FEATURE FOCUS: ALTERNATIVE PROVISION
How we can boost PE and sport opportunities for pupils in alternative provision
What should it involve? How is it experienced by pupils? How staff are trained to teach it, or how well the subject is resourced? Until now Late last year, first of its kind research* looking at PE and school sport in alternative provision was released for the first time. I have been privileged to work in partnership with Leeds Beckett University alongside several leaders, staff and young people attending alternative provision settings across the country to uncover the Physical Education and Sport in Alternative Provision Schools report findings. We all shared a passion for mapping the provision of physical education and sport in alternative provision schools and importantly, foregrounding the voice of young people and key stakeholders like teachers to gain valuable insights.
Young people’s experiences I
n our first look this month at the many facets of alternative provision, we are delighted to hear from Vicci Wells, Head of Sport for children’s charity the Youth Sport Trust, who takes us through the charity’s research into physical education in alternative provision settings.
There is tons of data telling us how many young people attend alternative provision settings, whether these pupils are on free school meals or have a Special Educational Need or Disability. However, little is known about physical education in alternative provision.
“In mainstream, I used to hate being removed from PE. I was only at the school a few weeks and I never got to do it – not once. It sucks! If you don’t have the right kit, you couldn’t do it. We always had to wear a certain kit – it was never what we wanted to wear or what we felt comfortable wearing. And like, if your kit doesn’t fit you or your shoes are ripped, everyone notices and then you get bullied. I used to hate being bullied in PE, it made me feel worthless!” It was this quote collected from a young person in the research which stuck with me. For this young person, PE was never a subject they could embrace and enjoy as they were denied the
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opportunity. It was a hard read. Delving further into their story, their experiences clearly highlight the barriers facing many young people across the country - particularly amid a cost-of living crisis where there is fear of judgement around worn shoes, kit that has been outgrown, and then to avoid that judgement, negative behaviours occurring.
The barriers young people in alternative provision face to getting active
Its why the aims of the research are so important. It highlights the significant barriers young people in alternative provision face to getting active. This includes the physical space within school, and available equipment to play, along with a lack of teacher training and a looming recruitment crisis. The findings are stark and reveal: • More than half of alternative provision schools involved in the research do not have an indoor space available for the delivery of physical education. • Just 43% reported having access to a dedicated outdoor space (e.g., AstroTurf, sports pitches, or multi-use games area). • Over 60% of settings rated their equipment as average, poor or very poor.
Schools are trying to work creatively with the limited resource they have, but due to lack of investment do not have the funding to ensure better quality equipment to teach physical education. Alternative provision schools were quoted as ‘having a basketball team, but no
January 2023
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