Conference Awards 2026

Happy, healthy and thriving - A new era through PE, sport and play

Awards Dinner - Tuesday 03 March
Conference - Wednesday 04 March
Telford International Centre

The Youth Sport Trust Awards celebrates schools, settings, trusts and individuals who, working alongside the Youth Sport Trust over the past year, had made a real and impactful change to the lives of young people.  

The Awards are presented at the Youth Sport Trust Awards Dinner on the eve of the annual conference.

The Award categories are:

1. Excellence in Enrichment Award - Recognises schools or settings that provide inspiring and intentional enrichment through school sport and physical activity. Through this offer, they ensure they build character, develop life and work skills, value young people’s voices, and raise aspirations for every young person.
   
   
2. Building Belonging Award - Awarded for excelling at creating a truly inclusive environment. It celebrates work that has successfully used PE, sport and play to engage and support young people, many of whom face varying complex challenges, in their education outside of a mainstream setting. We are particularly keen to see examples where improved belonging has positively affected young people’s happiness, health, attendance, or engagement in learning.
   
   
3. Empowering Young Leaders Award - Awarded for empowering young people to take on leadership roles. It recognises projects that have provided opportunities for students, at any age or stage, but especially those from underrepresented groups, to develop confidence, responsibility and essential life skills by co-designing, leading, organising or delivering sports and physical activities for their peers, their school or in their community.
   
   
4. Outstanding Approach to Wellbeing Award - Children and young people are more effective learners when they are happy, healthy, and thriving. Staff are better educators when they are genuinely supported. This award recognises a school or setting committed to prioritising wellbeing alongside academic achievement and demonstrate a holistic, impactful approach to student and staff wellbeing by embedding the four Well School pillars:
   

   
   Well Culture: Senior Leaders put health and wellbeing at the heart of the school and create a culture of belonging.

   Lead Well: Staff and pupils are empowered to shape and lead their school.

   Move Well: Every pupil is prepared mentally and physically for learning and life, ensuring they get 60 minutes of activity daily*. 
   
   Live Well: Every pupil is equipped with the essential skills and experiences to thrive in a digital world.

   *Applications should include insight and/or data on pupil physical activity levels.
   
   
5. Transformational Achievement Award - Physical education, school sport and physical activity can drive significant positive change across key whole-school outcomes. This award recognises a school or setting that has seen measurable improvements in student attendance, behaviour and academic outcomes through its approach to PE, school sport and physical activity.
   
   
6. Inspiring Play Award - Every child should have access to time, space, opportunity and freedom to play.  This award recognises approaches that have championed the power of play. It celebrates those who have created imaginative and engaging opportunities for unstructured and student-led play, highlighting the importance of free play in developing creativity, social skills and a lifelong love of being active.
   
   
7. Campbell Award - Network Leader / Local Influencer Award - Awarded to a network leader who has influenced change in their area that has positively impacted on schools and young people through PE, sport and play.

Judging Entries

Each category has an expert judging panel who will carefully review entries to recommend finalists in each category.

The judging panels will use the following criteria when assessing entries. How the organisation/person:  

• Through working alongside the Youth Sport Trust has made a real and impactful change to the lives of young people. The nomination form will allow the applicant to indicate the Youth Sport Trust programme, network or intervention that the nominee has participated in
• Used PE, sport or play to build healthier, happier and more resilient young people
• Increased young people’s participation in PE, sport or play
• Increased young people’s enjoyment of PE, sport or play
• Nominations which include measurable and evidenced improvements in academic and/or pupil outcomes as a result of engagement in and/or intervention through PE, sport and play, will be at an advantage.