Best Practice

'I forgot my kit’: A guide to poverty-proofing school sports

Is your school’s PE and sports kit preventing disadvantaged children from fully accessing school sport opportunities? Craig Watson, from Children North East’s Poverty Proofing initiative, shares some tips for creating inclusive school sports


With summer term upon us, colourful cones and team vests are being prepared for playgrounds and fields across the country.

From sports day to team activities, sports are an important part of the school day. However, they can also be a space for inequality to develop, with kit costs, equipment and travel making participation more difficult for children living in poverty.

Physical activity has many benefits for children and young people’s physical health as well as their mental wellbeing. For these reasons, among others, PE is a statutory part of the national curriculum in England, with the Department for Education (DfE) recommending at least 90 minutes of physical exercise in primary and secondary schools each week.

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