Play England

06/10/2026

New National Occupational Standards for playwork published

https://www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/new-national-occupational-standards-for-playwork-published

The Playwork National Occupational Standards (NOS) are a set of standards outlining the competencies playworkers need in various areas of work.

For playwork, the NOS include the knowledge, understanding and skills required to be a playworker, playworker in charge or playwork manager.

The new NOS will be used to update playwork qualifications. The NOS can also be used by playworkers and employers to develop training, job descriptions and assess quality playwork practice.

Between 2024 and 2026, the UK Playwork NOS Consortium undertook a review of the National Occupational Standards for playwork. Following the review, new NOS were published in September 2026. Alongside the NOS, the consortium has also published a Functional Map and Glossary.

The Playwork National Occupational Standards (NOS) are a set of standards outlining the competencies playworkers need in various areas of work. For playwork, the NOS include the knowledge, understanding and skills required to be a playworker, playworker in charge or playwork manager. The new NOS

02/10/2026

The latest issue of PlayNation magazine is now live . . . including a bumper feature on the inaugural National Play Conference on pages 26-35!

https://www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/playnation-magazine-issue-5-2026

Published bi-monthly, the magazine focuses on the policies, people and places that help children, young people, and families to play and be more active. Subscribe now to receive a complimentary copy of the magazine every two months.

01/10/2026

The finalists for the inaugural National Play Awards 2026 have been announced 🎉

We received an exceptional 140 nominations across six categories, reflecting the breadth of people, places, practice and progress helping to create the conditions children need to play.

Following independent judging and moderation against the published criteria, 17 finalists have been selected across:

🌳 Spaces
🧠 Skills
🏗️ Sector
🌍 Society
🌟 Children’s Play Personality of the Year
🏆 Play Personality of the Year

Rooted in our ten-year strategy - It All Starts with Play! the Awards recognise that restoring a play-based childhood is not the responsibility of one profession, organisation or sector.

It depends on the places children live, the people who support play, the systems that shape their opportunities, and a society that values and accepts play as a normal part of childhood.

Congratulations to every finalist, and thank you to everyone who nominated the people, places and organisations making a difference to children’s freedom to play.

🏆 Winners will be announced at the National Play Awards Dinner at The Slate, University of Warwick, on 8 October.

We are proud to announce the finalists for the inaugural National Play Awards 2026 , recognising outstanding contributions to children’s play across England. The Awards are rooted in Play England’s ten-year strategy - It All Starts with Play! and celebrate the people, places, practice and pro

25/09/2026

Play School is coming back! 🪟
!

24/09/2026

Playces is moving into pre-launch early access.

Ahead of its formal launch at the National Play Conference on 8 October, Playces is now being opened up to local authorities and partners who want to explore the platform and understand how it can support better decision-making for children’s play.

Playces is being developed as a national spatial evidence platform for play. It brings together data on almost 34,000 playgrounds across England and helps build a clearer picture of:

• where play provision exists
• how close children are to play provision
• how provision relates to deprivation and inequality
• where gaps in provision may remain
• how areas compare locally, regionally and nationally

If we are serious about creating better conditions for all children to have the time, space, opportunity and freedom to play, then local authorities, funders and government need a much clearer understanding of what provision exists, who it serves and where investment is most needed.

Playces has been developed through a collaboration between Play England, The University of Sheffield and Passport365 bringing together sector leadership, research and spatial evidence, and technology.

The next few weeks are an important pre-launch phase. Local authorities and partners can arrange an early-access walk-through demonstration, explore the platform and begin considering how it could support planning, investment and wider place-based decision-making.

Formal launch: 8 October at the National Play Conference.

Visit playces.uk or contact [email protected] to arrange a demo

!

24/09/2026

We’re proud to be supporting the National Play Conference and Awards 2026, sponsoring both the Children’s Voice Programme and the Sector Award.

It’s an important opportunity for the play industry to be part of the wider conversation about the future of play - while ensuring children’s voices are heard and recognising those working to strengthen the sector.

Read more about API’s involvement: https://api-play.org/resource/api-supports-inaugural-national-play-conference-and-awards.html

Play England

19/09/2026

!

18/09/2026

Play England’s 2026 Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday 8 October at 14:00 at the University of Warwick.

www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/play-england-2026-agm

The AGM will cover our Annual Report and Accounts for 2025/26, adoption of the revised Memorandum & Articles of Association, the appointment of an Independent Director/Trustee (Treasurer), and the nomination and election of Elected Directors/Trustees.

Following the formal AGM, there will also be an opportunity for general questions and updates with the Board and Executive Director, followed by a Play England History Quiz led by Dr Wendy Russell.

!

Play England will hold its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday 8 October 2026, from 14:00–15:00, at the University of Warwick. The AGM forms part of our National Play Conference and Awards programme, taking place on 8–9 October 2026. Purpose of the AGM The AGM will present Play England

17/09/2026

to the inaugural Play Their Way podcast - “We play sport, we don’t ‘sport’ sport”

https://youtu.be/vooy-XGofB4

!

🎧 Have you had a chance to listen to our first episode of the podcast yet?

Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion between host Laura-Jane Jones and guest Eugene Minogue of Play England on the danger of 'sportising' children and the importance of play as the foundation of all movement: https://bit.ly/3ErVzrg

16/09/2026

Playces to formally launch at the National Play Conference

www.playengland.org.uk/newsblog/university-of-sheffield-experts-to-launch-playces-at-the-national-play-conference

Developed through collaboration between The University of Sheffield, Play England and Passport365, Playces is a new national spatial evidence platform designed to support better planning for play.

At the Conference, Dr Michael Martin and Dr Paul Brindley from the The University of Sheffield will showcase the platform and explore how better evidence can help identify inequalities in provision, target investment and support a stronger approach to play sufficiency.

They will be joined by Gemma Hyde from the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and a representative from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, bringing together evidence, planning, policy and investment.

This work builds on the The University of Sheffield’s contribution to Play England’s national planning work and the evidence underpinning the Government’s £18 million Playground Fund.

📍 National Play Conference: Creating the Conditions for Play
📅 Friday 9 October 2026
📍 The Slate, University of Warwick
Book your place: www.playengland.org.uk/conference

Playces, the new national digital platform designed to support evidence-led planning for play provision, will be formally launched at the National Play Conference on Friday 9 October 2026. The launch will be led by Dr Michael Martin , Lecturer in Urban Design and Planning, and Dr Paul Brindley ,