Morning, Thursday, 4th December 2025
Online
This conference will examine the future of the PE curriculum and priorities for sports provision for children and young people in England.
Bringing together stakeholders and policymakers, it comes with the Prime Minister’s recent announcement of a new, national approach to school sport, aiming to improve consistency in provision and participation amongst girls and pupils with SEND. Those attending will examine implications of measures to require all schools to provide a minimum of two hours of PE per week, to publish profiles detailing sport and PE provision, as well as a national network of School Sport Partnerships to support delivery and community links.
Curriculum and purpose
Delegates will discuss implications of findings in the Curriculum and Assessment Review following its expected publication - with the interim review highlighting issues including inconsistent delivery, reduced curriculum time, and a lack of clarity around aims, and the purpose of PE and school sport.
They will assess implications of potential reforms to subject entitlement, accountability, and the status of PE within the curriculum amid concerns that it can be undervalued, as well as strategies to ensure consistent and equitable allocation of curriculum time throughout key stages.
There will also be discussion on how assessment in PE can evolve to reflect a broader range of physical and personal development outcomes, including motivation, confidence, and physical literacy.
Participation and equality of access
Discussion will also consider findings emerging from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s Game On inquiry into community and school sport, including concerns surrounding the lack of adequate facilities, and the importance of improving participation in sport, particularly for disadvantaged groups through partnerships between schools and community groups, as well as helping to develop pathways from PE to community sport.
Delegates will consider the potential of reform under the Government’s new approach to school sport and next steps for helping address long-standing issues around curriculum time, equity of access, and quality of provision, and how schools might be supported to meet these new requirements. Delegates will also assess how national campaigns and public-facing initiatives - such as the Activate animated video series - can complement efforts to raise participation, tackle inactivity, and build enthusiasm for PE across all groups.
Improving uptake for learners with SEND and other marginalised groups
Further discussion will look at strategies for strengthening links between schools and external sports bodies, community groups, and independent educational institutions, reflecting on lessons learnt from successful partnerships such as the MCC Foundation’s Hub Programme and initiatives, such as flag football and inclusive rugby programmes.
There will also be a focus on how schools can better support participation of marginalised groups, with opportunities for integrating inclusive activities and addressing barriers to uptake, as well as implications of DfE extending the PE and Sport Premium, and launching the Inclusion 2028 programme, which aims to make PE more accessible for learners with SEND.
Developments in health policy
With the recent publication of the 10-Year Health Plan, those attending will assess implications for PE and physical activity of proposals it set out for government ambitions to increase activity levels and reduce health inequalities. Measures include the introduction of Enhanced School Sport Partnerships, £400m to improve community sports facilities prioritising access for young people, active transport initiatives promoting walking and cycling, and integration of mental health support in schools to encourage participation in physical activity.
Discussion will consider implications for the role of schools as anchor institutions in supporting wellbeing and active lifestyles, and options for linking PE delivery to wider policies around youth mental health, active travel, and community regeneration.
Funding and infrastructure provision
Discussion will consider priorities for the deployment of funding plans in the 2025 Spending Review, which confirmed £132.5m in funding to support disadvantaged young people to access music, sport, and drama through investment in facilities. We expect discussion on funding, infrastructure and maintenance, and options for co-location models, such as integrating sports provision within existing public buildings.
Attendees will consider how to improve transparency and accountability for how sport and PE funding is used at school level, including concerns over variability in uptake of programmes such as the PE and Sport Premium, and how to ensure longer-term sustainability beyond one-year allocations.
Workforce priorities
Workforce development will also be discussed, including PE within ITT, recruitment and retention of specialist staff, and the potential for upskilling generalist teachers and coaches through CPD. We expect discussion on strategic options for addressing persistent shortages, particularly in deprived areas, and introducing sport sector training into local skills strategies.
Delegates will consider how devolved skills budgets could support equitable access to qualified staff and strengthen professional development for inclusive PE delivery, particularly for pupils with SEND. The role of digital technologies and AI in supporting delivery and monitoring of physical activity will be explored, as well as how best to embed inclusive, evidence-based pedagogies in both primary and secondary contexts.
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates.
