Updates

• National Conference
• Reporting 2025/26
• Inclusion as Principle rather than Policy
• Improving Teacher Trainee Education Survey 

Dates for your diary

• Inclusive Health Check Week
• October Networking Call
• Save the Date
• Programme Updates
• School Games Regional 2025 

Useful resources and opportunities

• Alternative Provision Resources  
• School Data Tool
• Case Study Template  
• Onboarding Document
• British Blind Sport Awards
• Inclusive Rugby 

Updates 

Youth Sport Trust Lead Inclusion School National Conference 

It was fantastic to see so many of you at the Youth Sport Trust Lead Inclusion School national conference on the Monday 22 September. The presentation from the day and materials discussed can be found in the Lead Inclusion School Teams channel. If you require access to this channel, please contact the [email protected] inbox. If you did not attend the networking day, please ensure you have booked a meeting with your Inclusion Development Coach as soon as possible. 

If you haven’t yet done so, please share your feedback from the event via this survey.  

Reporting 2025/26

You will shortly receive your personalised links to your schools' programme reporting excel sheet via email. Rebecca Tyers has recorded the following video to support you navigating how to complete the excel sheet, but if you have any further queries following this, please contact your Development Coach or the SEND inbox on [email protected].

Inclusion as Principle rather than Policy: A Headteacher’s Reflections 

It was a pleasure to welcome Paul Mclean, Headteacher at Kirkleatham Hall School and Lead Inclusion School for Cleveland, to the national conference. Following the event, Paul kindly shared his reflections and practical advice for successfully delivering the Youth Sport Trust Lead Inclusion School role, offering valuable guidance for fellow senior leaders navigating this important work within a demanding education landscape. 

1. Choose the Right Person for the Role 
In a complex and dynamic education sector, selecting the right individual to lead on inclusion is crucial. This person should be highly organised, able to manage their time effectively, and possess strong interpersonal skills to engage others in the vision. For me, finding the right person, even without a specific background in PE, was more important than subject expertise. What mattered most was their willingness to learn and grow into the role. 

2. Embed a Moral Purpose 
Inclusion should be part of the school’s DNA. It must be rooted in a deep belief in its value and the positive change it can create. As Senior Leaders, we have a responsibility to champion inclusion not only within our own schools but across the wider education community. As the saying goes, “Little by little, a little becomes a lot.” 

3. Prioritise Time 
Allocate dedicated time for the Inclusion Lead to carry out their responsibilities effectively. Through open conversations with my Inclusion Lead, I’ve gained a better understanding of the role’s demands and ensured they have the time and support needed to succeed. 

4. Ensure Accountability 
It’s vital that the Senior Leadership Team remains connected to the impact of the inclusion work. At our school, the Inclusion Lead contributes termly to the Headteacher’s report and feeds into and influences our School Development Plan. This keeps the work visible and measurable, allowing us to share outcomes across our school networks. 

5. Listen to Your Inclusion Lead 
Listen actively and reflect on how to support the role in a meaningful way. As leaders, we should look beyond assigning the responsibility to one staff member and instead work collaboratively to ensure its success. Support can also take the form of advocacy, promoting inclusion as a shared mission. 

6) Be an External Advocate 
Use your platform as a headteacher to champion inclusion to peers. I’ve done this through networks spanning specialist, primary, and secondary schools. Promoting the free resources available through the Lead Inclusion School network helps other schools embed inclusive practices - not just in PE, but across the curriculum. 

We encourage you to share these reflections with your Senior Leadership Team to help foster meaningful, collaborative conversations in the year ahead. Should any Senior Leaders wish to gain further insight into how they can support your work or learn more about the aims of the Lead Inclusion School prospectus, please contact Kelly Fellows at [email protected]. 

Improving Teacher Trainee Education Survey 

Research carried out by ParalympicsGB as part of The Equal Play campaign has shown there are many reasons why disabled children are sidelined from PE at school. One of the four tangible solutions identified by Paralympics GB is:  

• Adapt teacher training to ensure the next generation of teachers have the skills and confidence to deliver truly inclusive PE.

As part of Inclusion 2028, we are seeking the views of qualified teachers to identify your thoughts on what knowledge and information would be valuable for trainee teachers before entering the profession.  

