Girls participating confidently in school sports during an inclusive PE lesson, representing efforts to close the gender gap in physical activity and create equal opportunities for all pupils.
Girls working together in a supportive school sports environment, highlighting inclusive PE approaches that help close the gender gap and encourage equal participation.
Female pupils enjoying active participation in PE, reflecting efforts to make school sport more inclusive and boost girls’ engagement to close the activity gap.

Closing the Gap: How to Make PE More Engaging and Inclusive for Girls

The 2025 Girls Active Survey by the Youth Sport Trust has highlighted a concerning trend. When asked about their overall attitudes towards PE and physical activity, only 66% of girls reported enjoying PE, compared with 86% of boys, a significant 20% gap. This means one in three girls do not enjoy taking part in PE, a statistic schools cannot afford to ignore.

The Girls Active Survey is an invaluable resource, published annually by the Youth Sport Trust, designed to shed light on the barriers girls face in engaging with physical education. For PE teachers, curriculum leads, and school leaders, it offers essential insights into what’s working, what isn’t, and how we can build more inclusive experiences for every student.

Read the Girls Active Survey Here
Below, we explore some of the survey’s key findings and how teachers might use them to create a more positive, motivating PE environment for girls.

Creating a PE Curriculum That Works for Girls

Providing flexibility and choice is key to overcoming the barriers many girls face in PE. PE teachers see first‑hand how simple changes, from kit options to activity selection, can transform a lesson for a girl who’s feeling self‑conscious or unsure. These small adjustments can make PE feel more welcoming and positive for everyone.

Fix the Kit, and they’ll Stay to Play: 48% of girls want more choice when it comes to PE kit. Comfortable, inclusive clothing helps students focus on the lesson rather than how they look. Schools can go further by involving students in kit design decisions and ensuring options are practical for girls, including darker colours, leggings, and looser fitting items.

PE teachers can also play a powerful role in leading their school toward becoming an Inclusive Sportswear Champion, helping ensure kit policies fully support girls’ comfort and confidence.

Did you know 1/3 girls that leave PE do so because of kit? Olympian Tess Howard’s Inclusive Sportswear is helping schools tackle this issue with the Fix the Kit campaign.

Join the platform to access free expert guidance, training and find out how you can lead your school to Inclusive Sportswear School Champion status!

Join The Platform
Inclusive Sportswear by Olympian Tess Howard promoting the Fix the Kit campaign, highlighting how better PE kit can keep more girls engaged in physical education.

Make Movement Part of the School Day: PE is only one piece of the puzzle—if we want girls to move more, the whole school culture needs to support it. Simple, everyday opportunities can make a big difference:

  • Lunchtime or after-school clubs

  • Energising break time activities

  • Short bursts of movement during lessons

  • Fun, informal games such as table tennis or group dance sessions

Over time, these efforts help normalise activity, showing that being active isn’t confined to PE lessons, it’s part of everyday school life.

Listen to Girls’ Voices in PE Planning: When the researchers asked girls to pick their top three PE activities, a clear pattern emerged. Across all the responses, badminton (22%), dance (17%), and trampolining (15%) were the most popular choices. Running your own school level surveys can help you adapt your curriculum to reflect what your students genuinely enjoy. Aligning PE lessons with student preferences can boost motivation and participation.

Fix the Kit, and they’ll Stay to Play: 48% of girls want more choice when it comes to PE kit. Comfortable, inclusive clothing helps students focus on the lesson rather than how they look. Schools can go further by involving students in kit design decisions and ensuring options are practical for girls, including darker colours, leggings, and looser fitting items.

PE teachers can also play a powerful role in leading their school toward becoming an Inclusive Sportswear Champion, helping ensure kit policies fully support girls’ comfort and confidence.

Did you know 1/3 girls that leave PE do so because of kit? Olympian Tess Howard’s Inclusive Sportswear is helping schools tackle this issue with the Fix the Kit campaign.

Join the platform to access free expert guidance, training and find out how you can lead your school to Inclusive Sportswear School Champion status!

Join The Platform
Inclusive Sportswear by Olympian Tess Howard promoting the Fix the Kit campaign, highlighting how better PE kit can keep more girls engaged in physical education.

Make Movement Part of the School Day: PE is only one piece of the puzzle - if we want girls to move more, the whole school culture needs to support it. Simple, everyday opportunities can make a big difference:

  • Lunchtime or after-school clubs

  • Energising break time activities

  • Short bursts of movement during lessons

  • Fun, informal games such as table tennis or group dance sessions

Over time, these efforts help normalise activity, showing that being active isn’t confined to PE lessons, it’s part of everyday school life.

Listen to Girls’ Voices in PE Planning: When the researchers asked girls to pick their top three PE activities, a clear pattern emerged. Across the responses, badminton (22%), dance (17%), and trampolining (15%) were the most popular choices. Running your own school level surveys can help you adapt your curriculum to reflect what your students genuinely enjoy. Aligning PE lessons with student preferences can boost motivation and participation.

