School Games

The School Games is a national programme, funded by Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, that places physical activity, school sport and meaningful competition at the heart of young people’s lives. Through a nationwide network of more than 450 School Games Organisers (SGOs), the programme supports schools to provide inclusive, enjoyable and accessible opportunities for all children and young people to be active and achieve their personal best.

Originally developed as a legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the School Games has evolved from a competition-focused programme into a powerful framework that helps schools tackle inactivity, improve wellbeing, develop character and create positive experiences through sport and physical activity.

Vision

The School Games aims to make a clear and meaningful difference to the lives of children and young people through sport, play and physical activity.

Mission

To put physical activity and competitive sport at the heart of schools and provide more young people with opportunities to participate, compete, lead and achieve their personal best.

Key Priorities

The School Games focuses on supporting schools and young people through five core outcomes:

1. Increasing Activity Levels
   Supporting schools to help children achieve the recommended 60 active minutes each day through high-quality physical activity opportunities.
2. Creating Positive Experiences
   Delivering inclusive and enjoyable activities that build motivation, confidence and competence, ensuring every young person can enjoy being active regardless of ability or background.

1. Supporting Key Transition Stages
   Focusing on engagement during key educational transitions, particularly between primary and secondary education.
2. Developing Character and Leadership
   Using sport and competition to foster leadership, resilience, teamwork, communication skills and personal development.
3. Advocacy and Impact
   Demonstrating the value of physical activity and school sport to pupils, parents, schools and local communities.

Inclusive by Design

A key feature of the modern School Games is its commitment to inclusion. The programme prioritises opportunities for children and young people who may face barriers to participation, including:

• Less active pupils
• Girls and young women
• Disabled children and young people
• Pupils from ethnically diverse communities
• Young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds

Activities are designed to provide positive experiences that encourage lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.

Impact Across England

The School Games has become one of the largest school sport programmes in Europe. Since 2010 it has provided more than 13 million participation opportunities for young people across England. The programme currently engages thousands of schools and delivers tens of thousands of events annually through local School Games networks. [youthsporttrust.org], [yourschoolgames.com]

School Games in Merton

Through the Merton School Sport Partnership, the School Games programme provides a year-round calendar of festivals, competitions, leadership opportunities and physical activity initiatives. Working with local schools and community partners, MSSP aims to ensure every child and young person has the opportunity to:

• Be physically active every day.
• Represent their school in meaningful competition.
• Develop confidence, resilience and leadership skills.
• Experience inclusive sport in a safe and positive environment.
• Build lifelong habits for health and wellbeing.

By placing young people at the centre of programme design and delivery, MSSP uses the School Games framework to inspire active lifestyles and create positive sporting experiences for all pupils across the borough.

For more information:

Youth Sport Trust School Games Overview – https://www.yourschoolgames.com/about/the-school-games-team/

Youth Sport Trust – https://www.youthsporttrust.org/programmes/open-access/school-games

School Games Dashboard for Schools – https://www.yourschoolgames.com/