Inclusion
We recognise that high-quality PE and access to extra-curricular sport play an important role in all children’s lives including those with disabilities and learning difficulties. Physical activity can have such a positive impact on a child’s health, social, physical and emotional wellbeing.
Our vision
Our vision is to ensure all young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and those less engaged in physical activity have the opportunity to take part in high-quality physical education and have wider opportunities to participate within the community. We seek to build confidence and knowledge in our teachers and improve resources to make all PE inclusive for ALL pupils.
The SEND code of practice
The SEND code of practice: 0-25 years sets out 4 main areas of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). These are:
Communication and interaction needs
Cognition and learning difficulties
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
Sensory and physical needs
Some children and young people may have SEND in more than one of these areas, but for most children with SEND, they will attend their local, mainstream school.
Communication and interaction needs
Children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) might: struggle to talk or say what they want to, find it hard to understand what other people are saying, find conversations and play confusing or challenging.
Cognition and learning difficulties
Children and young people might: learn at a slower pace than others, find the curriculum difficult, struggle with organisation and memory, have a specific difficulty, for example, in literacy or numeracy.
Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
Children and young people might: find relationships difficult, appear withdrawn or isolated, behave in ways that affect their learning, for example, by being disruptive, do things that impact on their health and wellbeing.
Sensory and physical needs
Children and young people might have a disability, such as: a visual impairment (VI), a hearing impairment (HI), a physical difficulty. These difficulties can be age-related and may fluctuate over time, meaning they: may find it hard to access a school because of their disability, might need extra support or specialist equipment. Children and young people with multi-sensory impairment (MSI) have a combination of vision and hearing difficulties.
Other medically diagnosed disabilities
Some children and young people have other medically diagnosed disabilities which may impact upon their learning and interaction.
Link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25
Useful tools for planning inclusive PE sessions:
The Inclusion Spectrum model can be used as an effective method of structuring your PE and Physical Activity sessions to enable all pupils to access the learning. As well as Disability Sport-specific games such as Boccia, Kurling, Goalball and Seated Volleyball, the Inclusion Spectrum gives the coach four additional thought processes to consider when approaching the planning of lessons across all sports. The following methods can be applied to any sport or game being delivered as it allows the tutor to tailor the activity to the individual needs of participants with physical or cognitive impairments. The coach may choose to focus on just one of these areas if it is beneficial to the pupil’s learning or attempt to cover up to all four if it is appropriate and purposeful.
Alternate
Participants work on specific skills or activities leading to more successful inclusion in the whole group. In some cases, to achieve successful inclusion, participants need to practice separately first. This should not be most of the time and the focus is on transitioning into the main group activity.
Parallel
This is where more than one version of the same activity is delivered. Typically, participants are grouped by ability. Each group participates in the same activity but at a level appropriate to the group.
Modified
Everyone participates in the same activity however adaptations are made to either challenge and/or support individual participants according to their ability or needs.
Open
All participants can get involved in open activity. Typically, activity is less structured with limited or no modifications and has a focus on play. Participants can find a level of participation that suits them.
Link:
Inclusive sports and activity clubs
To find out more about local opportunities, check out these websites:
www.parasport.org.uk/find-a-club
Merton SEN Voice Report 2024/25
Merton were keen to develop a deeper understanding of the physical activity behaviours of young residents with additional needs and develop projects guided by youth voice. The Sport & Leisure Team worked with the Merton School Sport Partnership to develop inclusive focus groups and online surveys that explore attitudes to physical activity with young people who attend a Merton SEN setting. Open the report.
Our 2025/26 Inclusion Events:
| Date | Event | Time | Type |
| 24/09/25 | KS2 Cross country | 12:30-14:00 | Festival |
| 05/11/25 | KS2 Multi Skills | 10:00-11:45 / 12:15-14:30 | Festival |
| 26/11/25 | Kurling (Yr 3/4) | 10:00-13:00 | Competition |
| 26/11/25 | Seated Volleyball (Yr 5/6) | 10:00-13:00 | Competition |
| 21/01/26 | KS2 Boccia | 10:00-13:00 | Competition |
| 27/02/26 | KS2 Football | 10:00-11:45 / 12:15-14:00 | Festival |
| 17/04/26 | KS2 Tennis Festival | 10:00-12:00 | Festival |
| 01/07/26 | KS2 Scatterball | 12:15-14:00 | Festival |