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Press Release

School sports partnerships

20 December 2010

Commenting on Michael Gove’s announcement of revised funding for school sports, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said;

“It is disappointing that the Coalition Government fails to recognise the huge success of School Sport Partnerships (SSP’s). A sure fire way of ensuring that schools are able to continue to provide a good standard of sport activities would be secure funding. That is not on offer – the temporary reprieve announced today is certainly better than nothing but it is not the solution.

“There is a great deal of talk about new directions, freedom and flexibility for school sport and of course the usual continual assertion that sports need to be competitive. Apart from the fact that the latter is stating the obvious, as most sports by their nature are competitive, it is desperately sad that SSP’s won’t be funded from next September onwards. The ‘further’ £65 million announced today will be spread over three financial years and falls far short of the £162 million annual ring-fenced funding needed to continue SSP’s at current levels.

“The Coalition Government is riding rough shod over a scheme which obviously worked effectively. We need to continue to oppose all cuts to services, including school sports, music and specialist services such as those to support the achievement of children and young people from minority ethnic backgrounds.”



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National Union of Teachers

National Union of Teachers

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