricular activities to be provided.
For more information, you can visit the Government website here.
