At St Mary’s, we want every child to discover the enjoyment of being active and develop the skills, confidence and enthusiasm to lead a healthy life.

Our vision, “Aspiring, Nurturing, Flourishing; together shining a light,” shapes our approach to PE and sport. We encourage children to challenge themselves, nurture their individual strengths and celebrate their achievements. Through physical activity, pupils develop teamwork, resilience and respect, learning to support one another and take pride in their progress.

What is the PE and Sport Premium?

The PE and Sport Premium is government funding provided to primary schools to make additional and sustainable improvements to PE, school sport and physical activity.

It helps schools broaden opportunities, increase participation and develop staff expertise so that improvements benefit both current and future pupils.

Transition to a new approach: 2026–27

The 2026–27 academic year is a transition year as the government moves towards a new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network. Primary schools continue to receive transitional PE and Sport Premium funding during this year.

At St Mary’s, our priority remains providing inclusive, enjoyable and varied opportunities for children to be active. We will review our provision alongside the new arrangements, building on our sporting opportunities and developing staff expertise to benefit pupils now and in the future.

Sport and physical activity at St Mary’s

Our sporting provision combines learning essential skills with opportunities to try something new, discover interests and enjoy being active together.

• PE lessons: Children develop physical skills, coordination and confidence, alongside cooperation, perseverance and an understanding of healthy lifestyles.

• Swimming, lifesaving and water safety: Pupils learn to swim and develop their understanding of how to stay safe around water, including lifesaving and safe self-rescue skills.

• Adventures at the Aquadrome: Water sports opportunities at Rickmansworth Aquadrome encourage children to try new activities, build confidence and enjoy the outdoor opportunities in our local community.

• Enrichment clubs: Sporting and physical activity clubs enable children to develop their interests, practise skills and enjoy being active beyond their PE lessons.

• Sports Week: A varied programme introduces children to different activities and celebrates fitness, participation and the enjoyment of movement.

• Active playtimes and lunchtimes: We are developing purposeful, inclusive play opportunities that help children stay active, build friendships and feel that they belong.

How we use the funding

Our PE and Sport Premium strategy focusses on:

• Developing staff expertise through training and professional development that strengthen the quality of PE.

• Increasing participation, particularly for children who are less active or face barriers to taking part.

• Broadening opportunities so that pupils experience a range of sports and physical activities.

• Supporting inclusive provision, enabling children with different needs and abilities to participate and succeed.

• Developing opportunities for competition, teamwork and personal challenge.

• Providing additional swimming and water safety support, where needed, after pupils have completed their core swimming provision.

The premium supports additional improvements to our provision. Our annual report identifies which activities are funded through the grant and how they benefit pupils.

Who benefits?

We want every child to feel that sport and physical activity are for them. This includes pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils, children developing their confidence and those ready for further sporting challenge.

We value participation, personal progress and sporting achievement. Success means children improving their skills, supporting others and finding activities they want to continue.

Our strategy and impact

We review how the funding is used and the difference it makes to pupils’ participation, opportunities and experiences. We also consider how staff development will sustain improvements over time.

Our published reports provide details of our funding allocation, expenditure, impact and pupils’ swimming and water safety outcomes.

Please see our PE and Sport Premium strategy and impact reports below.