17th March 2026
Special educational needs and disabilities (or SEND) pupils receive extra support, with parents or carers applying for an EHCP (care plan) setting out the help they should get. This can remain in place until someone is 25, provided they’re still within the education system.
The BBC reports that just over 1.7m pupils across England are in receipt of SEND support. This represents roughly a fifth of all pupils. And these figures are only likely to increase, with numbers in the capital alone reaching record levels, according to BBC London research from earlier this year.
For this group, physical activity is particularly important in terms of their physical and mental wellbeing, focus, behavioural improvement, academic performance, social skills and in regulating their emotions.
According to Activity Alliance, psychological barriers are the biggest obstacle to participation in sport and physical activity, while three in four people with disabilities are keen to be more active. Of course, it's worth appreciating that one in four of us in the UK have an impairment of one kind or another.
Last year, the government launched its Inclusion 2028 programme, aimed at working with the Youth Sport Trust to meet the physical activity needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. And, for SEND children, it recommends 120 to 180 minutes a week of aerobic activity at moderate-to-vigorous intensity, the equivalent of around 20 minutes a day.
Three times a week, the guidelines add, there should be a focus on strength and balance. Activities can include active travel such as walking or cycling, or playing sports. Kids could also take part in playground games plus gym and PE sessions.
Outdoor gyms are a cost-effective way of helping young people with SEND to meet the government activity targets described above.
At the same time, they allow for sensory management, unlike busy, brightly lit indoor gyms, since they’re naturally quieter and reduce the sense of feeling overwhelmed.
Outdoor gym equipment improve balance, motor skills, core strength and coordination safely, while you can also incorporate specialist pieces to cater for mobility difficulties.
Exercising outdoors also lessens stress and improves behaviour, helping kids to release energy and get back to lessons with greater focus. Socialising, meanwhile, is inclusive and non-competitive as well as low pressure; outdoor gymsdevelop social skills and confidence.
Activities are structured and straightforward, giving kids autonomy. Plus you can easily incorporate sessions into the school day, giving a sense of routine which many should find comforting.
Finally, of course, the physical benefits of exercise for all young people are well documented, not least of which is the reduction in obesity. (According to NHS England, one in eight toddlers and children of primary-school age is obese.)
At leading, award-winning UK provider Fresh Air Fitness, we provide outdoor gym equipment for many different educational environments, including for SEND pupils.
The specialist products we supply include:
This multi-functional piece features a pull-down challenger on one side, plus a chest press on the other. It helps build strength and functional fitness and prepare for real-life actions including lifting, loading, pushing and pulling.
This new piece in our Resistance range, features built-in progressive resistance, suits everyone, including wheelchair users, who can place their chair in front of the frame and then operate the bike from a seated position.
These exercise the brain as well as the body. They promote flexibility and coordination across the wrists, arms and shoulders, boost circulation and are also good to use when warming up ahead of a workout. Suitable for all abilities, one or two users can work them at the same time
4. Accessible Arm & Pedal Bike
This is compact and user-friendly, while also being suitable for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. It’s low impact and seated, with the focus on cardio as well as muscle strength, stamina and calorie burning.
5. Training Rig with Accessible Bars
Launched in 2023, this unit is a specialist, all-in-one piece designed for full-body strength and calisthenics training. It can fit eights users at once, has six workout stations and wheelchair users can access it, so it’s ideal for SEND pupils. They can use the accessible bars for exercises including torso twists, dips, assisted push-ups and more.
At Fresh Air Fitness, we’ve designed, manufactured and installed outdoor gyms since 2007 and our range of children's outdoor fitness equipment since 2013. Get in touch to learn more about how we could make exercise at your school for inclusive and accessible for all pupils - you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how quickly these students start to feel the benefits of effective, structured physical exercise.
