We know that a positive experience in PE and school sport is essential to shape every child’s life-long participation. It can alter how we feel about being active for the rest of our lives. Data suggests not all young disabled people (often referred to in education settings as Special Educational Needs or Disabilities - SEND) are fully included in PE.

• Disabled children’s activity levels decrease significantly, as they get older. Activity levels for disabled and non-disabled children are similar when they first start school (KS1 - 83% during term-time compared to 84%). By age 11, disabled children are less likely to be 'active' or 'fairly active' (KS2 - 77% vs 85%). The gap widens more significantly by the time they are 16 (KS4 - 52% vs 72%).
• Disabled children are twice as likely to be lonely compared to their non-disabled peers (72% vs 36%). They are more likely to feel they have no one to talk to, feel left out, and to feel alone.
• Disabled children are motivated to take part in sport and physical activity to feel a sense of belonging and be more independent.

Through the Inclusion 2024 programme PE and school sport experiences have rapidly improved for disabled children. Young people have been taking part in more inclusive and accessible PE lessons, school swimming, para sports as part of fun festivals, and learning key life and leadership skills.  

The programme has brought about change by building support systems, working with a range a stakeholders and empowering an expert network of schools which have a wealth of insights and experiences in making PE and sport inclusive to help other schools around the country. 

• 47% of SEND pupils now achieve 20 active minutes/day (compared to 39% pre-Inclusion 2024)
• 2,800 activities involving 55,000 interactions with pupils, school staff and other participants
• 763 continual professional development training events to improve inclusive practice reaching 7179 school staff from 4043 schools, 532 School Games Organisers, 978 trainee teachers and 1052 non-school based workers

• 25,800 members of school workforce reached trough Lead Inclusion Schools to share resources, available equipment, funding and inclusion updates.

Read the full year two evaluation here and the year one evaluation here.

The Inclusion 2024 consortium consists of Activity Alliance, the British Paralympic Association, NASEN (National Association for Special Educational Needs), Youth Sport Trust and Swim England. Young people and parents also sit on the group.