The School Games Mark is a government led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to the development of competition across their school and into the community. Participating in this process allows schools to evaluate their PE provision and assists them in developing an action plan for future progress.
The application window for the 2021/22 School Games Mark is open from Wednesday 04 May to Wednesday 27 July 2022. You can download the criteria for the School Games Mark by CLICKING HERE.
How can I apply?
Schools already registered on the School Games website (www.yourschoolgames.com) are eligible to apply once a year during an application window, which traditionally takes place during the summer term, and are graded against set criteria. The School Games Mark is a retrospective award and all answers submitted should consider the current academic year, i.e. the current term and the two previous terms.
Applications are made via a short form available to all registered schools through their dashboards on the School Games website (www.yourschoolgames.com). If you are already registered please click the ‘Log in’ button at the top of the page to get started. If you’re not registered or are unsure of whether your school has been involved previously, please use the school search on the right-hand side to locate your school on our website.
How is my award confirmed?
When an application is submitted to us, it is graded automatically against that year’s criteria. This initially determines whether the application is likely to be at a bronze, silver, or gold level. The application is then either verified by that school’s local School Games Organiser (Jon Osborne) or is picked for a validation visit by an external auditor. The auditors randomly select a small cohort of schools each year to ensure that the information being provided is correct.
Those schools which consistently submit gold level applications will be given the opportunity to additionally apply for the platinum award, which is then valid for two years. A full set of guidance documents on the School Games Mark are available to all registered users via the resource library on their dashboard.
What are the key criteria?
Each School Games Mark application is divided into four sets of questions. They cover the following basic topics…
- Participation – how many young people at your school are being engaged in sporting activity?
- Competition – how many different sports are being played and how many competitions are being entered?
- Workforce – how many pupils are involved in leadership activities alongside taking part in competitions?
- Clubs – how many local links does your school have with clubs or establishments from the area?
What do I get if I am successful?
All successful schools receive a Digital Celebration Pack. This contains the following:
- School Games Mark logo – available in multiple formats for use on letterheads, school website etc.
- Certificate – available for you to display proudly at your school
- Celebratory GIF – which you can share on social media to further celebrate your success
- Draft press release – which you can customise and share with the local media
Schools who receive either the gold or platinum awards will also receive a plaque to display at their school.
