It is important to plan ahead to ensure that children with physical impairments are included in physical activities, as these can often present additional challenges for the young person and staff.

The suggestions here are generic and are by no means exhaustive. Depending on the type and level of need the pupil has, some may not be relevant, but hopefully this will provide you with some suggestions and help with the planning.

If you have an outside provider, it is important that you speak to them ahead of the sessions to ensure they can plan to ensure the pupil is fully included.

Understanding Your Student’s Needs

  • Ensure you have all relevant specialist medical information about any activities that cannot be undertaken on health grounds. The community physio who has the child on caseload is a good contact for this information.
  • Seek advice from the advisory teacher for physical impairment if the child is on their caseload.
  • Seek advice from either DCC moving and handling advisor, or the advisor used by your school.
  • Complete a risk assessment before beginning the PE sessions to think about how risks to the pupil and staff can be reduced to the lowest possible level.
  • Listen carefully to the young person, they can tell you if something feels uncomfortable or difficult.

Reasonable Adjustments

  • The young person could come to school already in their PE kit/appropriate clothing as changing can be tricky and require adult support.
  • If the child is changing in school, ensure there is an appropriate place for them to change. They may need somewhere to sit down, or hoisting facilities. They also may need longer to change than their peers, or additional adult support.
  • Timetable adjustments. Children with physical impairments fatigue more easily than their peers so think carefully about when in day/week PE or physical activities are timetabled for. Try to ensure that they don’t have more than one activity in a day that requires significant physical effort e.g., forest school and PE. Try to ensure there is a day in between these activities if at all possible.
  • The pace of the activity may need to be adapted to ensure the young person can participate appropriately as some activities may take them longer than their peers.
  • Some activities may need to be adjusted and differentiated so the young person can take part, e.g., lighter weight ball, larger or smaller ball, alternative activities, transport arrangements if the venue is off site.
  • Adapt the environment, e.g., using tape rather than concrete items to mark out areas to reduce a trip hazard.
  • Using indoors rather than outdoors for PE as children with physical impairments can be more susceptible to extremes of temperature.
  • Space for the young person to rest for periods during the activity.
  • Staffing levels are considered and altered to allow the young person to take part in the activity. 

Additional Activities

Sports Day

  • Think about the activities that are planned. How can they be adapted to include the young person?
  • Where does it happen? You may need to move the activities to a different place in school. The field may not be suitable for a child with a physical impairment.

Curriculum Swim

  • How will the young person get there? If a coach is needed, can they get on and off independently? What alternatives are there for transport?
  • Have staff had the appropriate generic and person-specific moving and handling training?
  • Have the staff had appropriate training at the pool, ideally before the first swimming session?
  • Changing facilities – how and where will they change? Do they need a separate space or specialist equipment? Do they need additional adult support?
  • How will they get in and out of the pool? Do they need a pool hoist? If there is a hoist at the pool, is it suitable for the needs of the young person? Have you had appropriate moving and handling advice?

Forest Schools

  • How will the young person get there? If a coach is needed, can they get on and off independently? What alternatives are there for transport?
  • Changing facilities – how and where will they change? Do they need a separate space or specialist equipment?
  • Have staff had the appropriate generic and person-specific moving and handling training?
  • Do you need to alter the activities or where they take place so the young person can take part?
  • If a child is a wheelchair user, how will they access the forest school area? Could you move where the activities take place?