Children’s obesity crisis tackled with £90m for school sport

Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out to tackle the obesity crisis with a cash boost for sports in primary schools.

The Budget will include £90 million of new money to invest in sports and PE lessons in a bid to get younger children off their sofas.

Some 1,800 primary schools will get an average of £50,000 over three years from April 2021.

In addition, secondary schools will get £270 million over three years for art lessons designed to foster creativity from an early age.

More than 500 secondary schools in London will get a share of the money.

“It’s vital to give young people in the capital and across the country every opportunity to do well in life and this starts with a well-rounded education,” said the Chancellor.

“Through supporting teachers too, this funding boost will not only enrich the lives of today’s schoolchildren but will also help the pupils of tomorrow.”

Some of the cash will fund schemes that involve trainee teachers.

More than a million pupils in London could benefit from the nationwide funding, which also meets a Conservative manifesto pledge to boost young people’s activities.

Only 47 per cent of children are active for the officially recommended minimum of 60 minutes a day.