What action has the Minister taken to improve physical education facilities in schools across Wales?
Ensuring our educational facilities support the health and wellbeing of our children and also that of the local community, has always been a key aim underpinning investment through the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. Local authorities and other delivery partners are actively encouraged to think innovatively about the provision of physical education facilities in their investment proposals.
We expect all proposals that receive funding support to include improvement to the physical assets at their schools. Investment cases are tested through a robust business case which includes scrutiny by Welsh Government sports policy colleagues, who also liaise with Sports Wales, to ensure that they join up with wider Welsh Government ambitions for sport. This has already resulted in the provision of excellent sporting facilities which have benefitted all age groups.
The Welsh Government has provided £10.1m to Sport Wales in 2023-24 to deliver its Programme for Government commitment to invest in elite and community sports facilities. One of the investment streams is a collaborative fund for artificial grass pitches. The fund is managed by Sport Wales, the Welsh Rugby Union, Hockey Wales, and the Football Association of Wales and is invested in community and school-based projects.
Our Community Focused Schools Capital Grant, which will see, £60m invested by end of financial year 2025, is providing our local authorities with funding support to make their school facilities accessible not only for the pupils but also the local community. Almost 30% of this funding is specifically targeted to deliver and improve a wide range of indoor and outdoor physical education facilities.