If you could spare a couple of minutes to share your views through the three questions in this snap survey. 

Dates for your diary

Inclusive Health Check Week - 6-10 October

We are now in Inclusive Health Check Week! Please encourage your schools and SGOs to take part. We’ve added some social starters to the Microsoft Teams channel to help you spread the word!  

October Networking Call

Join us on Tuesday 14 October, 12.00-13.00 for the Lead Inclusion School Monthly Networking Call, where you can meet other Lead Inclusion Schools, share best practice and ask any questions. Register here. 

Save the Date

• Inclusion Week Live is 26-30 January 2026 – details coming soon
• Youth Sport Trust Conference, 4 March 2026 - a funded place per Lead Inclusion School (optional)
• Virtual Lead Inclusion School Conference on Thursday 25 June 2026 (mandatory).

School Games Regional 2025 

The School Games Regional Conferences 2025 will take place across four venues in November. 

They will build on the summer's National Summit and will respond to the key messages shared and developed on the day. The regional conferences will aim to embed the connectivity and synergy of tackling inequalities, youth voice and physical literacy whilst supporting School Games networks to hone in on 'the why, the what and the how' for tackling inequalities and increasing daily activity and how it relates to their local context. 

As Lead Inclusion Schools, you have the opportunity to attend the conference for free. 

Please use these links to book your place at a School Games Regional Conference: 

• South West – Tuesday 4 November, Bristol Register here
• South – Wednesday 5 November, London Register here
• North – Tuesday 11 November, Leeds Register here
• Central – Wednesday 12 November, Coventry Register here.

Useful Resources 

Alternative Provision Resources  

We have a collection of resources on our website which have been developed to support practitioners, schools, School Games Organisers (SGOs) and Active Partnerships in enhancing the quality, accessibility, and impact of PE and sport within Alternative Provision settings. Access them here. 

School Data Tool 

The latest version of the school census data, including the breakdown of pupils with SEN, is now available on the Microsoft Teams channel. 

Case Study Template  

You will have seen in this year's Lead Inclusion School prospectus that over the academic year, each Lead Inclusion School must provide one case study to the Youth Sport Trust sharing the impact that one of the inclusion programmes (Inclusion 2028, Sport England or The Football Association) has had on a young person with SEND. To support with this, we've created a case study template (see here for the individual case study and here for the school case study), for structure in writing this case study. Please note, this case study will need to be submitted to the SEND inbox by Friday 31 July 2026 with the relevant consent forms. If anyone has any questions about this, please contact Kelly Fellows on [email protected].  

Onboarding Document 

The Lead Inclusion School onboarding plan has been added to the key documents file in the Microsoft Teams channel to give you an overview of the Lead Inclusion School offer and your role. The document also includes information on the wider network and a resources page. 

Opportunities

British Blind Sport 50th Anniversary Awards – British Blind Sport 

To mark five decades of championing sport and physical activity for blind and partially sighted individuals, British Blind Sport is proud to host its 50th Anniversary Awards and Celebration Dinner on Thursday 6 November 2025.    

This milestone is not ours alone, it’s a tribute to the countless coaches, volunteers, and advocates from across the sporting and sight loss communities who have played a vital role in making sport more inclusive and accessible. Their dedication has paved the way for lasting change. In recognition of those who have made a visible difference, we are delighted to announce a special one-off awards ceremony to honour their extraordinary contributions.   

Please consider anyone in your area that deserves recognition for their effort and dedication to the world of blind and partially sighted sport and physical activity. Please read the descriptions carefully in the attached document and put forward nominees who best match the criteria.   

If you have any questions regarding the awards or require support completing a nomination, please contact Communications Officer, Laurie Sheehan on [email protected].  

The application form can be found here, closing date is Friday 10 October.

Inclusive Rugby! 

We are currently seeking two Youth Sport Trust Lead Inclusion Schools to support the Rugby Football Union (RFU) in developing activity cards and wider resources to enhance the inclusivity of rugby for pupils with SEND.  

This opportunity will consist of consultation with the RFU and following this a chance to test some of the example activities. The benefits of participation include free equipment packs for your time supporting this project. 

If you are interested, please express your interest by emailing Kelly Fellows at [email protected].