afPE Quality Mark for Physical Education, School Sport & Physical Activity

18/02/19

What is the afPE Quality Mark?

The afPE Quality Mark is a unique self review and evaluation process that involves the completion of an application form as well as a school visit by one of afPE’s Validation Team 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 carry out the application.

The afPE Quality Mark is a prestigious award that will evidence the strength and quality of physical education and sport 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 on a daily basis.

The benefits of the afPE Quality Mark:

• Ensures rigour and sustainability in the planning, monitoring and continuous development of high quality PESSPA
• Recognises and celebrates outstanding practice and innovation in PESSPA so that the school ‘stands out from the crowd’
• Provides evidence of whole school improvement
• Raises the profile and promotes a positive message of PESSPA at local, regional and national levels
• Provides a platform for sharing excellence and success
• Outlines where your school is now, and where you are going!

How to apply for the Award:

Schools across the UK, including international and British schools abroad may register their interest in applying for the award by emailing simon.leach@afpe.org.uk.

You will then be emailed a copy of the application form and guidance notes, along with a list of available application windows. Once you have chosen a date to apply, afPE will allocate you a validator who will support you through the process.

The next three available submission dates are:

• 12th April 2019
• 28th June 2019
• 29th November 2019

How much will it cost?

£275 per application. Through schools and overseas schools will incur additional costs.

Awards are valid for three years, at which point you will be invited to reapply.

N.B. Primary schools in England can use the PE and Sport Premium funding to apply for the award. The afPE Quality Mark process provides valuable evidence towards reporting on how you are utilising the funding.

What will your school receive?

If successful, your school will receive:

• A certificate and glass trophy
• The afPE Quality Mark logo for use on your website/letterhead
  In addition:
• Your school will be named on the ‘Roll of Honour’ on the afPE Quality Mark web page
• If in England afPE, will signpost your school to the Department for Education as a model of best practice

Testimonials:

“The quality mark was a great tool for self evaluation and also a rigorous and robust validation process. It has been extremely helpful in deciding our next steps for improvement and also inspiring us to celebrate our successes. Being involved has been such a worthwhile and rewarding experience.”
Hannah Vecchione – Advanced Skills Teacher, St John’s Catholic Primary School in Manchester

“Receiving the “Quality Mark” has been an excellent tool to benchmark where we are as a department. It has highlighted the success of recent change and subsequently, this has created a positive ethos and high aspirations in the team.”
Simon Russell – Head of Physical Education, Swavesey Village College in Cambridgeshire

“We have found this self evaluation process extremely beneficial in moving our infant school forward, it has been hard work but a super learning tool for the whole school. Our school validator ‘Mike Crichton’ has been a great support and we really enjoyed having Mike visit our school and share his experiences and expertise. We have gained so much and would recommend all schools to go for it!”
Rachel Miles – PE Subject Leader, Suffield Park Infant and Nursery School in Norfolk

“I feel that our journey towards Quality Mark accreditation has boosted teacher confidence, raised standards and increased pupil participation significantly, more than any other mechanism we could have used.”
Rachel Bailey – Headteacher, Abbot’s Hall Community Primary School in Suffolk

“We really feel that the whole process has helped us in terms of where we are with PE, and the direction we would like it to go in.”
Kate Gallon – PE Subject Leader, Newton Hall Infants’ School in Durham

Quality Mark Flyer:

Click HERE to download a flyer outlining the afPE Quality Mark for Physical Education, School Sport & Physical Activity.