Record number of schools achieve School Games Mark

Congratulations to every school that’s earned a School Games Mark this year. A record 10,226 schools across England have achieved the award, the highest number since it began.

The School Games Mark recognises schools that provide high-quality opportunities for children and young people to take part in PE, school sport and physical activity. Schools are assessed against a range of measures, including physical activity, inclusion, youth voice, physical literacy and opportunities to take part in competition. An Inclusive Health Check is also part of the process, helping schools consider how inclusive their offer is so no child misses out.

More than 3,000 schools achieved Platinum this year, the award's highest level. Platinum recognises schools that have earned Gold for five years in a row, reflecting a lasting commitment to PE and sport rather than a one-off effort.

Sport England funds the School Games, and the Youth Sport Trust delivers it nationally through a network of more than 450 School Games Organisers (SGOs). Here in South and West Yorkshire, we work closely with SGOs, schools and local partners to deliver the School Games, combining county-wide opportunities with local activity shaped around what schools and communities need.

Over the past year, that’s brought young people together in lots of ways. More than 900 children took part in the South Yorkshire Winter Festival, over 1,100 young people came together for the West Yorkshire Cross Country Finals, and 120 Year 4 children took on the South Yorkshire Aqua Festival, an opportunity to build confidence in the water beyond traditional competition.

Emma Lea, Events and Programmes Manager at Yorkshire Sport Foundation, said:

“As we reflect on the past year, we should be incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together as a School Games network across South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. Our strength has come from working together, sharing knowledge and keeping children and young people at the centre of everything we do.

"School Games is about far more than events. It’s about understanding the barriers young people face, building trusted relationships, and finding the right opportunity to help them take a positive step forward. Our challenge now is to build on this (watch out for our 2025/26 report soon) and make sure every young person feels included, confident, motivated and able to achieve their personal best.”

Congratulations to Youth Sport Trust, well done to all the schools, staff and young people involved, and thank you to the SGOs and PE leads who make activity part of everyday school life. If you’re thinking about taking part next year, it’s well worth a look.

Read more on the Youth Sport Trust website to learn about School Games in our region.