Home-educated children across Leicester and Leicestershire are discovering the joy of sport, teamwork and community thanks to the Leicester Riders Foundation’s Home Education Basketball programme.
Every Wednesday from 11am to 12pm, young people aged 5-16 can take to the court at the Mattioli Arena, home of the Leicester Riders, for a dedicated one-hour basketball session designed specifically with home-educated families in mind.
Children are able to get active, build confidence and learn to love the game in a safe, welcoming environment.
The programme launched around eight months ago after a local parent approached the Foundation to highlight the lack of structured physical activity available within the home education offer locally.
For many of the children attending, this weekly session is their main opportunity to take part in organised sport as part of their home tutoring routine, helping them to stay fit, healthy and engaged.
Leicester Riders are currently the only club in Super League Basketball to offer a dedicated sports initiative for home-educated children.
Credit: Leicester Riders | Nathan Green
Led by the Foundation’s experienced community coaches, each session focuses on developing key fundamental basketball skills such as movement, coordination, passing, shooting and teamwork.
Activities are kept fun, inclusive and age-appropriate, ensuring children of all abilities can take part, challenge themselves and progress at their own pace. Whether a child is picking up a basketball for the first time or looking to sharpen existing skills, the emphasis is on enjoyment, learning and personal growth.
Greg Ellis, Head of Education for the LRF, said: “Our Home Education sessions are about much more than learning to dribble or shoot – they give young people a consistent space to move, make friends and feel part of something bigger than themselves.
“As the programme grows, we’re seeing children grow in confidence week after week, and that’s just as important to us as any skill they learn on the court.”
Alongside the physical benefits, the sessions play an important role in supporting social development and emotional wellbeing. Children are able to form friendships, learn how to communicate with others and grow in confidence as they work together on and off the court.
For home-educated young people, who may have fewer daily opportunities to mix in larger peer groups, that sense of belonging and connection can be particularly important.
To find out more about the Home Education basketball sessions, and to explore the range of community programmes currently running, visit our Community Sessions pages.
