PE guidance for schools aims to strengthen equal access to sport

Schools in England will receive new guidance this summer on how to deliver two hours of PE a week and offer equal access to sport and PE.

The guidance, published by the government, has been designed to help “inspire the next generation of British athletes” by supporting schools to boost high-quality PE and school sport.

Drawing on case studies from across the country, the advice will inspire schools on how they can remove barriers to participation in PE by taking the specific needs of pupils into account, embedding plans into the school’s strategy and building relationships with local and national sport bodies.

The new guidance aims to help schools to meet both the ambitions of the national curriculum and the Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines, which recommends that children should take part in moderate to vigorous physical activity for an average of 60 minutes a day.

Examples cited in the guidance include Shoreham Academy, where PE staff worked closely with their Inclusion and Learning Support team to make sure that pupils with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) were able to take part in PE.

By purchasing new equipment for accessible activities like Boccia and Goalball, pupils with disabilities such as Muscular Dystrophy and Downs Syndrome have been able to participate fully in school sports.