Girls Active is delivered to thousands of girls across England and Northern Ireland. Girls Active supports schools to understand what motivates girls to take part in physical activity, PE and sport. It is a peer-led programme informed, driven and delivered by girls, for girls.

spear was commissioned by YST to examine and present the impact of Girls Active since its inception in 2015. spear’s evaluation draws upon mixed methods to explore the reach and impact of Girls Active, celebrate and showcase best practice, and identify good practice for embedding and sustaining Girls Active.

Key Findings

• Girls Active training is valued highly by girls. Two thirds of girls completing Training Evaluations between 2017 and 2020 say they ‘loved’ the training (67%); just under a third ‘liked it’ (31%)
• Girls from White ethnic groups felt most confident to be a role model, while girls from BAME communities felt most confident in their ability to inspire and engage others
• Since taking part in GLAMS Training 92% of girls say they learnt the skills needed to be a Girls Active leader and 96% learnt why being active is important for girls
• Since taking part in Girls Active Teacher Training 97% of teachers feel confident and competent to implement Girls Active in school 61% say they feel more confident, competent and motivated in their role
• Increased participation in PE, sport and activity feature strongly among the top three impacts identified by teachers responding to the Best Practice Survey
• Teachers report multiple impacts on the wellbeing, leadership and wider development of girls. The programme is seen to raise the profile of girls’ sport, give girls a voice, and engender a sense of empowerment. These positive developments have, in turn, increased girls’ sense of self, self-belief, and confidence

“We want to empower them, it’s a lifestyle and that’s what we want to encourage. It’s not just a one-off programme, it’s embedded within the school.” – PE Teacher, Secondary School

Date: March – June 2020

Client: Youth Sport Trust and Sport England