School sport funding cut row

Education Secretary Michael Gove has decided to end all ring-fenced funding for sport in the state sector, prompting a rift in the Coalition and outrage from teachers.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Health Secretary Andrew Lansley are both understood to have voiced major concerns about the policy, which would threaten after school clubs and could reduce the number of trained PE teachers and sports coaches.

The cuts come as the UK prepares to host the 2012 Olympics and bid to hold the 2018 World Cup – both events which the organisers want to provide a sporting legacy.

The decision could also run counter to attempts to combat rising levels of childhood obesity in England by encouraging children to be more active.

But sources close to Mr Gove suggested freeing schools from the requirement to meet targets, and allowing them to manage their own policies, could lead to more competitive sport in schools rather than less. He is also proposing a £10m schools Olympics initiative instead.

Sports are really important for children
On a damp and dreary football pitch in Walthamstow two teams were slogging it out this morning, writes Channel 4 News reporter James Blake. It was a crucial match: the third round of the under 11s London Cup between Leyton Youth and the Red Lions. As the game heated up - word began to spread among the cold parents on the touchline that the Coalition Government was going to cut all funding dedicated to school sports. 

"Sports are really important for children its one thing that shouldn't go," one mum told me. "Especially at this age when you've got young boys who need male role models. Most of the sports teachers are men and they are the ones that they are going to lose." 

Ian McGovern, a deputy head teacher and the manager of the Leyton Youth team, said: "This is going to be a disaster for our school in particular and for schools in general. In terms of fighting obesity and promoting healthy living that is now in danger."

The Lib Dems have refused to comment on reports that Nick Clegg opposed the cuts in Cabinet. Although some in the party have insisted that the proposals are not set in stone and this is just a consultation phase. Yet the language of Michael Gove has been unequivocal: the cuts will happen and they'll save the government £162 million pounds every year. In its place the government plans an annual youth Olympics for England's future sports stars.

Back in Walthamstow this idea doesn't get much support from the parents. They want to know what will happen to the other children: the 90 per cent who do not excel at sports. "Where will be the money for them?" they ask. The match ends and everyone trudges home - to celebrate or commiserate. This is a weekend ritual for thousands of families across the country. But perhaps for not much longer. And for the record: the Red Lions beat Leyton Youth 4 - 1.

National threat

The policy threatens all 450 school sports partnerships, the network that runs school sport in local communities. The money funds PE classes where there are no trained staff as well as clubs and events.

A Facebook campaign has been launched to Save School Sports Partnerships.

Mr Gove has said that one of the reasons for the cut backs is that only one in five school children in England plays competitive sports despite the billions put into the scheme by the last government – but that remark has generated a furious response from the Schools Sports Partnership who have accused Mr Gove of being misleading.

Gillian Brunton told Channel 4 News: “They’ve spun the statistics round obviously to justify their cuts. Actually in the borough of Lambeth it’s something like 54 per cent of children taking part in competitive activity and nationally it’s a lot more than that.”

Nick Franchini, a teacher at a north London school who also runs local football teams, told Channel 4 News there was more than one side to the story.

“We would all like to see more sport in school, but as teachers we are fed up with constant government micromanaging on what we should do, so that takes this away to an extent and it is good to get down to focus on the grassroots level.

“I’ve only been teaching for five years, and I was shocked when I found out how unfit inner city school kids are.” Nick Franchini, north London teacher.

“But the big idea to replace this – the schools Olympics – is another top-down idea.”

He said some areas would be able to adapt and cut their budgets to ensure that they could continue to provide sporting facilities, but for the areas where this could not happen there was a risk the policy could impact on the health of young people.

“I’ve only been teaching for five years, and I was shocked when I found out how unfit inner city school kids are,” he said.

“Terrible diet, no exercise, computer games – it’s not a cliche, it’s frighteningly real.”

Concerns

A spokesman for the Youth Sport Trust said the move would affect “the health and wellbeing of young people and greatly reduce the sporting opportunities available to them. IT will be a massive backward step on all that has been achieved in PE and sport over the past 10 years.”

Following the tide of criticism and the concerns of Cabinet colleagues, is is understood that elements of the policy could still be re-worked.

But Children’s Minister Tim Loughton said it was the right time to look at a new approach to encourage sport in schools.

He told The Observer: “We haven’t taken this decision lightly, but it is right to now rethink the government’s approach. High-quality sport should be at the heart of growing up – that’s why we are creating a nationwide school Olympics.”