We recently shared the highlights from our latest Move Your Way Festival, where 182 girls from eight primary schools across Tamworth came together to try new activities, build confidence and discover different ways to move.
Girls spent the day trying seven different activities, including Hockey, Cricket, Kin-Ball, Pickleball, Netball, Fencing and Quidditch. There was plenty of laughter, lots of encouragement and, for many, the chance to try something they’d never done before.
As part of the This Girl Can movement, Move Your Way is about much more than delivering events. It’s about understanding what helps girls enjoy being active and creating opportunities that reflect what they tell us they want.
Throughout the day, we spoke to teachers, support staff and the girls themselves to understand what they enjoyed, what surprised them and what they’d like to see more of.
Girls want to enjoy being active
One of the biggest messages we heard was that girls don’t necessarily want more competition. They want opportunities where they can have fun, build confidence and enjoy moving.
Several teachers told us their girls seemed to engage most with activities where there was less pressure to perform and more opportunity to simply have a go.
Some reflected that girls could quickly lose confidence if they felt they weren’t good at something straight away, whereas activities that focused on having fun encouraged far more participation.
The girls told us they enjoyed activities that felt fun, different and gave them the chance to have a go without worrying about getting it right. Many spoke about enjoying trying sports they’d never experienced before, while others said they liked activities where everyone could get involved together.
Trying something new
One of the strongest themes to emerge throughout the day was the value of giving girls the chance to try something different.
For many, it wasn’t about finding the sport they were already good at, it was about discovering something they enjoyed. Activities like Kin-Ball and Quidditch removed many of the expectations that can come with more familiar sports, giving girls the confidence to get involved, have fun and simply give it a go.
Teachers noticed the difference too. Several reflected that introducing something completely new created a more level playing field, where everyone was starting from the same place and girls felt more willing to take part.
If there was one activity everyone seemed to be talking about, it was Kin-Ball.
Teachers admitted they weren’t sure how the girls would respond to such an unfamiliar sport, but it quickly became one of the favourites.
One teacher laughed and said:
“How often do you get to throw a giant ball in the air?”
Quidditch was another activity that got everyone talking. Despite being inspired by the much-loved Harry Potter franchise, for many of the girls it was completely new, but that seemed to be part of the appeal. Without any expectations or previous experience, they simply got stuck in.
One teacher told us afterwards:
“My girls came back from your event so excited and joyful. They’ve told me all about the sports they’ve tried and already want to play them back at school.”
Another shared:
“Even in the heat, some of our most reluctant girls enjoyed an afternoon of physical activity. On the way there they were quiet and a little nervous. On the way back every one of them was smiling and singing together.”
Those conversations echoed what we saw throughout the day. Sometimes, giving girls the chance to try something completely different is enough to build confidence and spark a new interest in being active.
More choice matters
Teachers spoke about how valuable it was for girls to experience activities they wouldn’t normally have access to at school.
One teacher even commented that the cricket activity had inspired ideas for lunchtime provision because, as they wanted to offer “more choice than just football.”
When girls have access to a wider range of activities, they’re more likely to find something they enjoy.
The girls also told us they valued having a wider choice of activities. For many, trying something new helped them discover an activity they genuinely enjoyed, reinforcing the importance of offering a range of opportunities rather than assuming one size fits all.
The latest Sport England Active Lives data supports this too.
In Staffordshire, 53% of children who enjoy sport and physical activity are active, compared with 36% of those who don’t.
The same data also shows that girls in Stoke-on-Trent are still 11% less likely to be active than boys.
For us, those two findings go hand in hand.
If we want to see more girls being active, we need to create opportunities that feel welcoming, enjoyable and built around what girls tell us they want.
The conversation doesn’t stop here
The festival may be over, but the next stage is just beginning.
Schools will now vote for the activities their girls enjoyed the most. We’ll work with them to bring one or more of those activities back into school, helping even more girls continue moving in ways they enjoy. We will also connect all the participating schools with the brilliant activity providers who joined us across the day.
“It was fantastic to see 182 girls come together to experience seven different sports in a fun and supportive environment. The energy throughout the day was incredible.
Children and Young People Lead, Charlotte Barnard
A key part of the event was listening to the girls’ voices. By giving them the opportunity to share which activities they enjoyed most, we can help shape the opportunities offered back in their schools and ensure they reflect what girls actually want.
Events like this are so important in building confidence, creating positive experiences of movement and inspiring more girls to stay active long-term.”
A huge thank you to the schools, teachers, activity providers and partners who helped make the day such a success.
We’re looking forward to seeing these activities continue back in schools and, most importantly, hearing what the girls tell us next.
