Skip to content.

The national charity and leading voice for disabled people in sport and activity

Menu. Open and close this menu with the ENTER key.

Progressive Sports LEAD the way for school sports provision

Progressive Sports has become the first private sports coaching organisation to undertake our national LEAD (Leading, Equitable and Accessible Delivery) self-improvement toolkit - as they look to expand their provision to support more young disabled people to take part in school sport.

Progressive Sports staff in LEAD workshop

Established in 2006, Progressive Sports works to engage, educate and inspire more children to acheive more than they ever thought possible by raising standards within PE and sport in schools. They provide parents, schools and communities with expert sports provision for their children.

Initially based in Staffordshire, the company currently delivers sport and physical activity sessions to over 60,000 children every week and works with 200 schools nationwide. 

Eddie Ray, Progressive Sports Managing Director said: 

“We are always looking at ways to expand our provision to support more young people. We offer some quality support to SEN schools but identified a need to develop further.”

Working closely with the EFDS Engagement Team and Sporting Structures, they identified a perfect opportunity to be the first private sports coaching organisation to go through our LEAD toolkit.   

LEAD is a self-improvement toolkit that follows the Business Excellence Model. It helps organisations identify improvements they can make to all areas of their work in order to achieve equality for disabled people. It covers a range of themes from leadership and strategy, to workforce development and community engagement. Other organisations benefitting from the initiative include County Sports Partnerships (CSPs), National Governing Bodies of sport (NGBs) and leisure operators.

Mark Fosbrook, EFDS Engagement Advisor for West Midlands said: 

“It was great to be able to deliver a LEAD workshop to the first private coaching company as it shows the process can work in any setting. Its extra special that it’s a company from the West Midlands that has a reach across the country through its franchise network. I hope this is the first of many private organisations wanting to make a difference.”

For more information visit the LEAD page on our website.

If you would like to find out more please contact Mark Fosbrook, EFDS Engagement Advisor by telephoning 077642 91670 or email Mark.

Photo credit: Progressive Sports. Photo shows Progressive Sports staff with Managing Director, Eddie Ray and EFDS Engagement Advisor, Mark Fosbrook at LEAD workshop.