More Than 10K Schools Achieve National Award for Commitment to PE, Sport and Physical Activity
A record-breaking 10,226 schools across England have this year achieved a School Games Mark, recognising their commitment to providing high-quality opportunities for children and young people to take part in PE, school sport and physical activity.
Delivered by the Youth Sport Trust through the School Games Organisers network, the School Games programme is a national model designed to put physical activity and school sport at the heart of schools, providing young people with the opportunity to learn through physical activity and competition to achieve their personal best.
The School Games Mark recognises the eligible schools putting this into practice, assessed against a range of measures including physical activity, inclusion, youth voice, physical literacy and opportunities for children to take part in competition. An Inclusive Health Check also forms part of the process, helping schools consider how inclusive their provision is for all pupils, so no child misses out.
In 2025/26, more than 3,000 schools achieved Platinum, the highest level of the award, recognising schools which have achieved Gold for five consecutive years and demonstrated a sustained commitment to developing their PE and sport provision.
More than half of schools in the North East and North West of England achieved a School Games Mark Award this year, making them the strongest regions for overall uptake and engagement. The North East also stands out for its achievement at Platinum level, with the highest proportion of Platinum awards per school than any other region.
Ali Oliver MBE, Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, said: “More than 10,000 schools achieving a School Games Mark, our highest ever level of engagement, is a significant milestone. Following the Children’s Commissioner’s recent report that showed stark inequalities in children’s experiences depending on where they grow up, it is wonderful to see the commitment of school staff, and the national network of School Game Organisers giving more children, particularly those facing the greatest inequalities the opportunity to have fun, be active and develop physically, socially and emotionally through the context and power of sport
“While schools alone cannot address the huge challenges facing so many young people, the evidence is clear play, sport and physical activity help give children opportunities to build confidence, form friendships and feel part of their school and local community. We also know positive childhood experiences are fundamental to an active life, success in the classroom, and those who have been involved in positive activities like sport in their youth reflect on this as an important contributor to their future career.
“The School Games Mark provides a brilliant opportunity for schools to benchmark their sport and physical activity enrichment offer and identify ways to make it more inclusive, intentional and young people-centred.
“I would personally like to congratulate and thank every school achieving any level of this award – they are showing a commitment to making inclusive and engaging enrichment a central part of school life and valuing the development of the whole child. It is also the perfect moment to celebrate the School Games Organiser network who work tirelessly to support schools and working with the Active Partnership network connect local communities through the power of sport, and the National Governing Bodies which support this programme so wonderfully. Achieving the 10,000 milestone has been a real team effort. “
The School Games is funded by Sport England and delivered through a national network of more than 450 School Games Organisers, working locally with schools, Active Partnerships and National Governing Bodies of Sport.
