Government row breaks out over plan to cut spending for PE in England’s schools

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Jessica Elgot Deputy political editorJanuary 27, 2026 at 07:34 PM

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A dispute has arisen between government departments in England over proposed cuts to physical education (PE) funding in schools. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) initially planned to eliminate its £60 million contribution by 2026/27, but ministers have reportedly overruled the cuts and are intending to restore the funding. The Department for Education (DfE) is also considering reducing its PE budget by a further £60 million. These proposed cuts, occurring amidst rising concerns about childhood inactivity and obesity, threaten plans to guarantee at least two hours of PE per week and undermine commitments to increase access to sports for schoolchildren. Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the prime minister, is expected to mediate the dispute.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Uefa Women’s Euro 2025 30% Department for Culture, Media and Sport 30% Sport England 40% Youth Sport Trust 40% Darren Jones 50% Wes Streeting 60% Keir Starmer ×270% England 70% Department of Health and Social Care ×590% Department for Education ×590%

Keywords

physical education 100% school funding 90% government spending cuts 80% department of health and social care 70% department for education 70% childhood obesity 60% inactivity among children 60% sports in schools 50% curriculum review 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.40

Source Transparency

Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

England

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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physical education school funding government spending cuts department of health and social care department for education childhood obesity inactivity among children sports in schools curriculum review

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