PM signals school sports rethink

PM signals school sports rethink: "

Prime minister tells MPs that ministers are looking again at their decision to cut £162m a year in funding from school sports partnerships across England

David Cameron today signalled a rethink over the government's controversial decision to cut funding for school sports, telling MPs that ministers were looking again at the decision.

The prime minister said the government was talking to headteachers, and he hoped to make an announcement soon.

The apparent retreat comes amid mounting anger over the decision by Michael Gove, the education secretary, to slash £162m a year in funding from school sports partnerships across England.

The money is used to run PE classes in schools where there are no trained staff, organise sports clubs and run competitions.

Olympic champions including heptathlete Denise Lewis, javelin thrower Tessa Sanderson and cyclist Jason Queally are among 75 athletes who have written to the prime minister demanding a rethink of an 'ill-conceived' policy they claim will damage children's health.

Cameron said at prime minister's questions today: 'It does seem to me that we all have a shared interest here.

'We all want good sport in schools, we all want more competitive sport and we have all got to make sure that money is spent well.

'I think everyone accepts that not every penny was spent well in the past and there is quite a bureaucratic system.

'The culture, media and sport secretary and the education secretary are working hard on this.

'We are talking with headteachers so we can make sure that what we come up with actually works on the ground.

'I hope we will be able to make an announcement soon.'

His emollient language contrasted with last week's prime minister's questions when Cameron described the £162m programme as a 'complete failure'.

Andy Burnham, the shadow education secretary, said in a statement that the government's decision to cut funding had sparked a 'remarkable grassroots revolt'.

'In the last 24 hours, we have heard a huge change in tone on this issue from both the prime minister and Michael Gove. It seems they now admit that they got it wrong and that school sports partnerships have been a success.'

Sixty headteachers from across England wrote to the Observer to express their outrage at the cuts this week, describing Gove's move as 'an ignorant, destructive and (even in terms of coalition policy) a contradictory and self-defeating decision. It is entirely unjustified educationally, professionally, logistically and in terms of personal health and community wellbeing.'

The depth of anger among headteachers is made plain in a letter sent by the head of King Alfred's, a specialist sports college in Oxfordshire, to Gove, in which he warns that the decision will put many young people off sport for life.

Simon Spiers said there had been a year-on-year rise in both competitive and recreational sport as a result of the scheme.

'Your plans to remove the school sport programme will ensure that many young people will be 'encouraged' or forced to participate in competitive team games when they have absolutely no desire to do so.

'As a consequence the varied offer of activities such as trampolining, table tennis, badminton and dance may well disappear in many schools. This will send physical education and school sport back to the days when its role was to 'build character'.

'In other words, many, many young people will be put off from participating in any sporting activity for life.'

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