Ofsted PE Inspection
Blog Series Part One
SEND Provision
Physical Education should be accessible for all, and even if a child has Special Educational Needs or a Disability, there are still many ways in which that child can access the curriculum as well as achieve within it. This blog will look at how SEND children can be supported as well as what Ofsted will be looking for.
Addressing and recognising the barriers children face will do wonders for inclusion and achievement with PE. Below are three barriers commonly faced and how they can be addressed.
Attitudinal
There may be a stigma that because someone has a disability they won’t be able to do PE or be able to achieve great things. There are many role models that are now in the public eye that you can use to overcome this. For example, Ellie Simmonds the 5-time Paralympic Gold Medalist would be a fantastic role model to a child who has dwarfism. If children are reluctant to participate due to Asthma, did you know that David Beckham is Asthmatic?
Environmental Barriers
It's important to create a safe and engaging learning environment. Think about where you are teaching PE and if you have another space with minimum distractions. Think about if you have enough equipment, for example, can you make a task easier by changing the equipment? Can you make a task safer for example it might be appropriate to use plastic Hockey sticks rather than wooden ones.
Internalised Barriers
The vital thing is support is given during PE if it is required. Please speak up to your SENDCO and SLT if you feel an additional adult, such as a teaching assistant, is needed to provide the appropriate level of support. If you find that support can not come from an adult, could you use a high-achieving child to provide support and develop that child’s leadership at the same time? Part of having a high-quality curriculum is that all children can be included within it especially children who have SEND. PE can help SEND children to develop a wide range of skills however your planning is vital for this to be successful.
How do SEND children access the PE curriculum?
During any Ofsted inspection, the inspector will be assessing how children with SEND access your PE curriculum. Below are a few points which you can talk about:
- Adapting your lessons to SEND needs to happen usually through differentiation. Differentiating can ensure every child can take an active part in PE. The main adaptations that will need to be considered, refer to the activities, environment, tasks, and the equipment being used.
- Differentiating an activity can be done as little as changing a piece of equipment (for example using a bigger for a child who struggles with their coordination). A task can be made shorter or longer to help children master the skill they are learning. PE is a fantastic way of building children’s confidence, self-esteem, and resilience however children may need more time in order to secure the skills being taught.
- An additional way of adapting activities within your curriculum or extracurricular programme is the inclusion of adaptative sports such as boccia, curling, and goalball. Not only do SEND children thrive participating in these, but you’ll find that mainstream children will also love the opportunity to try something new.
- For all of the children within your setting, you should always refer to that child’s IEP or EHCP when planning their participation within the PE lesson. You may also find that speaking to the child’s parents in coordination with the school's SENDCO will help cater to their needs.
- Additionally, Ofsted will consider how SEND children access extra-curricular activities and how you provide these. Reach out to your local school sports partnership to ask about any events which SEND children can attend as this is a fantastic opportunity to showcase inclusion.
Written by Ryan Bardsley, LSC PE Specialist, coach mentor, and extended schools lead.
Ryan went through a PE Ofsted inspection in March 2022 as the PE Lead to which the content provided above were found to be key areas from Ofsted.
Read Ryan's Guide on how to survive an Ofsted PE inspection 👉👉