Commenting as the government announces new standards for equal access to sports, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said:

"Sports and physical education are a vital and valued part of the school curriculum. Schools already play an important role in ensuring pupils are physically active, and it is often through school that pupils get to experience new sports for the first time. We welcome the continuation of the sports and PE premium as this has been an important funding stream to help schools deliver their sports provision. It is important that schools are now trusted to make the right decisions about how to spend this for their pupils. 
 
"It is absolutely right that there should be a strong and continued focus on equal access to sports. The ongoing success of the Lionesses has acted as an inspiration to many young people, and it is important that, as a nation, we do all we can to ensure every child and young person has the opportunity to participate in sport. Millions of girls and young women are already participating in sports through their schools and it is important we continue to build on that.
 
"However, the setting of an arbitrary target for the number of hours of sport there should be in school each week is not helpful. Schools are already dealing with a crammed curriculum and many school leaders will be questioning how they will be able to fit this in with all the other pressures they are facing. Government cannot simply keep loading more and more expectations on schools, without thinking about the bigger picture."