This year’s programme has been scheduled and designed to not only allow reflection, taking stock and reviewing what has happened over the past twelve months but to provide the opportunity to help shape thinking, recovery planning and forward thinking moving into the new academic year and beyond.

The programme will provide opportunities to hear and share approaches that address the current challenges of delivering PE, physical activity and enrichment across the region.

Ian Carey, Director Active Black Country said: “The wellbeing of young people and staff is a priority for all of us, by taking our annual PE Conference online we can ensure that we continue to provide advice, guidance and opportunities to share practice across the region.

“We are delighted to be working with national and regional physical activity partners to ensure we deliver a conference that can support teachers, senior leaders and young people in working to create a healthy, active Black Country.”

The opening keynote session will see important updates regarding Ofsted, encouraging attendees to review their plans in light of the impact of COVID 19. Mike Diaper OBE, Executive Director of Children and Young People, Sport England will outline their Uniting the Movement strategy and their intentions regarding creating Positive Experiences for Children & Young People.

The closing keynote will see Professor Barry Carpenter CBE, OBE, PhD the UK’s first Professor in Mental Health in Education, provide schools with thoughts and strategies on how to create a vibrant culture of learning. Active Black Country and education specialists from across the region will deliver a wide range of workshops over the programme from focussing on supporting schools to shape their plans around their Recovery curriculum and future offer to how to integrate key national and local strategies within school practice.

Further workshops will explore how to develop the tools required to build physical activity across the whole school and understand the latest strategies to support the health and wellbeing of pupils within and beyond the school. The conference will include sessions on planning and demonstrating accountability for funding including Primary PE and School Sport funding as well as understanding and identifying successful approaches to school swimming requirements and utilising school sites and facilities for the whole community.