For PE leads in England · 2025/26 reporting
Make PE & Sport Premium reporting simpler.
Digital return: 5pm, Wednesday 30 September 2026.
Understand what needs to be ready. Make better use of the evidence you already hold. Spend less time wondering what is missing.
No sign-up needed. Independent practical support from APEX.
Free practical guidance · APEX advice
The 5-minute PE Premium evidence check
You do not necessarily need to create more evidence. Start with these five questions and the records you already have.
- 01
The need
Can you explain what problem each significant piece of spending was addressing?
- 02
The change
Can you show what changed, rather than only what happened?
- 03
The people
Does your evidence relate to the pupils or staff you intended to affect?
- 04
The limits
Can you distinguish what the evidence demonstrates from what you are assuming?
- 05
The next step
Can you explain what happens next — what continues, changes or needs checking?
The requirements, made easier to scan
PE and Sport Premium reporting requirements
Checked 14 September 2026. The official requirements are summarised below; the preparation suggestions are APEX advice, not extra requirements.
Two reporting jobs.
Two deadlines.
What this means in practice
The digital return is due by 5pm on 30 September 2026. Your website report was due by 31 July 2026. Each funded school in a trust needs its own return and website report.
What I’d have ready APEX advice
Your current website report and the person responsible for the return. If the website report is missing, raise it with your school leader now.
Account for the funding.
What this means in practice
Report the allocation, spending and any unspent amount. The website report needs a full spending breakdown. Funding had to be spent by 31 July 2026; September does not extend the spending period or allow carry-forward.
What I’d have ready APEX advice
A spending summary reconciled with your school business manager. Keep the underlying finance records at school.
Explain impact and sustainability.
What this means in practice
The website report covers the impact on pupil participation and attainment, and how improvements will last. The digital return asks how funding was used and the impact of spending.
What I’d have ready APEX advice
A small selection of records supporting each claim: registers, comparisons, staff feedback or later planning examples. Be clear about what remains uncertain.
Check Year 6 swimming.
What this means in practice
Report percentages meeting the three measures: at least 25 metres, effective use of a range of strokes, and safe self-rescue. Use the cohort’s most recent swimming attainment records, including earlier years where relevant.
What I’d have ready APEX advice
The school’s swimming records and checked percentages, plus information about swimming spending and impact.
Have these details ready for the digital form
- Your school-linked DfE Sign-in. For conversions, trust changes or mergers since April 2026, follow the instructions about using the school’s former details.
- Spending totals: CPD; swimming upskilling; extra-curricular activity, equipment and resources; memberships; School Games Organiser support; external competition/coaching; other expenditure.
- Targeted pupil groups, swimming attainment and impact, and the support you would value from the new PE and School Sport Partnerships Network.
Go to the source: DfE premium guidance · DfE form instructions and access · DfE deadline notice
Make your evidence work harder · APEX advice
Showing activity isn't the same as showing impact.
“We ran a six-week lunchtime club.”
This describes the provision. It does not yet tell us who benefited or what changed.
“Of 20 pupils who were not attending clubs at the start, 15 attended at least four sessions.”
Registers show improved participation within this group. We will check next term whether they continue.
An illustrative example, not an APEX customer result. This supports a participation claim; it does not prove improved fitness, attainment or long-term habits.
And for staff development?
A training register shows who attended.
A later planning example or lesson check can show how teaching changed.
A confidence survey supports a confidence claim. It cannot show pupil progress on its own.
APEX practical advice
Where PE leads lose time
More evidence does not automatically make a stronger report.
Collecting more than you need
More photographs will not necessarily answer a question that a simple comparison could resolve.
Rewriting what you already have
If an existing record is clear, use it. A new template is only useful if it makes the job easier.
Describing activity instead of impact
Explain the difference the spending made, rather than describing every session.
Claiming more than you can show
If there is no baseline, say so. Describe what you can demonstrate and what remains uncertain.
Before you submit
Your PE Premium reporting checklist
Tick these as you work. This checklist combines official steps with APEX checking advice; it does not replace the form or school approval.
Ticks are a temporary aid on this page and are not saved when you leave.
A clear process
How the £50 review works
- 01
Enquire
Tell us the school and when you need the review.
- 02
Agree the scope
We confirm availability, documents and return date before payment.
- 03
Send anonymised evidence
We provide private upload instructions for a separate restricted school folder.
- 04
Receive your report
Clear strengths, gaps and priority actions before submission.
Your evidence stays private.
Wait for upload instructions. Remove pupil names, photographs and sensitive information before sharing. Keep original records at school.
Independent support. Clear boundaries.
The school remains responsible for its figures and statutory return. This review is not DfE approval, compliance certification or completion of the return.
Ready to enquire? Complete the Evidence Review form
Quick answers for PE leads
Sports Premium reporting questions
When is the 2025/26 PE and Sport Premium reporting deadline?
The digital return is due by 5pm on Wednesday 30 September 2026. The separate website report was due by 31 July 2026. See the DfE reporting guidance for the official requirements.
Does the digital return replace the school website report?
You must complete the digital return and publish the required information on your school website. DfE says you can download the completed return and use it as your published report, provided it meets accessibility requirements. Keep the previous year’s report available too.
What evidence helps explain the impact of PE Premium spending?
Use records that support the particular claim: participation registers for attendance, later planning or lesson checks for changed teaching, and assessment records for pupil progress. Explain the starting point, what changed and any limits. The examples above are APEX preparation advice, not a requirement to create additional documents.
Do I need the toolkit before asking for an Evidence Review?
No. The £29 toolkit helps you organise evidence yourself. The £50 Evidence Review provides independent feedback on the evidence you already have. Choose either, both, or use the free guidance on its own.
Need help deciding what to tackle first? Review your PE leadership priorities. For gaps in who benefits, look at participation and inclusion. A different job taking up your time? Tell us what needs doing. You can also use the free Primary PE Health Check to identify wider priorities, or explore PE lead support and school toolkits.
About APEX
Built around the reality
of leading PE.
Led by Sam Vicker, APEX Sports Consultancy & Mentoring provides practical support around PE, school sport, evidence, planning and improvement. This guidance helps PE leads make sense of the practical job, rather than simply repeat policy wording.
Independent of DfE. Official sources linked above. No extra reporting requirements invented.
Your next step