Evaluating a digital programme to help schools improve inclusivity of their PE kits

Our earlier research showed that many girls feel uncomfortable in their school PE kits, which puts them off participating in physical education and can negatively affect how they feel about their bodies. Based on these findings, we recommended ways schools could make their PE kits more inclusive.

These recommendations have been included in new national guidance developed by the charity Inclusive Sportswear, which recently launched a digital programme to help schools improve their PE kit policies.

The programme, called the Inclusive Sportswear School Charter, guides schools through a series of steps – from reviewing current policies to making improvements and earning a “Champion” status if changes are successfully implemented.

Project aims

This project will evaluate how well the Inclusive Sportswear School Charter works in practice. We will assess whether the programme is reaching schools, being used as intended, and accepted by school staff.

This will involve analysing data from the online platform 12 months after launch – for example, how many schools sign up, what improvements they planned, and how many achieve Champion status.

We will also interview 5-15 school staff members who have taken part in the programme to better understand their experiences and how the process could be improved.

What we hope to achieve

We aim to find out whether the Inclusive Sportswear School Charter is a practical and acceptable way for schools to make PE kits more inclusive.

The results of this study will help inform whether a larger, long-term study is needed. It may also lead to future collaborations with school uniform suppliers, to work with schools and pupils to design more inclusive PE clothing.

Ultimately, this work aims to help more girls feel comfortable and confident taking part in school sport and physical activity.