Equal Brooms, Equal Chances: Using Quidditch to Engage Underrepresented Pupils in School Sport

Context, Intent and Target Group

Background Information

As a School Games Organiser, I continually review participation data from my competitions and festivals to ensure opportunities are reaching a wide range of young people. Through this review, I identified that many events were repeatedly attracting the same group of pupils who were already confident, engaged and active in school sport.

To address this, I worked with local schools to identify pupils who would particularly benefit from a positive sporting experience but who were not regularly participating in extracurricular sport or representing their school. The target groups included pupils who were eligible for Pupil Premium (PP), Free School Meals (FSM), those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), pupils receiving ELSA support, and pupils who were generally disengaged from PE and school sport.

Student voice played a key role in shaping the project. Discussions with pupils revealed that many wanted opportunities to take part in physical activities alongside their friends. Whilst some expressed an interest in traditional sports such as football, netball and hockey, many associated these activities with previous negative experiences or a lack of confidence. Pupils reported wanting to try something completely different, where they could participate without the pressure of existing expectations or comparisons with more experienced peers.

This feedback led to the development of a Quidditch Festival, using a novel and inclusive activity that was familiar to many pupils through the Harry Potter books and films but had not previously been experienced in a school sporting environment.

What was the aim of work?

The aim of the project was to increase participation and engagement in physical activity among targeted pupils who were less likely to access traditional school sport opportunities. The festival sought to build confidence, promote enjoyment, encourage social interaction and provide a positive experience of physical activity in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Which outcome(s) did it focus on?

• 2. To ensure all competition has a clear intent and creates positive experiences based on the motivation, competence and confidence of the young people that need our support the most
• 4. To support the personal development of targeted young people through youth engagement and leadership

Which expectation(s) did it meet?

• Developing a case study to show where you have made the most impact against local priorities, and through effective storytelling share your learning locally and nationally.
• Work with schools to maintain and grow their active engagement in School Games.

Community links

• Active Partnerships

Intent

The purpose of the Quidditch Festival was to create an engaging, non-traditional sporting opportunity specifically designed for pupils who might otherwise be reluctant to take part in school sport.

The project focused on the following outcomes:

• Increasing participation amongst under represented groups.
• Improving confidence and willingness to engage in physical activity.
• Providing positive experiences of school sport and competition.
• Developing social connections through participation alongside peers.
• Reducing barriers associated with traditional sports.
• Creating pathways for future engagement in physical activity within schools.

The target group consisted of Year 5 and Year 6 pupils identified by their schools as belonging to one or more of the following groups:

• Pupil Premium (PP)
• Free School Meals (FSM)
• SEND
• ELSA-supported pupils
• Disengaged learners
• Pupils not regularly selected for sporting events
• Pupils who would benefit from increased confidence and inclusion

Five local primary schools were invited to attend, with each school selecting 8–10 pupils who met the targeting criteria.

Target group

• Primary Schools
• Pupil Premium
• SEND
• A cognitive disability (e.g. problems thinking or remembering)
• A sensory disability (e.g. problems with vision or hearing)
• A mental health or emotional disability (e.g. problems with mood)
• A communication or social relationships disability (e.g. autism, Asperger's, ADHD)
• Any other disability
• Targeted Groups of Young People

Aligns to Schools Games Intents of:

• Develop confidence and competence within physical activity/sport skills
• Engage new/target groups of young people (tackling inequalities)

Implementation

The Quidditch Festival took place at the end of June at a local primary school.

Five schools attended, bringing a total of 47 pupils.

The event was deliberately structured to be inclusive and accessible for all participants, regardless of sporting ability or previous experience.

Festival Structure

1. Introduction and Skill Development

Upon arrival, pupils were placed into their school teams and introduced to the basic rules and equipment used in Quidditch.

