Broadcaster Alex Brooker goes back to school to try out some inclusive sports
Watch Alex Brooker as he meets primary school children and tackles some inclusive sport lessons in school
Alex Brooker: I've come to a primary school today to see the pupils and take part in some Paralympic sports. And it's amazing to see them learning about disability sport.
Graham Robinson: Can we please welcome Alex Brooker! Welcome Alex.
And our second special guest, Evie Pickerill!
Evie Pickerill: Hello everyone!
Graham Robinson: How exciting is it to be part of this?
Alex Brooker: It's so exciting for me to be a part of it. You know, when I was at school a long time ago, there was nothing kind of like this for me and to feel included. So, you know, as a disabled person I think it's an amazing campaign.
Evie Pickerill: You guys are the heart of what I do. So to bring sport and fitness and wellbeing is incredible. I'm very, very honoured and touched to have been part of it.
Graham Robinson: So, we have got some questions…
Child one: Do you have any advice for people on how to make others feel included?
Alex Brooker: My advice would be… is always to be friendly to someone else, even though they may look different to you. You might not think that they're the same as you. We are all the same.
I have different hands to my friends. That's just how I was born. But at the same time, it is making people feel aware… It doesn't matter if you look different, to know that at the heart of it, we are all the same.
Child two: What is your super power?
Alex Brooker: My right leg is a prosthetic, my foot is metal. I cannot tell you how good that is when you're trying to kick a football, you can do it so much harder. I've got such a hard shot! Doesn't always go on target, but when it does…
Graham Robinson: Watch out goalkeepers!
Alex Brooker: Yeah, haha!
Graham Robinson What about you Evie? Do you have a special power?
Evie Pickerill: My super power would be to hopefully make everyone feel welcome.
Evie Pickerill: This song is all about warming up. Making sure your body and your mind are ready for action.
Evie Pickerill: Jump!
Walk!
Everyone: SUPER MOVERS!
Graham Robinson: The main reason we are here today is to talk about the Super Movers pack that we are providing schools. So after this, we are going to have four stations and the coaches are going to take you through some of these games.
Coach one: Let's go!
Alex Brooker: Alright, let's go straight here…
Here we go, that's it. Keep going…
How'd you find that mate?
Child three: Very hard.
Alex Brooker: It's different isn't it.
Child three: I kept losing the ball.
Alex Brooker: Could you hear it?
Child three: Yeah.
Alex Brooker: Was that helping you keep it close to you?
Child Three: A lot, yeah.
Alex Brooker: Because of the rattle.
Alex Brooker: I think it's vitally important to introduce things like this in primary schools just as early as you can, because it enables disabled people to feel included, to have something tailored for them, and also for their classmate to learn more about the fact that there are people that are differently abled to them.
For there to be almost kind of a level playing field for everyone to be included at the same time, I just think it can only be a good thing.
Child four: Can I see your leg again?
Alex Brooker: Yeah!
Child four: Woah! Can you get me one?
Louise Thewlis: It's been an absolutely amazing day. You can just see the faces of the children, they've absolutely enjoyed everything about today. They've been able to get involved in the activities and we've been able to include all of our children, which is absolutely great.
Broadcaster and Last Leg presenter Alex Brooker has backed the Super Movers for Every Body campaign to bring inclusive sports to primary schools across the UK. The exciting initiative - a partnership between 鶹Լ Education, the Premier League and ParalympicsGB - aims to harness the buzz of the Paralympics and the Premier League to get more children into inclusive sports and actively participating in accessible PE lessons at school.
Currently 1.5 million children in England have special educational needs or are disabled, but only one in four disabled children regularly take part in physical activity at school. Super Movers for Every Body is designed to help tackle this issue.
40% of UK primary schools have embraced the campaign and free curriculum-mapped teaching resources available on 鶹Լ Teach within a few months. This includes accessible follow-along films featuring C鶹Լ stars, ParalympicsGB athletes and Premier League mascots, as well as downloadable activity cards created with the help of Activity Alliance and the Youth Sport Trust. Teachers can also download and print a selection of inclusive sport posters illustrated by Paralympian Sophie Kamlish to help bring disability representation to school walls and showcase some of the different ways athletes can compete in sport.
Life-long Arsenal supporter Alex attended Ravensbury Community Primary School in the shadows of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium along with CBeebies presenter Evie Pickerill to launch the new inclusive sport initiative and try a taster session of blind football, boccia and Para athletics (guided running, javelin and shot put). The pupils enjoyed a jam-packed day that kicked off with a Q&A about allyship and an accessible Super Movers for Every Body warm-up exercise. The sun was shining on the city that morning as the children then headed outside to try out the newly-introduced sports.
The campaign also launched with a free equipment giveaway of thousands of inclusive sport packs and experienced overwhelming demand for the free equipment in all four UK nations, but all the resources and activities can be enjoyed with equipment teachers and parents can find at school or home. All learner films are also available with British Sign Language and audio description, and Welsh language users can find resources on Super Movers i bawb.
Speaking on the day of his school visit to 鶹Լ North West Tonight reporter, Mairead Smyth, Alex said:
“The awareness of disability sports wasn’t like it is now, and to see the kids here today getting access to the equipment and these activity cards to learn about Paralympic sports and help their classmates feel included… I just feel you can’t underestimate that for everyone.”
Over 100 Premier League, EFL and National League Clubs have committed to hosting inclusive PE and sport sessions at schools in England and Wales over the academic years 23/24 and 24/25 and the free PE resources on 鶹Լ Teach is helping to keep the momentum of the Paralympic games alive - to encourage more children to take up inclusive sports and build a network of sporting allies across primary schools. Inspiring stories, fun facts, and information on how to get into inclusive sports in your local area completes the resources on offer along with links to initiatives like ParalympicsGB's Every Body Moves online search tool.
With the youngest ParalympicsGB athlete, swimmer Iona Winnifrith being just 13 years old, Super Movers for Every Body might help create the stars of LA 2028 or Brisbane 2032. But the aim of the campaign is simpler than that - to support teachers to help build happy, healthy and confident young people who are all able to take part in and enjoy PE and sport at the same time as their friends, family and peers.
