afPE Quality Mark

What is the afPE Quality Mark?

The afPE Quality Mark is a nationally recognised award from the Association for Physical Education that celebrates schools delivering high-quality Physical Education, school sport, and physical activity. It recognises excellence in teaching, inclusion, leadership, and whole-school commitment to pupil health and wellbeing, with awards ranging from Bronze to Platinum to reflect a school’s level of achievement.

The afPE Quality Mark is a comprehensive self-review and evaluation process that includes the completion of a detailed application and a school visit conducted by a member of Association for Physical Education’s highly qualified Consultancy Team. Throughout the process, schools are supported by their assigned consultant via telephone and email, culminating in a formal on-site visit as part of the assessment. There are three application windows each year, and schools are advised to allow up to three months to complete the process.

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!

Outcomes for Children and Young People

All young people are entitled to experience high-quality physical education, and extensive evidence demonstrates that it positively supports learning across the entire curriculum.

Physical education also plays a vital role in promoting healthy, active lifestyles while enhancing emotional wellbeing. It can help reduce negative behaviour, improve attendance, and foster the development of essential life skills such as leadership, confidence, and effective social interaction.

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 qualitymark@afpe.org.uk.

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

The submission dates are always the last Friday of February, June and November. The next three planned submission dates are:

  • Friday 26th June 2026

  • Friday 27th November 2026

  • Friday 26th February 2027

N.B. The dates above are the closing dates when you’ll need to have had your school visit by and also submit your application form by.

Quality Mark Awarded Schools Podcast

In this episode, we sit down with representatives from schools that have achieved the Quality Mark Award to explore what makes this recognition so valuable. Our accredited schools share their experiences with the award process, from understanding the criteria to the benefits it brings for students, staff, and the wider school community.

Tune in to learn why the Quality Mark matters, how it supports continuous improvement, and what schools should know before applying. Whether you’re a school leader, educator, or simply passionate about educational excellence, this conversation offers practical insights and inspiration for taking your school to the next level.

Watch now

How much will it Cost?

Initial Application:

  • £350 (plus VAT) for afPE members

  • £500 (plus VAT) for non-members

Re-Application:

  • £300 (plus VAT) for afPE members

  • £450 (plus VAT) for non-members

If successful, the award is valid for three years. This payment is required before you are appointed a validator to support you through the process.  Overseas schools will incur additional costs.

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.

Testimonials

“Attaining the Quality Mark was a fantastic journey of both reflection and celebration for Niton Primary School, showcasing our dedication to continuing high quality. It also reinforced the importance of PE in fostering a healthy, active and engaged school community. It is a testament to the hard work of our staff and pupils and affirms our commitment to maintaining excellence in PE, sport and physical activity.”

— Ben Woodhouse - Health and Physical Education Leader at Niton Primary School on the Isle of Wight.

“Your understanding at a local level of the context and challenges that our school faces, and evaluating the ways that we have found to overcome these. Our meeting was extremely positive and was more of a dialogue rather than being ‘done to’. The opportunity for the school to reflect and review, which helps to inform our future planning and positive trajectory moving forwards. We are not happy to stand still – we are committed to being outward looking for the benefit of our students, community and staff. The school’s ethos, provision and leadership has been recognised by a nationally accredited and highly respected external body. We hope to continue to build on our partnership!”

— Mrs Melissa Lock, Headteacher, Hayle Academy, Cornwall

"We strongly believe that our broad and balanced PE curriculum, coupled with our extensive range of inclusive extra-curricular activities, enables our pupils to acquire the skills – both physical  and social – to lead happy, healthy lives, whilst also creating lifelong memories of their sporting experiences at Avondale. This enables them, as our school motto says, to ‘Learn, Smile and Remember’. Achieving the afPE Quality Mark with Distinction as well as the School Games Platinum Mark reinforces this, and we now seek to continue to develop and improve our practice to ensure that our provision for our children is the very best that it can be as we look to the future"

—Matt Clegg, PE lead at Avondale Primary School, Lancashire

afPE Quality Mark Roll of Honour

Please see the list of schools that have achieved the afPE Quality Mark for Physical Education, School Sport & Physical Activity.

There are two types of award – Quality Mark and Quality Mark with Distinction.

