Students discuss impact of Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE

Students at Sheffield Hallam University have this week been completing Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE, as part of the university’s PE Specialist summer school activities.

Their numbers add to the 5,000 teachers, trainee teachers and school staff who have attended the workshop since its inception.

Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training provides free training and resources, and is designed to improve confidence, knowledge and skills in including, challenging and progressing all pupils by embedding inclusive practice in planning, delivery and assessment.

Here, the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) hears from five of the Sheffield Hallam participants – Ben, Kelsey, Kathrine, Nathan and Clive – on their experiences this week.

Why did you take up the course?

Ben: Although I had read and heard a lot about how to include all children in PE lessons regardless of impairment, I had very little practical experience. Therefore, I was excited to get stuck into the Inclusive PE session.

Clive: I want my classroom to be an inclusive environment where children help each other.

Kelsey: I have been interested in working with SEN (special educational needs) children, so learning how to be able to include all children when teaching physical education is vital.

What were your initial impressions?

Nathan: The course was led by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable course leader whose love of inclusive PE was infectious.

The initial focus was on how outstanding inclusive PE should be and that it should challenge everybody, have everybody taking part and show progression for each and every student.

Kelsey: We started off the day with a discussion on our views on inclusive sports and what it meant to us - this was interesting as a lot of different ideas were discussed.

What aspect of the training did you most enjoy?

Clive: I learned how it is often quite simple to think of ways to make every activity inclusive - it just takes a little creativity.

This realisation has increased my confidence about doing this in my own lessons.

Ben: Throughout the day I was able to generate a better understanding of what outstanding inclusive PE looks like, as well as the many challenges to successful inclusive practice, which I can now apply in the future.

Kelsey: When we moved into the gymnasium we tried out different inclusive games and looked at different developments that could be made within the games to make them as inclusive as possible.

Kathrine: We did a few sessions of different activities and simplified them down and built them up gradually which was good fun and made you think more about the ability of individual students.

Why would you recommend the workshop to fellow students?

Kelsey: As the amount of children with disabilities and learning difficulties in mainstream schools is increasing, understanding how to adapt lessons is essential for pupil progress.

Ben: I learned how PE curriculum needs to positively engage learners, giving all children the thirst for knowledge.

I was also able to see how creative and imaginative teaching can achieve this, which will prove vital for my personal future practice.

Overall, I am now much more confident in my ability to provide outstanding inclusive PE.

Clive: Perhaps most useful for me were the activities suggested, that are great for helping to build a rapport with disabled students in a class, as well as non-disabled pupils.

This is something I would now apply at the start of a school year if I had someone with an impairment in one of my classes – it will help all to focus on what they can do.

And better integration in PE lessons will also help disabled pupils build good relationships with their classmates, right from the very start.

To benefit from the final year of the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training Programme and receive your free place on a workshop or to find out about hosting your own workshop, please visit the programme webpage or contact EFDS via email ak4a@efds.co.uk or call 01509 22 77 51.