As mounting evidence underscores the life-changing impact of sport on children’s physical, mental, and academic development, schools across Australia are stepping up with bold, inclusive and innovative programs. At the National Sports & Physical Activity Convention, Stream 7: Sport in Schools & Education brings this national movement into focus — exploring how sport can be better embedded within the education system to drive whole-child outcomes, tackle inequities, and unlock potential.

The stream opens with Impact Keynote 7: Alternative Funding Strategies for Sport, chaired by renowned broadcaster Tracey Holmes. This session will explore how sport in schools can be made more financially sustainable through new funding models. Glenn Hardy from IER Consulting will present on how event-based partnerships can generate mutual value for schools and councils, while Sue Hunt, CEO of the Australian Sports Foundation, will outline how philanthropy remains one of sport’s most untapped financial opportunities. These insights will set the stage for the Impact Panel: Alternative Funding Innovation Will Be the New Norm, where leaders from Deloitte, Wyndham City, and the Richmond Football Club Foundation will discuss how future-facing investment models are already transforming school sport delivery.

Workshop 7.1: Creating Healthier University Campuses and School-Community Partnerships turns the focus to active design and integrated movement strategies. Chaired by Jamie Parsons, CEO of School Sport Victoria, this session will hear from Martin Doulton (FISU) on healthy university settings and Glenn McGovern (Sport New Zealand) on how New Zealand schools are embedding more active environments through spatial design and community partnerships.

In Case Study Workshop 7.2: Connecting Sport, Providers and Education to Change Lives, educators share frontline stories of how they’re breaking down barriers and making sport accessible, meaningful, and inclusive. Andrew Farmer from St Andrews Christian College and Gina Oliver of Iona College Geelong will discuss how their schools have successfully connected with providers to engage students in life-enriching, health-positive programs.

Innovation takes centre stage in PitchFEST 7: Unlocking Schools’ Potential to Impact Participation, where four bold ideas will be pitched directly to a student panel. Presenters include Simon Lloyd from Phillips Coaching on mind-body-craft programs; Jenelle Williamson (AFL) on facility investment models; Tom Clark (Pitch UP) on a school-community booking system; and Nikki Little from Overnewton College on co-curricular integration. This interactive session aims to provoke real dialogue and surface scalable solutions.

Rounding out the stream is Challenge & Solutions 7.4: Embracing Sport to Generate Educational Outcomes, an interactive discussion that tackles how schools can better use sport to drive academic and wellbeing results – especially for disengaged or vulnerable students. Chaired by Gina Oliver, the session will feature Julie McNeal (Aspire Community) sharing learnings from Indigenous communities, Andrew Comley (School Sport Victoria) on student leadership development through sport, and Jodie Spedding (Active Education Australia) on creating lifelong learning pathways via school sport.

From funding models and facility design to inclusive programs and student-led innovation, the stream offers a deep dive into what works – and what’s next – for sport in education. With participation, equity, and academic outcomes all on the agenda, this stream is a must-attend for educators, policymakers, and anyone passionate about preparing our next generation to thrive through sport.