Outstanding Inclusive Practice

Sponsored by Team GB & Paralympics GB

Awarded to a special, Pupil Referral Unit or Alternative Provision school that that has used PE, sport and play to re-engage young people, many of whom face varying complex challenges, in their education outside of a mainstream setting.

Winner

Wings School Notts, Nottinghamshire 

A proud Youth Sport Trust Lead Inclusion School, Wings School Notts are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and immersive learning environment for all students. A specialist residential school, they educate children with a variety of different backgrounds and needs including Looked After Children (LAC), Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH) and therefore aimed to adopt a unique approach to physical education, school sports and physical activity in order to provide their young people with an improved and evidenced developmental experience. 

Significant changes have been made across their PE and school sport practices to support this vision, including implementing initiatives such as the Youth Sport Trust's My Personal Best and Inclusive Youth Leadership programmes which are led collaboratively by students and senior leadership. As a result of this, Wings School have since introduced daily health and well-being sessions, activity-based enrichments, uniform changes, dual national curriculums and the use of physical activity to aid regulation and de-escalation, and more. These initiatives have led to notable improvements for both students and staff, including an improved sense of belonging felt among the entire community, more young people are now regularly attending offsite sporting enrichments with trusted staff, and generally improved behaviour. The school has also achieved back-to-back School Games gold awards and one of their students, Ellie, even won Inspirational Inclusive Leader Award Winner at the Youth Sport Trust 2024 Changemaker awards. 

In addition to this, Wings School champions inclusion across their community through the organisation of continual professional development (CPD) sessions, with topics on topics of neurodiversity, Motor Activity Training Programmes (MATP), sensory circuits and inclusive leadership being delivered to over 350 colleagues. The senior leadership team, teachers and SENDCo have also presented the school’s model and approach to PE and school sports to colleagues and other organisations with the aim to influence settings nationally. Furthermore, they oversee a special schools PE group, giving them a voice in School Games Organiser meetings to continue to involve and develop their inclusive PE and school sports offer.  

Highly Commended

Slated Row School, Milton Keynes

Teacher holding a number 10 sign and students in swimming pool holding pool noodle

Lesley Byrne is a dedicated educator with 30 years of experience and a passionate advocator for inclusive practices, and with a hearing impairment herself, Lesley serves as a powerful role model for both her students and fellow educators. She is an influential teacher at Slated Row special school, a committed Youth Sport Trust Lead Inclusion School who champion the importance of inclusive PE and school sport practice aiming to increase the opportunities available in PE & school sport for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). They provide advice, guidance and support within the School Games network to develop confidence and competence in delivering inclusive practice for School Games Organisers, Active Partners and National Governing Bodies and National Disability Sports Organisations.  

Over the years, Lesley has trained and inspired over 79 school staff, including teaching assistants and trainee teachers, and delivered two inclusive sports festivals that demonstrated inclusive practices and engaged 109 SEND pupils. Her work has also extended to improving life skills for 43 pupils, many of whom have SEND, by offering them leadership opportunities in community programmes. Furthermore, Lesley has collaborated with organisations like the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) to ensure water safety provisions are inclusive for SEND students after recognising that there was a real risk for pupils with SEND who had been unable to access school swimming during COVID. 

One of Lesley’s most impactful initiatives is the SEND Family Swim project, which she founded in 2022 and received support from Sport England to continue its important work. The project creates a welcoming space for SEND families to enjoy swimming without fear of judgment, supporting both children and parents in building confidence in the water. 

This work exemplifies her unwavering commitment to raising aspirations for SEND students and her instrumental role in shaping inclusive practices. Lesley passionately demonstrates what is possible for any young people when they are supported to pursue their dreams. 

Full list of shortlisted entries:

  • Woodlands Special School, Edinburgh  

  • Manchester Hospital School, Manchester  

  • Highfurlong School, Blackpool  

  • The Levels School, Somerset  

  • Clare Mount Specialist Sports College, Wirral  

  • Wings School Notts, Nottinghamshire  

  • E-ACT Venturers' Academy, Bristol  

  • Slated Row School, Milton Keynes 

 

Winner 2024 - Wave Multi Academy Trust, Devon & Cornwall

Photo of winners at awards evening

As a Multi Academy Trust of 11 Alternative Provision (AP) Academies across Devon and Cornwall, Wave Academy are determined that movement and exercise are a fundamental pillar of their work in supporting young people who have been excluded from school.

The Trust leads on a premise that PE, movement and exercise is prioritised within the curriculum daily and pupils now have more opportunity to engage in sport and play. It is fundamental that pupils are supported to learn how to interact in positive ways, to take turns, to communicate and to channel any anger and frustrations correctly. They learn to experience ‘play’, learn to cooperate as a team and to learn how to stay healthy which all helps to build resilience for the future.

The Trust are determined to make a difference, and through Youth Sport Trust, they have designed a longitudinal study to ‘trial and learn’ through innovation and study the impact of this work, as they reflect and make the most difference to pupils in the Trust, and beyond.

Following a ‘Shelter Box’ approach, the Trust have created a ‘PE in a Box’ in every Academy. The boxes were designed with equipment that could be used in any classroom, where traditional spaces like a hall or the ability to be outdoors might not be available. This was followed with specific training for all staff.

The difference this made was apparent straight away. Pupils are engaged in physical activity in a way they never were before with enjoyment of and achievement in PE growing. Non specialist teachers in both primary and secondary are increasingly confident in delivering PE and are creating space in their curriculum for PE which is non-negotiable. A PE Trust Lead was appointed, as well as Primary Lead, to support teachers through subject networks which meet regularly as the Trust looks to further build curriculum provision.

Challenges remain, but the Trust are determined to seek solutions as a team. The work in increasing access and opportunity for young people who are excluded, vulnerable and often disadvantaged, is growing exponentially and the effects in terms of engagement and attendance are already being seen. This work is making a huge difference locally to excluded young people, and the hope is that this approach can be replicated nationally.