The new Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has pledged that girls and boys across the UK will get more access to football to build on the legacy of the UEFA Euro 2024, in which the England team made it to the finals before losing out on the trophy to Spain over the weekend.
Lisa Nandy also confirmed a review of the school curriculum to protect time for physical education (PE) and legislation to limit the number of kit items schools can require under the Keir Starmer led Labour Party government. The British Indian Cabinet minister, who was in Berlin with her boss for the Euro championships final, said the Three Lions had made the nation proud.
Nandy said: “The whole country is incredibly proud of England’s performance at Euro 2024 in reaching the final and we congratulate Spain as winners. The Three Lions have once again been a huge inspiration for our future lions and lionesses.
“We will make sure that the legacy of recent successes are genuinely felt in communities, far and wide across the country. We’re absolutely committed to making sure every child has access to the sports they love both in schools and in grassroots clubs to not just help uncover the next generation of stars but to help create a healthier nation and change lives for the better.”
She said to inspire the next generation of sports stars looking ahead to hosting UEFA Euro 2028 across the UK and Ireland, the government has set out plans to strengthen its support for grassroots football clubs and ensure that all children have access to sports at school. This will help to ensure talent thrives wherever it is found and support a healthier nation – aligning with the missions to break down barriers to opportunity and build a National Health Service (NHS) fit for the future.
According to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), grassroots football clubs are at the beating heart of communities up and down the country and the government wants to put these clubs front and centre with a commitment to continued funding for grassroots facilities. High-quality, inclusive facilities help clubs to get more people active and by backing these clubs, the government will support more people to get onto the pitch wherever they live.
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“Another barrier to children’s participation is often the need for costly branded PE kit as part of a school’s uniform policy. Whilst school uniform can play a vital role in helping set an appropriate tone for learning, instil a sense of belonging and act as a social leveller, it is clear that for many families the cost of school uniform, including PE kit, remains a financial hardship,” it said.
The government will be taking action to legislate to limit the number of items of branded uniform and PE kit that schools can require, helping reduce costs for parents and removing barriers to children accessing sport.