Panathlon’s partnership with Active Lancashire and its sponsors Spar has benefited hundreds of children with disabilities and special needs across the Red Rose county.
Active Lancashire is one of the 43 Sport England-funded Active Partnerships tasked with increasing physical activity and reducing inequalities in their local communities. In the last two years, it has worked with Panathlon to significantly increase opportunities for children with SEND to participate in competitive sport, as well as offering training for school staff to increase their confidence in delivering tailored PE and sport for this often-overlooked cohort of pupils.
Active Lancashire’s Schools Participation Officer, Andy Clark, has worked with his network of School Games Organisers across the county to build up a range of Panathlon programmes. These include multi-skills, ten pin bowling, boccia, new-age kurling and Xtend competitions for SEND pupils at primary, secondary and special schools.
In the 2023/24 academic year, there were 2,028 participants (competitors and Young Leaders) in 41 Panathlon events across all boroughs of Lancashire. Those numbers were exceeded in the first term alone of 2024/25 (September-December), with an astounding 2,361 participants across 42 events. Once the ten pin bowling events climax with North West and National Finals in March, our Primary Panathlon Multi-Skills pathway will begin across all 12 boroughs, building towards another North West Regional Final in the summer term.
The growth in a short space of time has been huge – and pupils are revelling in the opportunities being offered.
Andy said: “There is pressure on schools to try to include everybody in PE and sport, which can be very difficult – but Panathlon has come along and provided schools with a perfect platform to give their SEND kids confidence and capability. For many of them, it’s the start of a journey to go on to other great things in sport and life, which they may not have done otherwise.
“Panathlon is an enabler for these pupils to step out of their school and be part of something bigger. The charity offers us a brilliant way of tackling inequalities that these kids face so regularly. They can take part in physical activity without losing that traditional competitive element of school sport.”
“Exactly what schools need”
Just as importantly, Panathlon and Active Lancashire, with the support of Spar, have taken steps to ensure SEND pupils don’t just benefit whilst they are out of school at competitions – they can participate in school, too. Panathlon’s event manager in the north-west, Debbie Davies, has delivered 60 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training sessions with school staff to give them confidence in delivering tailored PE and sport sessions for SEND pupils on school grounds.
Debbie’s CPD sessions offer teaching staff guidance, ideas and insights they can put into practice in PE lessons as well as lunchtime and after-school clubs to ensure there is sustainability in provision.
Andy explains: “Teachers have to be ‘Jack of all Trades’ these days, working in an environment where children’s needs are ever more complex and there’s a higher number of pupils with SEN. Someone like Debbie coming in with a wealth of experience, showcasing best practice and showing some scenarios, has been so valuable. The staff’s confidence in not just delivering activity but how to start conversations about pupils’ needs and engage other staff are exactly what schools need.
“It’s had an impact on the Senior Leadership Teams at many schools. They’re now asking themselves, ‘Could we do more?’ They’re looking at how to embed this type of delivery within PE sessions and extra-curricular clubs.”
“Panathlon does wonders”
Hannah Newell, School Games Organiser for Blackpool, said Panathlon’s impact in her region has been “massive.” She said: “These events get the best feedback out of everything we offer. The kids absolutely love it. I can’t even begin to explain the impact it has.
“Usually it’s the sporty kids who are in all the school teams and they will be the ones up on stage in assembly showing off their medals. Panathlon does wonders for pupils who don’t usually get that opportunity. Having them turn up on that stage showing off their trophies, medals and certificates is absolutely priceless.”
Tony Waymouth, Panathlon’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We thank Active Lancashire for partnering with us in changing the landscape for SEND pupils across the county. The impact in terms of numbers and in the embedding of Panathlon’s inclusive ethos has brought immense benefits to SEND pupils, who now have equality in opportunities through sport and leadership. This resonates with ParalympicsGB’s Government-backed Equal Play campaign.”
