Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) – Inclusive PE

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) is the statutory guidance for schools and colleges in the UK on safeguarding children and safer recruitment. The Department for Education (DfE) has shared a draft version of KCSIE 2026 for consultation. This is not the final guidance; respondents have until Wednesday 22^nd April to share their views and we encourage you to do so. Once the final version is published, the guidance within it will become statutory, meaning schools are legally bound to follow it.

You can read the draft document and share your views using this link.

Included in the changes this year is guidance on gender diverse students; referred to in the draft guidance as “gender questioning” students. In this blog, we highlight some of the key features of the changes and specific reference to PE and school sport.

Principles of inclusion in PE

The physical, social and emotional benefits of an effective PE programme have been well documented in research over decades. When PE is inclusive, all students benefit; it increases psychological safety, develops strong peer relationships, increases engagement and improves physical and mental health outcomes.

The challenge for any PE Department or PE lead is to provide a positive experience for all students by removing barriers and ensuring safeguarding principles are applied equally to all children. Every child should experience success in all parts of their education. 

Why PE, school sport and physical activity matters

A study by Sheffield Hallam University that interviewed 81,773 students and 10,285 staff explored the benefits of PE, school sport and physical activity. It found that it can positively impact:

• Academic Achievement (92%)
• Mental Well-Being (98%)
• Physical Well-being (99%)
• Individual Student Development (97%)
• Behaviour of Students (93%)

In response to this research, Sport England’s Top Tips to make PE, school sport and physical activity great for students encourages PE departments to focus on boosting feelings of inclusion, confidence and perceived competence. Building a sense of belonging and considering non-competitive activities are key strategies to promote both psychological and physical safety for all students; vital for providing positive experiences.

“Schools and colleges have statutory duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children”

The guidance states in paragraph 255:

Schools and colleges have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. They should consider how best to fulfil that duty towards a child who is questioning their gender, as well as their peers, ensuring that any agreed course of action takes account of the impact on all of those affected.

As part of the Positive Experiences PE Pack produced by PE Scholar, the PE lesson checklist highlights 10 ways that departments and individuals can ensure PE is inclusive, equitable and a positive environment for all. These actions fit within the suggested changes to KCSIE:

To support the inclusion of all students, PE departments can:

• Provide flexible kit options so all students can choose clothing that feels safe, comfortable, and affirming. 
• Ensure changing spaces are calm, supervised, and adaptable, offering alternatives to support privacy needs and reduce anxiety. 
• Seek student voice when grouping students so that they can participate without labels, assumptions, or exclusion. Where possible, provide opportunities to opt for single and mix-gendered groups. Students can also be offered more competitive or recreational options, which can directly support safe and inclusive learning.
• Offer a wide range of inclusive activities and equal opportunities so all students can engage positively and meaningfully in PE. Replacing competitive activities with more inclusive pedagogical models, directly addresses safety concerns that can be applied to any group of students at various rates of physical maturation and fitness levels, regardless of gender.

Further, individual staff can:

• Use inclusive, respectful language and body language at all times so that all students, particularly those with protected characteristics, feel seen, affirmed, and safe.
• Actively advocate for students by challenging discriminatory behaviour, assumptions, or comments that may marginalise anyone based on gender, sexuality, disability, race or any other protected characteristic.
• Remain aware of our own biases and work to ensure our interactions, expectations and feedback are fair and supportive for every student. 
• Challenge gender stereotypes in activities and participation so all students can choose what they enjoy without restriction or judgement.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is everyone’s responsibility. However, Physical Education provides a unique environment within schools where students can be even more vulnerable to bullying and other harmful actions.  It is also a place that is more susceptible to cultural influences e.g. from the world of adult / elite sport, where students can often bring in harmful attitudes, beliefs, language and behaviours where they have witnessed them as accepted norms. As such, being intentional about inclusion and providing a safe environment for all students is essential.

Safety matters

This blog has addressed key principles of inclusion and provided several tips to ensure all students feel safe and a sense of belonging in PE. The Association for Physical Education (afPE) publishes “Safe Practice in Physical Education, School Sport and Physical Activity; an essential guide for health and safety in physical education and school sport. 

The chapters cover:

1. The Fundamental Principles of Safe Practice in PESSPA
2. Teaching Safely through the Principles of Organisation and Management
3. Good Teaching is Safe Teaching
4. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
5. Safe Practice in Specific PESSPA Activities
6. Health-related Exercise
7. First Aid
8. Concussion
9. Sports Fixtures, Festivals, Tours and Club Links
10. Teaching and Learning About Safety in PESSPA

PE teachers skillfully plan for and execute safe lessons, taking into account a vast range of factors, as detailed in the afPE framework. PE teachers plan safe lessons by carrying out risk assessments, checking equipment, checking facilities and organising activities to minimise hazards. They have a duty‑of‑care to ensure appropriate supervision, suitable clothing and the safe management of activities, which requires effective subject knowledge of each activity. 

The KCSIE 2026 draft guidance makes reference to participation in competitive sports in the section titled “Sport” (paragraphs 94-97). It says:

95. As children get older, some sports are typically taught and played in single sex groups. The Equality Act 2010 contains an exception in relation to single-sex sport. It applies to participation in any sport or game, or activity of a competitive nature, where the physical strength, stamina or physique of the average girl would put her at a disadvantage in competition with the average boy (or vice versa). This means that schools and colleges can separate children according to their biological sex in these circumstances without discriminating unlawfully against them on the basis of their sex. 

96. Some sports may need to be played in single-sex groups from a certain age to ensure children’s safety, and where this is the case there should be no exceptions. In other cases, schools or colleges may have adopted a policy of single-sex sports for reasons related to fairness. 

97. Where there are no safety concerns and a child makes a request relating to how they participate, schools and colleges will need to consider the request in light of the advice on “considering requests for support with social transition”. This means that the school or college would need to take into account all the relevant factors, including whether supporting social transition is overall in the best interests of the child, as well as considering the impact on other children and the aim of creating safe and fair environments for children to participate in PE.

PE and competitive sport often get conflated in discussions in education and in wider society. Having addressed how inclusive PE lessons might include activities that do not include competitive sport, these guidelines could have direct consequences for school sport. 

However, there is an increasingly common narrative about the drawbacks of competitive school sport. Competitive formats can marginalise students who lack experience, confidence and/or fitness, making it harder to ensure inclusive participation for the wider student population. Even those that are selected to play can experience stress and anxiety in the pursuit of “success”.

In June 2023, the Youth Sport Trust School Games launched three pledges to shape the future of their work. These were:

1. Tackling inequalities
2. Empowering youth voice
3. Building physical literacy.

Each pledge was designed to help every young person find joy and confidence in being active. An increasing number of schools are being supported by the School Games movement to adopt a more inclusive approach to school sport. This is being achieved in multiple ways such as:

• Offering a wider range of activities.
• Adapting traditional sport formats to make them more inclusive.
• Prioritising equal playing time for participants.
• Reframing competition by reducing (or eliminating) the importance of the outcome / result.
• Enabling individuals to build movement confidence and competence.
• Focus on connecting with others and developing a positive relationship with moving for more meaningful experience.

In pursuing a more inclusive model of school sport, more students are provided with more opportunities to represent their school in a safe and supportive environment; enabling students with a range of experience, fitness and confidence to participate together and in doing so, bringing together the school community.

Key reflections:

1. What will be your commitment to ensure every child feels safe, valued and like they belong in your PE and school sport offer?
2. What could you proactively do to ensure those children who need you most are seen, heard and considered in your curriculum design and wider environment?