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EFDS responds to Commons Education Select Committee legacy report

The Commons Education Select Committee published a report on its inquiry into school sport. It made recommendations for schools and Government to support the delivery of a lasting legacy for the London 2012 Games and included those needed for disabled children and young people. Today, the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) responds to the report.

The report is based on evidence submitted by a total 49 organisations and individuals. Significantly, the report recognises the role school sport plays to engage young disabled people and children with special educational needs. It calls for specific training for teachers and trainee teachers to help them provide inclusive PE and sport for these young people. We are pleased that EFDS has already begun to address this need, outlined in the organisation’s long term strategy “Active for Life”.

In particular, EFDS has partnered with Sainsbury’s, the Home Country Disability Sport Organisations and Youth Sport Trust to deliver an Inclusive PE training Paralympic legacy programme- Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All.

Barry Horne, Chief Executive for the EFDS, said:

“We warmly welcome this report, which further supports our work with partners to deliver the Active Kids for All Inclusive PE initiative. EFDS believes a positive experience in PE and school sport plays a critical role in shaping life-long participation and access to sporting pathways for all young people. While there is undoubtedly some outstanding practice of inclusive provision in physical education and school sport, we still need to see high quality provision available for all.”

Launched after the Paralympic Games in 2012, the Sainsbury’s Active Kids for All training initiative is designed to improve the quality of PE provision for young disabled people in mainstream schools across the UK. Free inclusive PE training and resources will be provided to 23,655 teachers, trainee teachers and learning support assistants throughout the UK, over a four year period from 2012 to 2016. The training will help workforce to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence that enables them to provide more opportunities in physical education and sport for young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

To date over 750 teachers have been trained through Active Kids for All, with 10 Universities already signed up to utilise this training for their teacher trainees within both primary and secondary school settings.

Horne continues:

“Alongside our delivery partner in England, Youth Sport Trust, we will be working hard to support both trainee teachers and established teaching networks to embed inclusive practices within their curriculum delivery. We believe the introduction of Sport Premium, investment into the sector provides a fantastic opportunity for us to connect with head teachers on this crucial agenda. With the right investment in inclusive training we have the chance to see a lasting legacy on the provision of PE and school sport for young disabled people.”

To access the report in full, please follow this link

Contact Kat Southwell, UK Inclusive PE Project Co-ordinator for more information or mobile: 07967573343