Building Confidence in Every Girl

When asked about barriers to being active at school, the top response from girls was: “I am not confident.” This was closely followed by “I don’t like people watching me,” highlighting how self-consciousness and fear of judgement can stop girls from joining in. These barriers don’t just affect participation, they can shape a girl’s attitude toward PE for years to come, influencing whether she stays active outside school as well.

With this in mind, prioritising strategies that boost confidence and create a supportive environment can make a real difference. By addressing these concerns head-on, teachers can help girls feel safe to try new activities, take risks, and enjoy PE for what it should be: a fun and empowering experience.

Some practical ideas to get started include:

  • Role Models That Reflect Your Students: Girls benefit from seeing successful female athletes who resemble themselves. Inclusive displays in the PE department that celebrate diversity in sport (including ethnicity, disability, and different body types) allow every girl to see herself as a potential sporting hero. Assemblies and showcases can feature female PE teachers, local sports stars, or even current students achieving in sports. Relatable role models who reflect the variety of experiences and abilities in your school can inspire girls just as much, if not more, than famous athletes.

Rugby player Jodie Ounsley speaking to pupils during a school visit, sharing her journey in sport and inspiring young girls to get involved in rugby and physical activity.

  • The Power of friendship: 78% of girls said that being with friends motivates them to take part in PE. Familiar, supportive peers can give girls the confidence to try new activities and step outside their comfort zone. While planning lesson activities, consider how you can build in opportunities for friendship‑based groupings without leaving anyone out. This might involve using flexible grouping strategies, rotating teams throughout the lesson, or pairing students thoughtfully so every girl feels included and connected. The goal is to harness the motivational power of friendships while still ensuring every student has someone supportive to work with and no one is left isolated.

Two girls smiling and laughing while holding a Puma Vitoria football, showing how friendship and positive experiences help boost girls’ enjoyment and confidence in PE.

  • Fun as a Focus Point: Girls identified “having fun” as their top motivator for taking part in PE. A lesson culture that celebrates participation, enjoyment, and effort over performance or scores helps build confidence and keeps girls engaged. This might be achieved by offering choice in activities, giving low-pressure ‘personal-best’ challenges or adding quick enjoyable mini-games to your lesson plans.

Girls playing together with Kooga netballs, wearing netball bibs and laughing during an inclusive PE session, highlighting how positive social experiences help increase girls’ participation in sport.
Some practical ideas to get started include:

  • Role Models That Reflect Your Students: Girls benefit from seeing successful female athletes who resemble themselves. Inclusive displays in the PE department that celebrate diversity in sport (including ethnicity, disability, and different body types) allow every girl to see herself as a potential sporting hero. Assemblies and showcases can feature female PE teachers, local sports stars, or even current students achieving in sports. Relatable role models who reflect the variety of experiences and abilities in your school can inspire girls just as much, if not more, than famous athletes.

Rugby player Jodie Ounsley speaking to pupils during a school visit, sharing her journey in sport and inspiring young girls to get involved in rugby and physical activity.

  • The Power of friendship: 78% of girls said that being with friends motivates them to take part in PE. Familiar, supportive peers can give girls the confidence to try new activities and step outside their comfort zone. While planning lesson activities, consider how you can build in opportunities for friendship‑based groupings without leaving anyone out. This might involve using flexible grouping strategies, rotating teams throughout the lesson, or pairing students thoughtfully so every girl feels included and connected. The goal is to harness the motivational power of friendships while still ensuring every student has someone supportive to work with and no one is left isolated.

Two girls smiling and laughing while holding a Puma Vitoria football, showing how friendship and positive experiences help boost girls’ enjoyment and confidence in PE.

  • Fun as a Focus Point: Girls identified “having fun” as their top motivator for taking part in PE. A lesson culture that celebrates participation, enjoyment, and effort over performance or scores helps build confidence and keeps girls engaged. This might be achieved by offering choice in activities, giving low-pressure ‘personal-best’ challenges or adding quick enjoyable mini-games to your lesson plans.

Girls playing together with Kooga netballs, wearing netball bibs and laughing during an inclusive PE session, highlighting how positive social experiences help increase girls’ participation in sport.
Some practical ideas to get started include:

  • Role Models That Reflect Your Students: Girls benefit from seeing successful female athletes who resemble themselves. Inclusive displays in the PE department that celebrate diversity in sport (including ethnicity, disability, and different body types) allow every girl to see herself as a potential sporting hero. Assemblies and showcases can feature female PE teachers, local sports stars, or even current students achieving in sports. Relatable role models who reflect the variety of experiences and abilities in your school can inspire girls just as much, if not more, than famous athletes.

Rugby player Jodie Ounsley speaking to pupils during a school visit, sharing her journey in sport and inspiring young girls to get involved in rugby and physical activity.

