YSF at Sheffield PE Conference

Wednesday 23 September saw the annual Sheffield PE Conference take place at Hillsborough Stadium, bringing together education leaders and PE professionals from across the city.

A key date in Sheffield's education and sport calendar, the conference provides an excellent opportunity to kick off another fantastic year of PE, school sport and physical activity opportunities in Sheffield. The event welcomed primary and secondary schools, headteachers, senior leaders and PE leads, creating a valuable platform for networking, collaboration and shared learning.  This year's conference was extended to include secondary school senior leaders and heads of department, enabling even more schools to benefit from the insights, expertise and opportunities on offer.

The day was attended by over 150 delegates, with attendees not only from education settings themselves but also from the local authority, physical activity providers and individuals who recognise the value of physical activity in educational settings.

The first keynote speaker of the day was Richard Caborn, who served as Minister for Sport between 2001 and 2007. During his time in government, Richard played a pivotal role in establishing the School Sport Partnership network, helping to transform the landscape of PE and school sport across England.  Drawing on his experience, Richard spoke candidly about the vision behind the programme, the challenges involved in its development and the lasting impact it has had on young people's opportunities to be active. He also reflected on the important role that sport and physical education continue to play in supporting wider government priorities, including health, education and community wellbeing. A passionate advocate for PE and school sport, Richard highlighted the need for continued investment and collaboration to ensure that future generations can benefit from high-quality opportunities to participate, develop and thrive through physical activity.

There was strong representation from Yorkshire Sport Foundation, with YSF Development Manager for Children and Young People (CYP), Adam Fuller delivering a thought-provoking session on the importance of creating inclusive environments where every pupil can thrive. The National data shows that only 25% of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) regularly participate in PE and school sport opportunities at the same level as their non-disabled peers. They can also face additional barriers to accessing physical activity opportunities beyond the school day. This highlights the importance of adopting a whole-school approach to inclusion, ensuring that every young person feels valued, supported and able to take part in PE, school sport and physical activity regardless of their needs or abilities.  Adam reflected on the day and said:

"It is a pleasure to continually support the Sheffield PE and School Sport network with the delivery of their PESSPA Conference again for 2026.

"Yorkshire Sport Foundation continue to take great value in our partnership with the Move More Education Group and the hard work and dedication of the School Sport Partnerships across Sheffield.

"At a time of significant national developments in PE and school sport, this event provided a valuable opportunity to bring schools and partners together around a shared commitment to children and young people. With pupils, staff and schools at the heart of discussions, there was a particular focus on supporting those who face the greatest barriers to being active and ensuring they have equal opportunities to benefit from physical activity and sport."

The morning session concluded with an update from the Chief Executive of the Association for Physical Education (afPE), Kate Thornton-Bousfield, who joined delegates online to outline recent government policy developments. Her presentation covered proposed changes to the National Curriculum, updates to Primary PE and Sport Premium funding, and emerging opportunities through new School Sport Networks being developed across the country.

Following this, YSF Education and School Sport Officer, Alex Ogden helped schools consolidate their learning by exploring what these national developments mean in practice. Through practical examples and discussion, delegates gained a deeper understanding of how policy changes can be translated into meaningful action within their own school settings.

The remainder of the day offered a range of workshops tailored to schools' individual development needs. Delivered by a variety of partners and sector colleagues, the sessions provided valuable insights, practical tools and examples of effective practice, enabling attendees to leave with ideas and inspiration to support the ongoing development of PE, school sport and physical activity within their schools.