The School Games Mark is a government led awards scheme which rewards and recognises a schools engagement in the School Games against a national benchmark and to celebrate keeping young people active.
Participating in this process allows schools to evaluate their school sport and physical activity provision and assists them in developing an action plan for future progress.
The outcomes of the School Games Mark and the School Games are linked. Schools will need to demonstrate how they are/have:
- Maintaining and growing your school’s engagement in the School Games and your delivery of the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) 60 active minutes for every child or 20 minutes for SEND young people.
- Delivering and engaging in competitions that has clear intent and creates positive experiences based on the motivation, competence and confidence of your young people that need the support the most.
- A clear focus on transition points (e.g. Yr 3 and Yr 6/7) and how secondary schools are engaging in the School Games.
- Supporting the personal development of targeted young people through youth engagement and leadership.
- Advocating and engaging key stakeholders on the value of the School Games to support local provision and improve the experiences for your young people and their families.
Application Window
The application window for School Games Mark will be open from 1st May to 26th July 2024.
How can I apply?
School can apply for the School Games Mark during an application window, typically during the Summer Term, via the School Games website. Schools complete a series of questions and are graded against set criteria. The School Games Mark is a retrospective award and all answers submitted should only 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 online dashboards. If you are already registered, please visit the School Games website and click the ‘Log in’ button at the top of the page to get started. If you haven’t registered yet then you can do so here.
The video below outlines the process to help schools to complete their School Games Mark.
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 (SGO) 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.
The schools who 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 do I get if I am successful?
All successful schools receive a wooden award badge to be pinned onto their School Games pennant, and a downloadable digital celebration pack which contains the following assets:
- School Games Mark logo (for use on letterheads, school website, etc)
- Certificate 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.
Need help with your application?
If you have any questions about School Games Mark or need help with your schools application please contact Lisa Hunter (l.hunter@canorwich.org)