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

    • Goldthorn Primary School, Wolverhampton 

    • Gayton Church of England  Primary Academy, King's Lynn

    • Nevill Road Junior School, Stockport

    • Corsham Primary School, Corsham

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

    • Glenthorne Community Primary School, Walsall

    • Green Fields Junior, Hook

    • Manor School, London

    • Seaton House School, Sutton

    • St Paul's CofE VA Primary School, Cambridge

    • Calthorpe Academy, Birmingham

    • Churnet View Middle School, Leek

    • Ferndale Primary School, Great Barr

    • Highfurlong School, Blackpool

    • Outwood Academy Shafton, Barnsley

    • St Edward's CE Academy, Leek

    • St George's Junior School, Weybridge

    • Crawshaw Academy, Leeds

    • Oak Grove College, Worthing

    • Riverside International School, Czech Republic 

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

    • Appleshaw St Peter's Church of England Primary School, Andover

    • Barley Lane School, Exeter

    • St Luke’s CE Primary School, Salford

    • Harewood Infant School, Gloucester

    • Rutlish School, London

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

    • Grove Vale Primary School, Birmingham

    • Rose Green Junior School, Bognor Regis

    • Jarrow School, Tyne & Wear

    • Berwick Academy, Berwick upon Tweed

    • Fordham CE Primary School, Ely

    • Southway Primary School, Bognor Regis

    • Lostock Primary School, Bolton

    • Whitworth Park Academy, Durham

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

    • North Birmingham Academy, Birmingham

    • St Mary's Voluntary Controlled Church of England Primary School, Bridgwater

    • Outwoods Primary School, Horninglow

    • Outwood Primary Academy Park Hill, Eastmoor

    • Sirius Academy West, Hull

    • Samares Primary School, Jersey

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

    • Baden-Powell and St Peter's Church of England Junior School, Dorset

    • Sandridge School, St Albans

    • St. Gregory's Catholic High School, Warrington

    • Thomas’s Clapham, London

    • The Ecclesbourne School, Belper

    • Lanesfield Primary School, Wolverhampton

    • Queen Elizabeth’s High School, Gainsborough

    • Park Community Academy, Blackpool

    • Parmiter’s School, Watford

    • Muswell Hill Primary School, London

    • West Heath Primary School, Birmingham

    • St. John's CE Primary School, Great Harwood

    • CHS South, Manchester

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

    • Coldfall Primary School, London

    • Bridgwater College Academy, Somerset

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

    • Callington Community College, Cornwall

    • Hayle Academy, Cornwall

    • Whittington Primary School, Lichfield

    • St Luke's CE Primary School, Lancashire

    • Lister Community School, London

    • The Federation of Abbey Infant and Junior School, Smethwick

    • Parklands Primary School, Northampton

    • Combs Ford Primary School, Suffolk

    • Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Lancashire

    • All Saints C of E Primary, West Bromwich

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

    • The Oldham Academy North, Royton

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

    • Rainow Primary School, Cheshire

    • Erasmus Darwin Academy, Staffordshire

    • Thomas's Fulham, London

    • Redriff Primary School, London

    • St Peter's Church of England Primary Academy, Walsall

    • May Bank Infants School, Staffordshire

    • Dinglewell Infant School, Gloucester

    • Callis Grange Nursery and Infant School, Broadstairs

    • St Mark's Catholic Primary School, Ipswich

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

    • Hodge Hill College, Birmingham

    • Redgate Primary School, Merseyside

    • Elston Hall Primary School, Wolverhampton

    • The James Hornsby School, Essex

    • Trinity Primary Academy, London

    • Freegrounds Infant School, Southampton

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

    • Penryn College, Cornwall

    • Cape Cornwall School, Cornwall

    • St Ives School, St Ives

    • Bohunt School Worthing, West Sussex

    • Brown's School, Chelsfield

    • Liberty Primary School, Surrey

    • The Priory Primary School, Wednesbury

    • Longlands Primary School, Market Drayton

    • Treloar School, Hampshire

    • Kingsbury Green Primary School, Kingsbury

    • Latchford St James C of E Primary School, Warrington

    • Niton Primary School, Isle of Wight

    • Avondale Primary School, Lancashire

    • Thomas Barnes Primary School, Tamworth

    • Worcesters Primary School, Enfield

    • Warrender Primary School, Ruislip

    • Mercia School, Sheffield

    • St Neot Primary School, Cornwall

    • Parkhill Junior School, Essex

    • St Bede's Catholic Infants, Widnes

    • The British School of Milan, Italy

    • John Wheeldon Primary School, Stafford

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

    • Greenways Primary School, Essex

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

    • Belgrave St Bartholomew's Academy, Stoke-on-Trent

    • Calveley Primary Academy,  Chesire

    • Saltash Community School, Cornwall

    • Wadebridge School, Cornwall

    • North Downs Primary School, Surrey

    • Two Mile Ash School, Milton Keynes

    • Suffield Park Infant and Nursery School, Norfolk

    • Gosberton House Academy,  Spalding

    • Manor Park Primary Academy,  Sutton

    • Crosshall Infant School Academy Trust, St Neots

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

    • Crofton Infants School, West Yorkshire

    • Edward the Elder Primary School, West Midlands

    • Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

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

    • Pheasey Park Farm, West Midlands

    • The Rochester Grammar School, Kent

    • Tweendykes School, Yorkshire

    • Marshfield Primary School, Bradford

    • Kingmoor Junior School, Cumbria

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

    • Captain Webb Primary School, Shropshire

    • Chesswood Junior School, West Sussex

    • Fountains Primary School, Staffordshire

    • Hackney New Primary School, London

    • Hoxton Garden Primary School, London

    • Nevill Road Junior School, Stockport

    • Orchard Primary School, London

    • Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange, Yorkshire

    • The Portsmouth Academy, Hampshire

    • Ramsden Infants School, Cumbria

    • Southwold Primary School, London

    • Thomas Russell Junior School, Staffordshire

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

    • Barrow Hall Primary School, Warrington

    • Berkswich CE Primary School, Staffordshire

    • Calthorpe Academy, Birmingham

    • Churnet View Middle School, Staffordshire

    • Muntham House School, West Sussex

    • Olney Middle School, Buckinghamshire

    • St Frideswide Church of England Primary School, Oxfordshire

    • Thomas A Becket Junior School, West Sussex

    • West View Primary School, County Durham

    • Kegworth Primary School, Derbyshire

    • Pitcheroak School, West Midlands

    • St Sebastian’s Catholic Primary School, Liverpool

    • Telford Infant School, Warwickshire

    • Upland Primary School, Kent