School Awards

Active School of the Year

Finalists for 2025:

Peacehaven Heights Academy WINNERS

St Peter and St Paul CE VA Primary School, Bexhill-on-Sea

Mile Oak Primary School

Finalists for 2024:

Little Common School, Little Common WINNERS
Goldstone Primary School, Brighton
Leechpool Primary School, Horsham

Finalists for 2023:

St Peter & St Paul C E (VA) Primary School, Bexhill-on-Sea WINNERS
Southwater Junior School in Southwater
Thomas a Becket Junior School, Worthing

Eligibility: for schools and/or education establishments catering for pupils in KS1 – KS4.

The Active School of the Year uses PE, sport, and physical activity as a tool across the school to improve pupil attendance, attainment, behaviour, and parent/carer engagement, and nominations will demonstrate this.

They should detail how a well-sequenced, broad, and balanced PE curriculum is delivered through high-quality PE lessons to all pupils every week, where positive pupil behaviours are developed, and progression in motor competence and knowledge is effectively assessed.

A diverse range of extra-curricular sport/activity clubs are offered throughout the day, with some dedicated to attracting less active pupils and/or demographics who have previously been identified.

Further opportunities are offered to all pupils to help them reach 60 minutes of physical activity each day, e.g. active lessons (non-PE), active break times, and active travel.

The school has active links with local clubs, facilities and community organisations.

Opportunities for pupils and families to be active beyond the school day are supported and promoted to pupils and parents/carers who know how being physically active can support their wellbeing.

Pupil voice is regularly and effectively collected and acted upon to ensure all pupils have positive physical activity experiences.

Quality Start – Giving Recognition to PE and School Sport at KS1

Achievements 2025

Platinum Plus
Little Common School – Outstanding
Leechpool Primary School
Polegate School – Outstanding
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School
Broadwater C of E Primary School
Thomas A’ Becket Infant School
Durrington Infant School
Arundel Church of England Primary School
South Bersted C of E Primary School

Platinum
Palatine Primary School
Whytemead Primary School

Gold
Bolnore Village Primary School
Pashley Down Infant School

Silver
Goldstone Primary School
Tweseldown Infant School

The process:

This award recognises and rewards schools’ commitment to PE, School Sport and Healthy and Active Lifestyles.

Schools self-assess against set criteria and grade themselves as a Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, or Platinum Plus level.

A member of the Quality Start Team will then validate the application and award a glass plaque, certificate and logo according to the level achieved.

School Games Mark

Platinum award winners 2024/25

Arundel CofE Primary School
Ashurst Wood Primary School
Barns Green Primary School
Battle and Langton Church of England Primary School
Bolnore Village Primary School
Broadwater CofE Primary School
Brunswick Primary School
Chesswood Junior School
Coldean Primary School
Cottesmore St Mary’s Catholic Primary School
Crawley Down Village CofE
Downs Junior School
Elm Grove Primary School
Felbridge Primary School
Frant Church of England Primary School
Georgian Gardens Community Primary School
Gossops Green Primary
Handcross Primary School
Harbour Primary and Nursery School
Harlands Primary School
Leechpool Primary School
Lindfield Primary Academy
Little Common School
Little Horsted Church of England Primary School
Loxwood Primary School
Maidenbower Junior School
Mark Cross Church of England Aided Primary School
Northgate Primary School
Orchards Junior School
Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Primary School
Parkside Community Primary School
Polegate Primary School
River Beach Primary School
Sandown Primary School and Nursery
Shipley CofE Primary School
St Augustine’s CofE Primary School
St Margaret’s CofE Primary School
St. Mark’s CofE Primary School
St Oscar Romero Catholic School
St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary School
St Peter’s Catholic Primary School
The Regis School
Thomas A Becket Junior School
Twineham CofE Primary School
Woodlands Meed

The awards:

The School Games Mark is a government-led awards scheme launched in 2012 to reward schools for their commitment to developing competition in their schools and communities.

Participating in this process allows schools to evaluate their PE provision and assists them in developing an action plan for future progress.

The School Games Mark can only be achieved if the school is registered to take part in the Schools Games (www.yourschoolgames.com).

afPE Quality Mark (Association for Physical Education)

Awards June 2024

The following Sussex schools have been awarded the afPE Quality Mark with Distinction (for a period of 3 years):

What is it?

The afPE Quality Mark is a prestigious award that will evidence the strength and quality of Physical Education, School Sport, and Physical Activity (PESSPA) in your school. It will raise the profile of the subject and the school, both locally and nationally, and will promote the outstanding work that is being undertaken daily.

The afPE Quality Mark is a unique self-review and evaluation process that involves the completion of an application form and a school visit by one of afPE’s validation teams of highly qualified school improvement professionals.

Your validator will support you through the process (via telephone and email support) and will conduct a school visit as part of the award.

There are three application windows every year, and schools should allow themselves up to three months to complete the application.

Youth Sport Trust Quality Mark

What is it?

An online self-review tool accessible through a dedicated website, to help reflect on all aspects of your PE and extra-curricular offer and encourage a thorough analysis of practice.

The YST Quality Mark is a developmental tool that allows schools to review their provision across identified areas thoroughly. It can be completed up to three times a year, providing opportunities for schools to continually develop and review their provision and receive recognition for this as the year progresses. The action planning guidance tailored to the school’s response to each question supports schools in doing this.

Particularly at gold level it is a badge of honour. It demonstrates the value the school places on its provision and reflects the whole school approach and commitment to providing a high-quality physical education, school sport and physical activity offer for all pupils.

The tool comprises a series of questions in five sections:

Section 1: Overall – vision, leadership and management

Section 2: High-quality physical education

Section 3: High-quality school sport

Section 4: High-quality physical activity

Section 5: Using PE, school sport and physical activity to drive whole school improvements