Department for Education funding will support a consortium of organisations, led by children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, to start work on the Inclusion 2024 programme this September. The funding of more than £900,000 will continue for up to three years. 

By summer 2024, the initiative will have improved provision of PE for 150,000 young people through inclusive training, advice and guidance to 5,000 schools – with an increased focus on working with Pupil Referral Units. It will also see Paralympic and Commonwealth Games-inspired inclusive sport programmes held in every county. 

Inclusion 2024 builds on the impact of Inclusion 2020 to further improve the quality and accessibility of PE and school sport, ensuring that the young people with SEND are supported to participate, engage and learn. 

It will focus on helping schools to improve the quality of teaching, providing opportunities for children to achieve 30 active minutes in the school day and improving the quality of swimming and water safety. 

Thousands of teachers will be offered free inclusion training CPD sessions and schools will be supported to collaborate and share expertise. Young people with SEND will be given a voice in the design and delivery of school sport and PE through the creation of a new youth voice framework. 

Youth Sport Trust Chief Executive Ali Oliver MBE said: 

“The huge disruption caused by the pandemic has hit young disabled people particularly hard. Thanks to the sustained commitment and support of the Department for Education, this ambitious programme to transform their experience of PE and school sport comes at a critical time. 

“Good quality and inclusive PE and school sport should be a universal entitlement for every young person. For children with special educational needs and disabilities, play and sport are not only important to their health and wellbeing, but they provide a sense of belonging and foster an inclusive environment throughout the school. 

“Fresh from the inspiring heroics of Team GB’s Paralympians in Tokyo this summer, we’re looking forward to supporting schools to reimagine the role of PE and school sport, ensuring that every young person with a special educational need or disability has a positive experience.” 

The consortium of organisations delivering Inclusion 2024 is led by the Youth Sport Trust and includes Activity Alliance, the British Paralympic Association, Nasen (National Association of Special Educational Needs) and Swim England.