Schools then participated in a series of short, fun warm-up activities designed to:

• Familiarise pupils with the rules.
• Develop understanding of gameplay.
• Build confidence using the equipment.
• Encourage teamwork and communication.
• Introduce tactical elements of the sport.

The activities were intentionally simple and adapted to ensure all pupils could experience success from the outset.

2. Festival Competition

During the second half of the event, pupils took part in a series of short inter-school matches.

The festival format focused on participation, enjoyment and development rather than competition. Therefore:

• No scores were officially recorded.
• No league table was produced.
• No winners or losers were announced.
• Additional rules were introduced and adapted throughout the afternoon to maximise engagement and inclusion.

This approach created a low-pressure environment where pupils were able to focus on enjoyment, teamwork and achievement rather than performance.

Impact

Participation

• 5 local schools attended.
• 47 targeted pupils participated.
• All attendees were selected because they belonged to groups that are often underrepresented in school sport.

Impact on Pupils

The impact on participants was immediate and highly visible.

Because Quidditch was a new activity for everyone involved, pupils began on an equal footing. This removed many of the barriers associated with traditional sports where some pupils may feel disadvantaged by their lack of experience or ability.

Engagement throughout the event was exceptional. Every pupil actively participated in all aspects of the festival, demonstrating enthusiasm, effort and enjoyment.

The novelty of the activity proved particularly powerful. Whilst pupils were familiar with Quidditch through the Harry Potter books and films, none had previously experienced playing it themselves. This generated excitement from the outset and helped create a positive atmosphere across the event. One child told me "I usually don't like sports, but I would definitely play Quidditch again."

Staff Feedback

Feedback from accompanying staff was overwhelmingly positive.

Several staff members commented that pupils who typically struggled to engage in school life or PE lessons participated enthusiastically throughout the entire afternoon.

A couple of members of staff observed that:

"Children who normally show little interest in PE spent the whole afternoon running around and were red-faced from exertion."

"This is the most engaged I've seen some of these pupils in a physical activity setting."

Another recurring theme in staff feedback was the confidence shown by pupils who do not usually volunteer for sporting opportunities.

Wider Impact

The festival demonstrated that alternative sporting opportunities can successfully engage pupils who often feel excluded from mainstream sports provision.

The event also strengthened links between participating schools and generated discussion around how schools could deliver similar opportunities independently.

An unintended but highly positive outcome was the level of collaboration between school staff. During the festival, teachers and support staff shared ideas for introducing Quidditch within their own settings, helping to extend the impact beyond the event itself.

Challenges

One challenge was ensuring that schools fully understood the purpose of the festival and selected pupils who matched the target criteria, rather than those who would typically attend sporting events. By providing clear guidance on the intended audience and maintaining regular communication with staff, I was able to ensure the festival consistently reached the pupils most likely to benefit from the experience.

Sustainability

To ensure the project has a lasting impact, sustainability was discussed with all attending schools during and after the festival. Staff explored how Quidditch could be introduced within their own schools through lunchtime clubs, extracurricular activities and intra-school festivals.

Whilst official Quidditch equipment can cost in excess of £1,000, discussions focused on creating low-cost alternatives using adapted or repurposed equipment. Schools shared ideas for manufacturing their own resources to make the activity affordable and accessible, reducing the financial barriers to long-term delivery.

There is also potential for the pupils who attended the festival to become ambassadors for the activity within their schools. These pupils can introduce Quidditch to their classmates, support the delivery of playground games and help establish future clubs or events, helping to extend the reach of the project beyond those who attended.

Looking ahead, I intend to continue delivering Quidditch Festivals for targeted pupils during the next academic year, while inviting additional schools to participate. This will enable more young people from underrepresented groups to access positive sporting experiences and benefit from the confidence, enjoyment and sense of belonging that the activity promotes.

Through a combination of school-led delivery, pupil leadership opportunities, low-cost equipment solutions and ongoing festival provision, the project has the potential to become a sustainable and scalable model for engaging pupils who are traditionally less involved in school sport.

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