A tutor's story: Sainsbury's Active Kids for All Inclusive PE training
As we approach the end of the current programme year for Sainsbury's Active Kids for All Inclusive PE training, we caught up with Karen Erikson, one of the programme’s experienced tutors. Below, she tells us why she enjoys delivering the training and why she feels it is important.
The Sainsbury's Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training is designed to improve confidence, knowledge and skill in including, challenging and progressing all pupils by embedding inclusive practice in planning, delivery and assessment.
Since the Sainsbury's Inclusive PE Training programme began in 2012, it has provided free training to over 9,500 teachers, trainee teachers and school staff across the UK. An estimated 225,000 young people with special educational needs and disabilities have benefitted through high-quality, inclusive PE. The programme evaluation shows the training has a significant and sustained impact on teachers’ confidence and competence to deliver inclusively, with confidence levels increasing by 52% after the training.
Karen, why did you get involved as a tutor for Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training?
The development of Physical Education is a real passion of mine! I believe it is vital that all young people are offered equal opportunities to develop personal and practical skills; to participate in activity at a level suitable to them and to have the opportunity to become confident leaders.
As PE specialists we have the opportunity to change lives. The Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training opens teachers’ minds to the possibilities of what they can be offering all young people.
What do you enjoy about delivering the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training?
This training not only upskills the teachers and provides them with new ideas to take back to their school. It also develops their confidence to deliver more inclusive PE lessons.
I love it when participants have ‘light bulb’ moments, when they suddenly realise how easy it is to differentiate their lessons so that every young person is being challenged and making progress at their own pace.
One of the key moments for me is supporting teachers to understand that assessing pupils in PE is just as important as in other core subjects, such as maths and English, to ensure progress and tracking of pupils!
Why would you recommend the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training?
The training is a source of excellent, free continuing professional development. It is relevant to teachers, teaching assistants, trainee teachers and any staff who support curriculum PE. It challenges perceptions and supports attendees to really focus on what an individual can do. I highly recommend it!
One recent PE Specialist who attended the training said: “This workshop has given me loads of ideas which I am going to share with my colleagues…It just goes to show that we need to keep trying and learning ourselves, even as qualified teachers!”
For more accounts of the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training, click here.
For further information about the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All Inclusive PE Training Programme or to book your free place on a workshop please contact EFDS via email or call 01509 227751.
