Inclusion 2028
Led by the Youth Sport Trust, a national network of Lead Inclusion Schools and a consortium of expert organisations including Activity Alliance, nasen, ParalympicsGB and Swim England: this grant fuels a range of inclusive initiatives across England - ensuring that every pupil, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to thrive.
Why it exists
- As highlighted in Paralympics GB’s Equal Play campaign, 25% of young people with SEND are regularly participating in physical education and school sport.
- 1 in 3 disabled children take part in less than 30 minutes of sport and physical activity per day during term-time (30% vs 21% of non-disabled children).
- 90% of parents of disabled children say their child’s level of physical activity is important to them. Yet less than half of parents with disabled children feel they have enough support to help their child to be active.
Inclusion 2028 exists to change that by aiming to create inspiring, accessible and meaningful physical education, school sport and physical activity environments for all pupils.
By working collaboratively with schools, trusted delivery partners, and most importantly, listening to the voices of young people, Inclusion 2028 supports sustainable, inclusive practices that embed long-term change.
What it delivers
Through Inclusion 2028, schools can benefit from:
- Targeted interventions that deliver impact
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Youth leadership opportunities that empower pupils with and without SEND
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Inclusive sports festivals inspired by the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Paralympics
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Tailored CPD to build staff knowledge and confidence
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Resources and tools designed to adapt PE and school sport to meet every learner’s needs.
Starting locally through Lead Inclusion Schools
At the heart of the grant are England’s Lead Inclusion Schools These schools act as champions in their local area – as well as staging events, they are responsible for providing advice, guidance and support through signposting to training and examples of best practice within the local county to upskill the education sector in the importance of inclusion.
What are the benefits?
For Pupils with SEND
- Increased active minutes, contributing to physical and mental wellbeing
- Improved confidence, self-esteem and well-being including feelings of pride, self-belief, happiness and social integration
- Greater opportunity to lead, participate and engage in physical education, school sport and physical activity.
For Teachers and Schools
- Access to free, bitesize e-learning and local CPD opportunities
- Enhanced understanding of inclusive practice
- Positive whole-school impact: positively impacting pupil behaviour, creating a sense of belonging and improving attainment.
Proven impact
Inclusion 2028 builds on the success of Inclusion 2024 - and the results speak for themselves:
- 6,797 school staff trained through CPD opportunities delivered by Lead Inclusion Schools nationwide.
- 837 inclusive festivals delivered reaching 1,526 schools. 15,835 pupils participated (of which 86% were pupils with SEND), gaining confidence, teamwork and communication skills.
- 30,000 pupils with SEND attending inclusive events with 11,365 schools engaged.
- 2,463 young leaders trained to deliver inclusive activities (27% with SEND).
- 252 professionals trained on water safety for pupils with SEND by Swim England improving the confidence of staff to support pupils with SEND in water-based activities and increase the safety of pupils with SEND in and around water.
- An increase in the proportion of pupils with SEND achieving 20, 30 and 60 active minutes a day, leading to greater enjoyment, confidence and engagement in PE.
Explore evaluation report here (COMING SOON)
Inclusion Live Week
Since 2022, the Youth Sport Trust has hosted a week of free online webinars to support practitioners in creating inclusive school sport opportunities for young people with SEND. Here you can find upcoming events and the recordings and resources from previous years.
Go there now
Inclusive Education Hub
On the Inclusive Education Hub, hosted by activity alliance, you will find lots of support for you as teachers or school staff to review and improve your inclusive physical education and school sport delivery. Once registered, you will be able to complete the Inclusive PE self-assessment. Then you will be directed to relevant resources based on your answers and receive tips to continually improve the way you work.
Get in touch
Email the team to find out more about current interventions or support.
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