Every school hall and playground in the UK should be a space where young people can explore movement safely and with confidence. At Bishop Sports, we’re proud to highlight afPE’s Safe Practice in PESSPA resource, your go-to guide for ensuring every PE lesson runs smoothly, minimising risk and maximising participation. Whether you’re leading a rounders session on the field or teaching gymnastics in the school hall, these expert-backed guidelines will help safeguard both students and staff and support best practice.
What is Safe Practice in PESSPA
Safe Practice in PESSPA stands for Safe Practice in Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity. It brings together expert guidance for planning, delivering and reviewing safe, inclusive PE. It helps subject leaders, class teachers and coaches make informed decisions about facilities, equipment, supervision and lesson organisation so that good teaching and good safety go hand in hand.
Top benefits for schools
- Best practices guidance: clear, up-to-date advice to implement effective safety measures in lessons and extracurricular activity.
- Risk management: practical approaches to identifying, assessing and managing risk to reduce accidents and injuries.
- Legal compliance: support in meeting relevant legal and regulatory expectations, helping PE leads and SLT feel confident about compliance.
Real-world impact
‘Having access to Safe Practice in PESSPA has been invaluable. This is something I would strongly advocate to all involved in our subject area.’
S Allison, Senior Education Adviser.
Why Bishop Sports endorses afPE’s Safe Practice
As a specialist PE supplier, Bishop Sports only backs resources that deliver proven, sustainable results. Safe Practice in PESSPA ticks every box: expert-written, evidence-based, and continuously revised by afPE’s expert team.
How to put Safe Practice into action this term
- Review current procedures. Map your existing lesson routines, equipment checks and facility use against Safe Practice themes such as supervision, ratios and environment setup.
- Prioritise quick wins. Tackle simple improvements first, for example clarifying changing room protocols, updating equipment checklists or refining warm up and cool down routines.
- Brief staff. Share one-page summaries at staff meetings so everyone understands expectations and where to find fuller guidance.
- Embed into planning. Reference Safe Practice in schemes of work and risk assessments so it becomes part of normal planning rather than a separate task.
- Monitor and celebrate. Track incident data, pupil voice and staff feedback to see what is improving and share results with SLT, governors and parents.
Where to learn more and get support
Start at our afPE hub page on the Bishop Sports website. There you will find a simple overview of afPE, quick links to initiatives such as Safe Practice, CPD opportunities, and signposting to further reading.
Who benefits from Safe Practice
- Headteachers and SLT seeking clear assurance that PE delivery aligns with best practice
- PE subject leaders responsible for curriculum, facilities and equipment
- Class teachers and coaches delivering day-to-day lessons and clubs
- Business managers and site teams who manage purchasing and maintenance
Frequently asked questions
What does PESSPA stand for
Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity. Safe Practice covers guidance relevant to all three areas so whole-school delivery is consistent.
Is Safe Practice mandatory
Schools must meet legal and regulatory expectations and ensure the safety of pupils and staff. Safe Practice helps schools understand and apply recognised guidance so they can plan confidently and evidence good practice.
Does this apply to extracurricular sport and fixtures
Yes. The same principles of planning, risk management, supervision and facility checks support safe delivery in clubs, fixtures and events.
How often should we review our approach
Good practice is to review annually, after incidents or near misses, and when facilities, equipment or staffing change. Many schools adopt a short termly review to keep things fresh.
What if we have limited facilities
Safe Practice is written for real school settings. It supports risk management and lesson organisation in small halls, multipurpose spaces and outdoor areas, including guidance on adapting activities.
Next steps
- Discover Safe Practice on our afPE hub page
- Share this article with your PE team
- Speak to Bishop Sports for practical support with equipment, storage and space planning
