Inspections clinic: Physical education and SEND

For many pupils, school PE lessons are the first and only place they will be taught about safe movement and exercise, helping shape attitudes to physical activity in later life.

However, a recent Ofsted report found PE provision in many schools is limited in scope and ambition meaning children are missing out on key experiences and opportunities.

This is especially true for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who are not always properly supported to achieve in PE and sport.

The report looked at PE provision in 25 primary schools and 25 secondary schools visited between November 2022 and June 2023.

Inspectors found pupils with SEND were supported to achieve well in PE in just over half of the schools but provision in others was not always meeting their needs.

PE is more likely to be “deprioritised” for pupils with SEND, says Annamarie Hassall, chief executive of the National Association for Special Educational Needs (Nasen).

“For pupils in mainstream education, PE may be sacrificed to make space for additional support required in other subjects,” she says.

“It’s also less likely that additional support time will be assigned to ensure engagement in PE, especially for swimming and outdoor activities.”

While it is not the same story in special schools, she says there are often fewer choices or options for team sports because schools and pupil numbers are smaller.

Inclusion for all

Hassall says schools need to start with an “inclusion for all approach” that highlights the importance of physical activity for wellbeing.

“Start with the principle that pupils will have opportunities and that these will be stimulating, motivating and open to all,” she says.

“Build in the same assumptions for PE as for all subjects – that the school will be inclusive, that lessons can be adapted and reasonable adjustments will be considered when planning the PE timetable.”

The Ofsted report found most schools schedule enough time in the week to teach PE but football and other team sports are given almost all of that time.

Many schools were not teaching the basics of movement that would allow all pupils to fully and successfully participate in sports and other activities.

“In particular, for pupils with SEND, the quality of support they receive to enable them to participate fully is often not precise enough nor having the impact intended,” says the report.

“For example, in some schools, some pupils with SEND are not well supported to develop high-quality movement patterns before moving on to be taught more complex knowledge.”

Most pupils with SEND were being taught the same curriculum, with support and adaptations in class where needed.

However, the curriculum was not always clear on what was most important for pupils with SEND to know and be able to do and outcomes varied within and between schools.

Often information available to help staff support pupils with SEND was either not used, not clear or not understood.

For example, some strategies on how best to support pupils with cognition and learning needs were not specific enough.

“This meant that some pupils with SEND struggled in PE because they did not receive the support that could have helped them, such as more time to practise, additional step-by-step demonstrations or visual prompts,” says the report.

Better outcomes

In schools where pupils with SEND achieved better outcomes in PE, staff tailored support to pupils’ needs including providing clear instructions or more frequent demonstrations.

Other pupils were supported with appropriately adapted equipment and carefully planned activities that helped them achieve success in smaller steps.

One school devised set routines to start each PE lesson. This helped a small group of pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs to manage their anxiety and understand the teaching.

In some schools, pupils with SEND were taught in smaller groups.

A common feature in schools where PE provision was stronger for pupils with SEND included the fact staff received bespoke training on supporting children with particular needs.

Ensuring teaching and support staff have the right training is key, agrees Hassall as well as ensuring they have time to prepare, introduce and practice activities before taking them to pupils.

There are local and national organisations that can help.

For example, the Youth Sports Trust is working with Nasen and a consortium of others to improve PE and school sport for pupils with SEND.

The Inclusion 2024 initiative provides resources, encourages activities and enables access to motivational events.

Meanwhile, Whole School SEND’s teacher handbook features tips on a range of subjects including PE and is available free from www.nasen.org.uk.

Nationally, schools do not have the same facilities and may need to work with other schools or local partners to ensure access to key activities like swimming where there remains a significant social divide.

“Pupils with SEND are less likely to be proficient swimmers and this is also the case for those with care experience or from disadvantaged areas,” says Hassall.

Some schools have got around the lack of a pool by hiring a temporary one or investing in daily rather than weekly swimming to build confidence and skills.

Good practice: PE and SEND pupils

Developing a clear support strategy

One school said information they were given about targets and support strategies for individual pupils with SEND was “not very PE-friendly”. With help from the special education needs co-ordinator, leaders worked with staff and children to develop clearer and more specific strategies to provide meaningful support in PE generally and for individual pupils. For example, they looked at when it might be appropriate to use alternative equipment or approaches.

Identifying and addressing barriers
Another school used attendance data from extra-curricular activities and anonymised pupil questionnaires to identify possible barriers to participation in physical activity. The school found girls’ participation was significantly lower than boys while disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND were under-represented across all extra-curricular sessions. The school devised new clubs and activities aimed at addressing some of these issues, including Girls Gym, which became one of the best attended sessions by girls, especially those with SEND and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Involving pupils in boosting participation
In one school, pupils elected to the “school sports council” played an active role in getting the whole school community involved in PE and sports. With support from staff, pupils designed and set up an “active calendar” for the school and visited classes to share their plans. They also planned and led playground activities.

Making appropriate adaptations
One badminton lesson observed by inspectors included a pupil who was a wheelchair user. The shuttlecock was replaced with a balloon to enable the pupil to practice moving and using a racquet. After doing this successfully, the pupil moved onto receiving a shuttlecock from a peer before attempting to hit the shuttlecock over the net.

Inspection shorts

Education

All school inspectors will get mental health awareness training in response to concerns about Ofsted’s approach. The move was announced after a coroner found an inspection had contributed to the suicide of head teacher Ruth Kelly whose school was downgraded from “outstanding” to “inadequate”. The training was announced by Ofsted’s new chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver who said the regulator would embark on a “Big Listen” exercise with all sectors it inspects.

Social care

Ofsted has updated its framework for inspecting local authority children’s services to emphasise good practice around kinship care. The Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services framework says councils need to ensure assessments of family members as potential kinship carers are “carried out promptly to a good standard” to achieve a “good” rating for the experiences and progress of children in care.

Youth justice

Staffordshire Youth Offending Services has been rated “requires improvement” following an inspection. Inspectors found staff were dedicated, passionate and benefited from good training and the service was rated highly by young people, parents and carers. However, arrangements for keeping young people and others safe were inconsistent and resettlement work needed to improve.

Ofsted

Ofsted has announced changes to post-inspection procedures and the way it handles complaints following a consultation. The regulator has committed to providing more opportunities for discussion between managers and inspectors during site visits to help address any issues. Providers will also have the opportunity to contact Ofsted the day after an inspection if they have any concerns. From April there will be new arrangements for finalising reports and considering formal challenges to inspection outcomes. Providers will be able to escalate complaints to an independent body and there will be regular external reviews of closed complaints.

Social care

Children’s services in Bromley have been rated “outstanding” following an inspection last autumn. Inspectors highlighted “exceptionally strong services” provided by the London borough including “impressive” family help services. Senior leaders were praised for their “meaningful engagement” with children, families and multi-agency partners and for their understanding of the service’s strengths and weaknesses. Deputy council leader and executive councillor for children, education and families Kate Lymer said the rating was testament to the hard work of staff and partners.