Sports day. For most children, it’s one of those memorable end-of-year moments. The excitement of races, cheering on their friends, coming home with a ribbon or a medal. It’s a lovely tradition, and for many families it’s a highlight of the summer term.
But for a lot of SEND families, sports day is something else entirely.
It’s the phone call from school saying your child had a meltdown before the races even started. It’s the child who stood at the side and watched because the noise and the crowd and the unpredictability was just too much. It’s coming home knowing they missed out on something every other child got to do — and not quite knowing how to talk about it.
I had a message this week from a parent that really stayed with me. Her daughter hadn’t been able to take part in her school sports day because it was too overwhelming. She was upset about it. And when this mum heard about our Roarsome Sports Day on 12th July, she said it was exactly what her daughter needed — a chance to take part in a way that actually worked for her.
That message is exactly why we created a dedicated SEND slot at our sports day this year.
Because here’s the thing. Sports day in its traditional format wasn’t really designed with SEND children in mind. The waiting around. The noise. The pressure of performing in front of a crowd. The unpredictability of a completely different timetable. For children whose nervous systems rely on routine and predictability to stay regulated, that combination is genuinely overwhelming — even when the day itself is meant to be fun.
And the child who refused to race, or who had a meltdown, or who begged to go home — they weren’t being difficult. Their nervous system just hit its limit.
So on Sunday 12th July, we’re doing sports day differently.
Your child can take part in as many races as they want to — or none at all. Parents are encouraged to join in, because we know that when a SEND child has their grown-up alongside them, everything feels a little safer. Every child who takes part gets a finishing token. Every child goes home with a medal. Because showing up is the achievement.
There’s no pressure. No expectations. Just a really lovely morning for children and families who deserve a sports day that actually works for them.
Because every child deserves to cross a finish line. 🧡
If you’d like to join us book for the 12th July SEND sessions here