- Darren Campbell
Hundreds of local schoolchildren with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have enjoyed the chance to get active and try out new sports over the past year as part of a programme supported by Think Active.
Pupils from schools throughout Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire took part in this year’s School Games, a national programme funded by Sport England and run by the Youth Sport Trust to help schools make physical activity a regular and fun part of the school day.
Think Active worked in collaboration with eight local School Games Organisers (SGOs) to deliver 24 County Level 3 events for children during the 2024-25 academic year, featuring a wide variety of activities ranging from football, athletics and gymnastics to rowing, dodgeball, orienteering and more.
"We've seen incredible engagement across all levels, with schools embracing both competition and inclusivity."
Kerry Luckett, Think Active
More than 1,700 children took part in the events held over the past 12 months. Almost a third of those were SEND pupils, with a number of events designed specifically for SEND participants, including speed stacking, archery, rowing and multi-sports events.
Most recently in June, Think Active and SGOs teamed up to deliver a one-off indoor ‘Summer Sports 4All’ event for SEND pupils at Leamington Spa’s Newbold Comyn Leisure Centre.
Think Active and SGOs held a School Games ‘Summer Sports 4All’ event for SEND pupils in Leamington
Students were given the opportunity to try tennis, golf, cricket and athletics in the centre’s sports hall, as well as climbing at the venue’s clip-and-climb facility, an activity which proved particularly popular among the schools attending.
Providing feedback on the event, one school said: “The climbing was absolutely amazing and for our children, who might never have experienced something like that before, it was a memory-making activity.”
Another school said: “The events were very enjoyable and accessible for all. The children enjoyed themselves and showed all of the School Games values.”
Gallery: Summer Sports 4All at Newbold Comyn
Launched in 2006, the School Games programme focuses on helping less active young people and giving new opportunities to those who might not usually join in, offering a combination of intra-school activities and wider county level events.
Other highlights from this year’s School Games around the region included more than 140 girls taking part in the Girls Football Festival at Rugby Town FC in June, and over 500 pupils attended a Sports Hall Athletics event held at North Solihull Sports Centre in March.
Kerry Luckett, School Games Lead at Think Active, said: “This year’s county School Games have been a fantastic celebration of young people’s passion, teamwork and determination. We’ve seen incredible engagement across all levels, with schools embracing both competition and inclusivity.
“The success of the events is testament to the hard work of our team and the School Games Organisers, the dedication of school staff and, most importantly, the enthusiasm of the participants.
“Each year we build on feedback and learning, and this year has truly shown the positive impact of that continuous improvement.
“A big thank you to all the SGOs and delivery partners who helped make the School Games a success in 2024-25.”
Over 140 girls took part in the School Games Girls Football Festival in Rugby
If your school would like more details about getting involved in the School Games, please contact your School Games Organiser for information or get in touch with us at hello@thinkactive.org.
Find out more about the School Games, including past results and details of upcoming events, on our School Games page.
Think Active is a member of the Active Partnerships network, collaborating with local partners throughout Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire to promote the power of sport and physical activity for transforming lives and keeping people living well. Find out more about what we do.
