We are delighted to announce that Ponteland High School has been awarded the School Games Platinum Mark for the 2025/26 academic year – the highest accolade the scheme has to offer.
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 across their school and into the wider community. Schools are assessed against a stringent national set of criteria covering participation, competition, leadership and links with local clubs, and we are thrilled to have been recognised for our success.
Why Platinum is so special
While schools can apply each year for Bronze, Silver and Gold awards, Platinum sits above them all as the scheme’s highest level. It is reserved for schools that have already demonstrated sustained excellence – typically by achieving the Gold standard consistently over a number of years – and it is only awarded to a handful of schools nationwide. The award is valid for two years, recognising not a one-off success but a lasting culture of high-quality physical education and school sport.
Reaching this standard is testament to a whole-school effort: from the breadth of sports and fixtures our students take part in, to the leadership opportunities they embrace, to the strong partnerships we hold with clubs and organisations across our community.
A whole-school achievement
This recognition belongs to everyone who makes sport at Ponteland High School thrive. We would like to say an enormous thank you to our dedicated PE staff for their tireless work, to our coaches and community partners for their continued support, and above all to our students, whose enthusiasm, commitment and team spirit are at the heart of everything we do.
Achieving the Platinum Mark is a proud moment for the whole school community, and a wonderful reflection of the value we place on keeping our young people active, healthy and engaged. We look forward to building on this success in the years ahead.
Congratulations to everyone involved — here’s to keeping Ponteland moving!