Leadership Development Programme for PE leaders – Recruitment Pack

The Youth Sport Trust (YST) are striving to play our part in equipping educators to level up life chances of young people who are suffering from the effect of inequalities, as we believe educators are key role models for young people. 

At the beginning of 2024/25 academic year, the Youth Sport Trust (YST) launched our inaugural Leaders in PE Development Programme for Physical Education leaders from ethnic diverse communities. 

This was in response to: 

  1. The recent Active Lives Children and Young People survey shows that in the past year, there has been little change to the activity levels of young people within England, and inactivity levels remain persistently high. Equally, there are significant inequalities that remain in participation, with Black and Asian children and young people still less likely to play sport or be physically active than the average across all ethnicities 

  1. A characteristics survey of the educators who work closely with us showing that we need to be more ambitious in achieving greater diversity of the role models in education that we work with. 

We are committed to continuing to make change and although we are broadening the role models in education who we are working with, we still need to do more.  Therefore we are now inviting applicants to apply to be part of the second cohort.  The programme has the following key outcomes:

  1. Strengthening ethnic diversity in the PE leadership profession 

  1. Further enhance attendees’ leadership and decision making in PE, school sport and physical activity 

  1. Provide a space for sharing learning and networking 

  1. Work with YST to ensure the support of the charity is better positioned to support educators from ethnically diverse communities. 

The Leadership Development Programme 

A tailored CPD programme led and supported by industry experts, consisting of: 

  • A series of workshop sessions co-delivered by YST experts and equality organisations across the 2025-26 academic year 

  • Opportunities for attendees to work collaboratively, provide mutually beneficial support and mentoring with other PE leaders from across the country 

  • Opportunities for attendees to take part in regional and national networking 

  • A funded place at the YST National Conference. 

Attendees will be encouraged to have a specific line of inquiry they are keen to follow through in their settings. 

To ensure the workshop content is appropriate and engaging for attendees, we will co-create the titles and synopsis of the workshops with attendees. Types of workshops that were delivered in 2024/25 were: 

  • Storytelling for Change  

  • Self-Reflection and Professional Growth  

  • Faith-Based Practice in PE  

  • Championing Youth Voice  

  • Tackling Inequalities: Supporting Young People from Ethnically Diverse Communities  

  • Defining a Teaching Philosophy  

  • Leading Whole School Change  

  • Influencing for Impact  

The workshops will be facilitated by Youth Sport Trust Experts, alongside current Physical Education leaders from ethnic diverse communities. 

Attendance 

Submission of an application indicates that: 

Applicants are available to attend all the workshop dates (reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed): 

  • Thursday 23 October 2025 

  • Thursday 11 December 2025 

  • Thursday 29 January 2026 

  • Wednesday 4 March 2026 

  • Wednesday 29 April 2026 

The first workshop will be held in Loughborough with the remaining locations of further workshops agreed with attendees on 23 October. 

Applicants will commit to building a ‘Communities of Experience’ network in their locality for other PE leaders from ethnic diverse communities to disseminate learnings from the development programme. 

Recruitment 

Potential attendees are invited to submit an expression of interest which needs to be supported by their Headteacher/Principal. 

Leadership Development Programme for PE leaders – Application 

We are seeking to invite 15 people onto the programme, however increased numbers can be accommodated if the initial interest is high. 

Timeline 

  • Monday 14 July - Recruitment opens

  • Friday 19 September – Recruitment closes 

  • Monday 22 September - Applicants informed of decision 

Supporting Partners 

The professional development programme will be ‘supported’ by organisations who are part of YSTs Diversity Advocacy Group.  They are champions of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in our school system. Some of the supporting partners will attend the workshops to provide a spotlight on their organisations. 

  • Adrian Rollins – Head of School, Heath Park School and member of Black Men Teach and BAMEed 

  • Albert Adeyemi – Co Founder, Black Men Teach and PE Teacher/Head of Year at Bedford Academy 

  • Eugene Dwaah – CEO, The Evolution Sports Group & Education 

  • Farhan Adam MBE - Headteacher at Crown Hills Community College 

  • Dr Irfan Khawaja – Author of Ramadan Guidance for Schools and Educational Settings: Physical Education & Physical Activity and Senior Lecturer in Public Health, University of Wolverhampton 

  • Jermaine Coleman – Assistant Vice Principal, Greig City Academy 

  • Justin Jose - Physical Education Lead at Cubitt Town Junior School 

  • Mo Jafar - Senior Lecturer in Sport, PE and Development, University of East London 

  • Paul Mundy – Castle – Board member, Basketball England and ex- secondary school Headteacher 

  • Sahiba Majeed – PE Teacher, Jack Hunt School and Marketing and Insights Lead, Muslim Sports Foundation 

  • Dr Shrehan Lynch – Associate Professor in Sport, University of East London 

  • Zahara Chowdhury - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Education Consultant and Founder of School Should Be.