We are incredibly proud to announce that Woodlands Meed has been awarded the prestigious School Games PLATINUM Mark Award for the 2025/26 academic year, in recognition of the outstanding sporting curriculum and opportunities we provide for our students.

The School Games Mark is a Government-led award scheme, launched in 2012 and facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust, which rewards schools for their commitment to the development of competitive sport both within school and across the wider community. We are delighted to have been recognised for our continued success.  Achieving Platinum status is a tremendous honour and reflects the outstanding dedication, inclusivity, and sporting opportunities provided throughout the year.

This has been our most successful sporting year to date, with participation, engagement, and achievement reaching record levels.  Highlights from our exceptional sporting year include:

• 100% of students participated in an intra-school sporting event
• 100% of students accessed a competitive sporting event, either on or off site
• Participation in 19 separate off-site sporting opportunities — the highest number in our history!
• Establishment of a regular girls-only football lunchtime club
• Introduction of girls’ football fixtures against other schools for the very first time, including fixtures against Northease Manor School and Manor Green College
• Our girls’ football team winning The Plate at the Albion Cup — a fantastic achievement
• Our mixed Key Stage 3 team winning The Plate at the Albion Cup for the first time in our school history
• Our mixed street soccer team surpassing last year’s extraordinary bronze, by winning silver at this year’s Parallel Youth Games, again for the first time ever!
• 100% of students receiving coaching or training from external providers, including Brighton and Hove Albion Foundation, JOLF, and Sussex Cricket
• Ten students successfully trained as Sports Leaders, receiving the highest level of coaching and leadership development of any previous cohort through partnerships with Burgess Hill Academy, St Paul's Catholic College, Woodlands Meed College and JOLF
• An impressive number of students completing Bikeability, with 81% achieving on-road training
• Three highly successful and fully inclusive Sports Days
• 100% of families provided with access to weekly physical activities that can be completed at home to support the Daily Active 30 initiative
• Significant investment in inclusive sports resources and outdoor spaces, including handcycles, adapted trikes, an outdoor trampoline, 15 sports wheelchairs, boccia wedges, and bowling ramps

With a record number of students participating in local inter-school competitions this year, we are immensely proud of all our students for their enthusiasm, resilience, teamwork, and commitment to sport. Particular recognition must also go to our leaders, staff, and volunteers, whose support helped make many of these events possible.

As part of the School Games Mark application process, schools are assessed across participation, competition, leadership, workforce development, and club engagement. We are delighted that the collective hard work and commitment of our students, staff, families, and the wider community has been recognised with this Platinum award.

Special Thanks

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported sport and physical activity at Woodlands Meed throughout the year, including:

• Anna Hull and FOWM for their extraordinary and ongoing support, including funding Sports Leader tops, t-shirts for the 50 students attending the Parallel Youth Games, transport for students to attend professional cricket matches, Jump Start Jonny during ‘All The Thons’ Week, coffee vans for all three Sports Days, and so much more…
• Sussex Cricket for delivering outstanding table cricket and softball coaching throughout the year, as well as the fantastic DiscoverABILITY Day
• Neil Plimmer and the JOLF team for providing a term of coaching to every class, supporting the development of our Sports Leaders, and organising another hugely successful JOLF Festival benefiting both Woodlands Meed students and SEND pupils from mainstream settings
• Burgess Hill Academy and St Paul's Catholic College for their excellent Sports Leader sessions with our Year 9 students and for generously allowing us to use their facilities throughout the year

This award reflects the hard work, enthusiasm, and commitment of our students, staff, families, and community partners, all of whom continue to champion inclusive sport and physical activity at Woodlands Meed.  Above all, this award represents far more than sporting success. It reflects our belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to participate, achieve, belong, and thrive. Through inclusive sport and physical activity, our students continue to develop confidence, resilience, independence, teamwork, and pride in themselves and one another. Every event, fixture, festival, and opportunity helps to enrich lives, break down barriers, and create experiences that many of our students may never otherwise have the chance to access. At Woodlands Meed, we remain committed to ensuring that sport is not simply something students take part in, but something through which they discover their potential, build lasting memories, and experience genuine joy and achievement.

If inclusive opportunities can inspire confidence, create belonging, and change the way a young person sees themselves, then what could be more important than continuing to ensure every child has the chance to take part?  We are already looking forward to 2027 where we hope to celebrate another fantastic year of sport, inclusion, and achievement at Woodlands Meed.