Davies Sports has been confirmed as a headline sponsor of the Association for Physical Education (afPE) national conference in June 2026

Davies Sports has been confirmed as a headline sponsor of the Association for Physical Education (afPE) national conference in June 2026. You'll find more information regarding the partnership here - on our AoC Sports partnership page.

This aligns to the brand’s priorities to support the supporters; the teachers, PE leads and coordinators that dedicate time to making PE and sport a cherished part of young people’s lives. This is in a bid to go above and beyond the role of a supplier; Davies Sports is forging strong connections with the leading organisations that are shaking up the status quo. As the body in the UK representing school PE, afPE is at the forefront of change and the conference is the must-attend professional development event for Physical Education teachers, school sport leaders and coordinators. Offering the opportunity to network and share best practice with peers, the day will inform the future direction of school PE.

Why school physical education is changing in the UK

This comes as the government is considering its reforms to the UK national curriculum following a review in 2025. It’s been over 10 years since the curriculum changed, with the review providing a thorough overview of what’s worked well and what needs to change to enhance it.

The final curriculum will be published in spring 2027, rolling out into the September term 2028. For PE it has been recommended to continue the two hours per week, with an added focus on quality lessons being provided for children. It was discovered that the quality differed significantly across the country and it is hoped reform will create parity despite location. The review board also found there is too much emphasis placed on success in competitive sport, rather than schools following the national curriculum. There is a barrier in teaching dance and outdoor adventurous activities where it generally not taught well, or at all, and a reliance on outdoor coaching companies to lead PE lessons at primary level, which can affect what and how lessons are taught.

Key takeaways of the UK PE curriculum review

It has been suggested that a more holistic approach be adopted into the UK Physical Education curriculum, with a greater emphasis on physical, social, cognitive and emotional benefits. This is balancing academic achievement with better wellbeing through the subject. It should include more provision for pupils with SEND and adaptive needs to engage and motivate learners from a variety of backgrounds.

Dance is proposed to become a statutory part of the PE curriculum from Key Stage 1 to 4. It is a popular activity with children, although currently two-thirds of schools do not teach it and the review board found it is not well organised. The review also discovered that 26% of primary school teachers said they did not feel confident in teaching the ‘performance of simple dances’ at Key Stage 1, with 36% saying they did not feel confident in teaching ‘dance using a range of movement patterns’ at Key Stage 2. Therefore, calls have been made for dedicated teacher training in Dance as part of the overall role of PE teaching.

Why do the curriculum reforms matter for the afPE conference?

With so much change on the horizon, the afPE conference offers the opportunity to hear from leaders in the fields of education, sport and wellbeing. There will be hands-on, practical workshops and demonstrations showcasing innovative teaching techniques. A Q&A panel with sector leaders will provide the opportunity to understand the current thinking around PE and future direction.

To complement, the team at Davies Sports will be positioned next to the main afPE stand showcasing popular and new products from the range. Discover practical ways to use them with your classes and come and say ‘hello’!