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The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

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The next generation deserves a chance to be active

Only one in four disabled children take part in physical activity at school. Here we outline some ways in which people can support disabled children and young people to be active.

Young boy with visual impairment playing cricket

Positive PE experiences are crucial in supporting children to go on to enjoy being active for life. Disabled children must be given the chance to benefit from physical activity as much as non-disabled children.

With all eyes on the Paralympics in Paris there are sure to be discussions around inspiring a new generation. However, we know that disabled children are regularly left behind their non-disabled peers in school sport and activity.

Sport England’s Active Lives Children and Young People Survey 2022-23 showed disabled children are less likely to have positive attitudes on enjoyment, confidence, competence, understanding, and knowledge in sport and physical activity than non-disabled children.

Disabled children and young people must be allowed to enjoy the physical and mental wellbeing benefits of PE in school. It is as vital as any other lesson taught in school, and one that will help our future generations flourish.

Here we outline support for parents, coaches and teachers to ensure they can give every child the opportunity to be active.

Inclusion 2024 Inclusive Education Hub

The Inclusion 2024 Inclusive Education Hub brings together essential resources for inclusive PE and school sport into one space. Created in partnership by Activity Alliance, Youth Sport Trust and Department for Education, the hub supports teachers responsible for PE to engage more disabled students. 

A new series of videos, released during National School Sports Week, were designed to help guide users through the hub ensuring they are able to focus on the content.

Sometimes finding the best resources and support to improve your inclusive practice can be a challenge. The Hub, hosted by Activity Alliance, helps you to access the most relevant information.

Super Movers for Every Body

BBC Children's and Education, the Premier League and ParalympicsGB came together to launch Super Movers for Every Body.

Teachers and parents can access a whole host of exciting free online curriculum-linked resources on BBC Teach. This includes Super Movers for Every Body follow-along films featuring CBBC stars, ParalympicsGB athletes and Premier League mascots, as well as other downloadable activities to get children moving.

Hannah Cockcroft, who is competing in Paris, launched the campaign. She said:

“Giving teachers and children the confidence, skills and knowledge they need to ensure nobody is left out is so important to me.  We need to recognise that every child can do sport, it is just about finding the right activity and making any adaptations to find the way that is right for them.

“I have so many skills from taking part in sport that have been so valuable in all aspect of my life and I want every child to have the opportunity to develop those skills.”  

More information can be found on the Super Movers for Every Body website.

Inclusive PE activity cards

Our Inclusive PE activity cards provide teachers and school staff with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to plan and deliver inclusive and accessible PE sessions.

Each card shows you how to play the game and what equipment you will need. They outline how to use the STEP Tool to adapt, modify, and progress activities for pupils with different abilities and / or specific impairments. 

What is the STEP tool?

STEP stands for Space, Task, Equipment and People.

  • SPACE - adapt the space you and your children have to play in (the size, width, length) to make the task easier and harder, depending on their ability.
  • TASK - adapt the task for your child to enjoy to ensure it is age-appropriate and challenging yet achievable.
  • EQUIPMENT - explore changing the size, shape and weight of equipment, or change the purpose of equipment to achieve different results.
  • PEOPLE - People can be included in games in lots of different ways: as partners, team members, or oppositions! If your child finds an activity easier or harder, you can adapt the role of other people to encourage them to set new goals.

(STEP © 2002, Youth Sport Trust. All rights reserved.)

STEP is a simple way for making changes to activities. It's commonly used in PE and school sport settings so that everyone can join in and take part together. But the principles work in all settings, especially in the home.

Find our series of Activity Cards on our website.

Play Their Way

Activity Alliance is proud to be part of the Children’s Coaching Collaborative and the Play Their Way movement and campaign. The campaign aims to transform the way children and young people are coached in sport and physical activity, prioritising their rights, needs and enjoyment in a ‘child-first’ approach to help increase activity levels. It is funded by Sport England and The National Lottery and is led by the 17 partner organisations that make up the CCC.

A ‘child-first’ approach to coaching is about championing every child’s voice, choice and journey in sport and physical activity. The Play Their Way campaign aims to level the playing field by putting children first and helping them enjoy being active in their own way, where great coaching can inspire a child to stay active for life.

Click here to learn more about the Play Their Way campaign, access resources, and sign up to be part of the movement.