Programs

Increasing the opportunities for students to get active

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Our Philosophy

Inclusive Sport in Schools offers a variety of fun, engaging and inclusive programs where students can participate and learn at their own pace.

Our programs are designed to develop the physical literacy of participating students – building the skills, knowledge and behaviours to gain the confidence and motivation to be active for life.

Inclusive Sport in Schools is delivered through four bespoke programs catering to different school years, activity types, skills and engagement level.

Program Pathway

Program Pathway

Our Program Pathway allows schools to create their own journey through unique opportunities that suit the needs of students, parents, and local community.

This could be:

  • Improving student’s physical literacy through participation in a variety of different programs
  • Increasing student skill levels through high quality, sport-specific experiences
  • Creating or promoting opportunities for ongoing participation at their school or local community clubs

Click here to open and download our matrix showing the Program Pathway describing the progression opportunities schools can consider.

Young Athletes

Suitable for Foundation to Year 2

Young Athletes focuses on the development of fundamental movement skills, and social and emotional development in a fun, inclusive, and active environment.

Students develop important learning skills such as how to share, take turns and follow directions. These skills help young children at school, with their family, and in the community.

The program includes a range of resources for schools, deliverers, and families.

The Snapshot

  • Suitable from Foundation to Year 2
  • Session time is between 30 and 45 minutes
  • Program length is 8 weeks

Coach accreditation requirements

Playing for All

Suitable for Foundation to Year 12

Playing for All programs are aligned to the Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education and to the Australian Physical Literacy Framework.

Each program includes a series of Playing for All cards that use a games sense approach and provide a strong foundation for fundamental movement skill development, which can be applied and adapted for different sports.

Playing for All programs are organised into six game categories:

  • Invasion Games
  • Movement Games – Fundamental Movement Skills
  • Movement Games – Rhythmic & Expressive
  • Net & Court Games
  • Striking & Fielding Games
  • Target Games

The Snapshot

  • Suitable for Foundation to Year 12
  • Session time is between 30 and 60 minutes
  • Program length is 8 weeks

Coach accreditation requirements

Sport Partner

Suitable for Foundation to Year 8

Sport Partner programs are purposefully designed and delivered in partnership with National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) to offer students a progression from the Playing for All programs into more sport-specific games and activities.

Each of the sport-specific programs offered is an adapted version of an NSO’s current Sporting Schools product, or a new offering that has been specifically designed for delivery in special education environments.

Programs are delivered via a network of suitably trained coaches, with additional support and resources provided by Special Olympics Australia to ensure they can confidently deliver to students with an intellectual disability and autism.

Special Olympics Australia is currently working with these organisations to offer Sport Partner programs:

  • AFL NSW/ACT (only available in NSW)
  • Athletics Australia
  • Cricket Australia
  • Football Australia
  • Golf Australia
  • Gymnastics Australia
  • NRL
  • Rugby Australia
  • Table Tennis Australia
  • Tennis Australia
  • Tenpin Bowling Australia

Booking a Sport Partner program

Please visit the Sporting Schools website to apply for a grant. Once approved, simply enter the Sporting Schools booking system to review and select one of the Sport Partner packages on offer.

When your booking request is received, Special Olympics Australia and the respective NSO will work together to confirm and arrange delivery of your program.

The Snapshot

  • Suitable from Year 3 to Year 12* (only up to Year 8 in Sporting Schools)
  • Session times are between 30 and 60 minutes
  • Program length varies between sport partners from 4 to 10 sessions
  • Costs vary between sport partners and programs can be delivered through Sporting Schools

Unified Schools

Suitable for Foundation to Year 12

Unified Schools brings together young people with and without intellectual disability and/or autism together, in school communities.

Our Unified Schools program promotes meaningful inclusion by bringing students with and without intellectual disability/autism together, to create school communities that are accepting of all students.

  • Unified Playing for All: a fully inclusive physical activity program that incorporates students with and without intellectual disability and/or autism playing and learning together. Schools select a Playing for All program and make it Unified by including students with and without intellectual disability and/or autism. Can be delivered by a teacher or a Special Olympics Australia arranged coach.
  • Unified Classroom Lessons: a series of lessons and resources for Foundation to Year 12, aligned to the Australian Curriculum, designed to equip students with the tools to be inclusive leaders. The lessons focus on the General Capabilities, Ethical Understanding and Personal and Social Capability, and cover topics such as Emotional Awareness, Communication, Leadership, and Diversity. The lessons extend and complement the learning experienced by students when participating in the Unified Playing for All sessions.

The Snapshot

  • Suitable for Foundation to Year 12
  • Combines all abilities physical activity and classroom lesson plans
  • Unified Classroom Lessons delivered by school’s teacher/s
  • Program length is 8-weeks

Coach accreditation requirements

Unified Champion Schools

Foundation to Year 12

The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program is a dedicated inclusion program for schools to promote social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities.

The Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS) program is a dedicated inclusion program for schools, aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities. UCS is designed to be woven into the fabric of the school, enhancing current efforts and providing rich opportunities to create a socially inclusive school that supports and engages all learners.
What a Unified Champion School “looks like” can vary greatly from school to school, based on the needs, goals, schedules and other factors unique to each school; but the basic building blocks remain the same: school communities where students of all abilities feel welcome and included in, and feel a part of, all activities and opportunities.

This is accomplished by implementing:

  • Unified Playing for All (Sport): is Special Olympics Australia’s Unified Sports model. A fully inclusive physical activity program that incorporates students with and without intellectual disability and/or autism playing together. Schools select a Unified Playing for All program when making a booking request, and then make it Unified by including students with and without intellectual disability and/or autism. Can be delivered by a teacher or a Special Olympics Australia arranged coach.
  • Inclusive Youth Leadership: is when young people of all abilities are given opportunities to be leaders in their schools and communities. These leadership activities help students find their voices, engage in learning, and teach them to become leaders in their communities and advocates for inclusion. What Inclusive Youth Leadership looks like is unique to each school.
    Examples might include:

    • Unified Lunchtime Clubs, led by student leaders.
    • Student Mentoring or Peer Support
    • Inclusive Student Leadership Council’s

    Inclusive Youth Leadership activities are supported by a series of lessons and resources for Foundation to Year 12, aligned to the Australian Curriculum, designed to equip students with the tools to be inclusive leaders. The lessons focus on the General Capabilities – Ethical Understanding and Personal and Social Capability, and cover topics such as Emotional Awareness, Communication, Leadership, and Diversity. Access these lesson plans via the Unified Schools page at the Inclusive Sport Academy

  • Whole School Engagement: school-wide awareness and education activities that fosters understanding and respect for all can influence how students think and act within and beyond the school. School-wide opportunities focused on social inclusion raise awareness and create an educational environment where respect and acceptance are the norm, and all students feel included and engaged. Students with and without intellectual disability are given opportunities to plan and lead activities and put their Youth Leadership skills in action. What these activities look like and how they are implemented can be different from school to school.
    Examples might include:

    • Unified Sports Days
    • School Campaigns
    • Classroom Lessons

For more program information and ideas on implementing Unified Playing for All, Inclusive Youth Leadership and Whole School activities access:

The Snapshot

  • Foundation to Year 12
  • Coach or teacher delivered physical activity through 8-week Unified Playing for All (sport) program.
  • Explicit teaching of the General Capabilities through teacher led curriculum aligned lesson plans
  • Whole School Engagement and Youth Leadership activities
  • Program activities can be supported with funding
  • Be awarded and recognised as a true champion of inclusion.

Register to be a Unified Champion School here