Reflections from the afPE National PE Conference 2026
At the end of June, we joined colleagues from across the country at Leeds Beckett University for the afPE National PE Conference and it was exactly the kind of day the sector needed.
With the theme Confident, Connected, Curriculum Ready, the conference brought together teachers, leaders, practitioners and organisations all committed to the same thing: making sure every child experiences high-quality physical education. The energy in the room, expertly held together by compere Montell Douglas OLY, set the tone from the start.
The power of PE - heard from those who've lived it
The keynote from Sue Barker CBE was one of those sessions that stays with you. Honest, personal and quietly powerful, it was a reminder of the profound difference PE teachers make, not just in sport but in shaping the people young people grow up to be. That message was echoed throughout the day by Babajide Adebola, Summer and Lucas, whose personal stories about the role PE played in their lives brought the room together and reminded us exactly who we're doing this for.
It's easy, in the middle of a busy term, to lose sight of the bigger picture. Days like this bring it back into focus.
The bigger conversation, where is PE heading?
What made the conference particularly timely was the broader discussion around the future of the sector. A keynote featuring afPE CEO Kate Thornton-Bousfield, Alison Oliver MBE from the Youth Sport Trust and Helen Pring from APNO gave a rare and valuable insight into the conversations happening at a national level, the work going on behind the scenes to influence curriculum direction, guide schools through the funding changes and ensure PE remains firmly on the agenda.
There was a refreshing openness about the uncertainty schools are currently navigating. The PE & Sport Premium is changing. The curriculum is evolving. The new Partnership Network model is still taking shape. There are more questions than answers right now and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise.
But alongside that uncertainty, there was genuine optimism. The people leading this sector are committed, collaborative and clear on what matters. PE has a real opportunity to strengthen its place in the curriculum and there are people working hard to make sure that happens.
Our takeaway
We left Leeds energised. The conversations we had, the sessions we attended and the direction of travel being set at a national level all reinforced what we believe at PH ActiveEd: that high-quality PE provision, delivered by well-supported specialists, changes children's lives.
As we move into 2026/27, a year of transition for funding and curriculum alike, schools that invest in their PE provision now will be best placed to navigate what comes next. If you'd like to talk about what that looks like for your school, we'd love to hear from you.