  • The Power of friendship: 78% of girls said that being with friends motivates them to take part in PE. Familiar, supportive peers can give girls the confidence to try new activities and step outside their comfort zone. While planning lesson activities, consider how you can build in opportunities for friendship‑based groupings without leaving anyone out. This might involve using flexible grouping strategies, rotating teams throughout the lesson, or pairing students thoughtfully so every girl feels included and connected. The goal is to harness the motivational power of friendships while still ensuring every student has someone supportive to work with and no one is left isolated.

Two girls smiling and laughing while holding a Puma Vitoria football, showing how friendship and positive experiences help boost girls’ enjoyment and confidence in PE.

  • Fun as a Focus Point: Girls identified “having fun” as their top motivator for taking part in PE. A lesson culture that celebrates participation, enjoyment, and effort over performance or scores helps build confidence and keeps girls engaged. This might be achieved by offering choice in activities, giving low-pressure ‘personal-best’ challenges or adding quick enjoyable mini-games to your lesson plans.

Girls playing together with Kooga netballs, wearing netball bibs and laughing during an inclusive PE session, highlighting how positive social experiences help increase girls’ participation in sport.

Making PE Period-Friendly

Menstruation remains a significant barrier to participating in PE for many girls: 11% of girls never take part in PE when they have their period, and many feel uncomfortable discussing it. To help every girl feel able to participate comfortably, schools can take simple, practical steps to make PE more inclusive during menstruation:

  • Accessible Period Products: Having free pads and tampons in changing rooms and toilets means girls don’t have to ask or panic, they can sort themselves out quickly, privately and rejoin the lesson feeling confident.

  • Normalising Periods: Posters and supportive messaging around the PE department that clearly show what help is available, such as free period products, spare kit, or discreet ways to speak to staff if they’re worried, can reassure girls that they’ll be supported during lessons. You might also briefly explain to classes how light movement can ease cramps and boost mood, helping girls see PE as something that can actually make them feel better during their period.

  • Period-friendly Kit: 61% of girls said they worry about leaking whilst on their period. Darker coloured kit options can make a real difference. Black or navy shorts, leggings, and tracksuit bottoms help girls feel protected and confident enough to participate fully

We offer a wide range of teamwear from leading providers, including accessible options designed for girls, giving schools the flexibility to choose from a variety of trusted, high‑quality brands.

Explore some of the leading brands we supply:

Making PE Period-Friendly

Menstruation remains a significant barrier to participating in PE for many girls: 11% of girls never take part in PE when they have their period, and many feel uncomfortable discussing it. To help every girl feel able to participate comfortably, schools can take simple, practical steps to make PE more inclusive during menstruation:

  • Accessible Period Products: Having free pads and tampons in changing rooms and toilets means girls don’t have to ask or panic, they can sort themselves out quickly, privately and rejoin the lesson feeling confident.

  • Normalising Periods: Posters and supportive messaging around the PE department that clearly show what help is available, such as free period products, spare kit, or discreet ways to speak to staff if they’re worried, can reassure girls that they’ll be supported during lessons. You might also briefly explain to classes how light movement can ease cramps and boost mood, helping girls see PE as something that can actually make them feel better during their period.

  • Period-friendly Kit: 61% of girls said they worry about leaking whilst on their period. Darker coloured kit options can make a real difference. Black or navy shorts, leggings, and tracksuit bottoms help girls feel protected and confident enough to participate fully

We offer a wide range of teamwear from leading providers, including accessible options designed for girls, giving schools the flexibility to choose from a variety of trusted, high‑quality brands.

Explore some of the leading brands we supply:

Further Research

If you’d like to read more about this important topic, this report created by Women In Sport and funded by Sport England provides additional insight into adolescents’ attitudes towards sport. Based on over 4,000 survey responses, it identifies the main barriers girls face, and how these vary across three groups: The Uninspired, The Missed Opportunity, and The Passionate Participants.
Read The Report Here
Campaign graphic for Reframing Sport for Teenage Girls by Women in Sport and Sport England, highlighting the issue of teenage disengagement from physical activity.
Girls Active Survey - Register Now.jpg

Take Part in the 2026 Girls Active Survey

The 2026 Girls Active Survey will take place this summer term. Thanks to National Lottery funding through Sport England, this survey is free for schools. 

The survey gives insight into your students’ attitudes, perceptions, motivations and barriers to participation. Each school receives a personalised school insight report based on their student responses. 

If you want your school to be involved, register by 30th April 2026.

Find out more, including survey questions, research details, consent information, sample reports and registration, click below.

Find Out More

Tell us what you think!

These ideas offer a roadmap, but real change happens when schools share what works. Have you implemented initiatives that engage girls in PE? Let us know on social media or email marketing@sportsdirectory.com. By sharing strategies, we can learn from each other and create a PE culture where every girl can thrive.