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Studio You and Nike launch inclusive PE video series for girls

29th April 2025

Welcome to our new hub of exercise and physical activity lessons – designed by girls, for girls.

A group of women with a variety of characteristics smile for a posed shot.

Calling all PE teachers! We’re excited to announce Studio You has teamed up with Nike on a new series of fun and inclusive Physical Education video lessons. 

Powered by This Girl Can and funded by The National Lottery, Studio You is an innovative digital exercise platform for teenage girls across England. 

It’s packed with over 100 video lessons, plus tips and guidance to inject fun into physical education (PE) across a range of non-competitive activities such as dance, yoga and fitness.  

Through the new Studio You x Nike hub, we’re aiming to reframe negative narratives and experiences surrounding PE for girls, and inspire even more 11–16-year-olds to feel confident and engaged as they move and enjoy the physical and mental health benefits of being active.

If you're a teacher, log in or register for a free account on Studio You to access the hub.

Visit the hub

Our senior campaign activation manager, Dani Ward, says the hub has been shaped by our new research into girls’ experience of PE lessons, which led to a small group of girls co-designing the video content. 

“We’re flipping the script on what we presume girls want from PE, with girls' voices and choices allowing them to lead the way in what they want their lessons to look like,” she said. 

“Traditional sports and competitive activities may engage some girls, but a one-size-fits-all approach is leaving behind the 55% of teenage girls who aren’t meeting their recommended activity levels. 

“Working with both girls and PE teachers, Studio You and Nike aim to inspire positive behaviour change, helping more girls develop a love for movement, for life.” 

Research by the Youth Sport Trust shows girls’ enjoyment of PE drops by 30% between the ages of eight and 15. 

So the hub has been designed to feature fresh, modern content and resources informed by what girls today say they want for their “dream PE experience”. 

New Studio You x Nike research reveals: 

87% of girls who had a negative experience in PE, disliked their typical PE options.

Girls surveyed ranked dance (39%) and fitness/workouts (29%) as their top preferences.  

87% of girls who had a negative PE experience wished they had more say in the activities.

81% of girls with negative PE experiences lack confidence in participating, while half of all girls surveyed (50%) feel most excited and energised when having fun.

68% of girls who disliked PE found lessons difficult, while 34% of all girls surveyed preferred learning new activities gradually.

79% of girls value fun in PE, while inclusion (59%) and an engaging teacher (53%) are also important for their enjoyment. 

Dan Burrows, Nike’s global GM of future of youth sport, said: “Nike is committed to powering the future of youth sport, because an active next generation means a healthier and more equitable future for all kids.  

“We know girls, especially, face complex cultural and social barriers to getting, and staying, active.  

“Our partnership to launch the Studio You x Nike hub will continue to advance the platform’s proven results to increase girls’ participation, and is vital to creating a future where all girls can enjoy their PE experience.” 

The Studio You x Nike approach: listening to girls and teachers 

The new programme of sessions has been designed by girls, for girls. Our engagement with girls included a national survey, smaller focus groups to explore specific challenges, and a core group of girls co-designing content.  

Victoria, one of the girls from the co-creation workshop, aged 14-16, said: "I feel very valued in this process and I feel like my opinion truly matters.  
 
“It feels really good to know that my voice is being heard and it feels as if I'm doing a service for the teenage girls who struggle with confidence and participation in PE." 

Selected after consultation with girls themselves, we also recruited a diverse team of inspiring Nike trainers to lead engaging and accessible lessons. 

Studio You and Nike also enlisted the support of Nike’s partner, Disability Sports Coach, to include disabled trainers. Trainers featured in the content demonstrate adaptive movements for relevant disciplines, ensuring inclusion for all girls.  

Content emphasises non-competitive activities such as dance and fitness – the top two activities that girls said they’d like to practise in PE – showing girls that physical activity can be about self-expression, confidence and fun, not just winning.  

We’ve also introduced disciplines such as mental fitness, meditation and breathwork to help teachers explore ways to improve mindset, focus and confidence in students, especially during critical times such as exam periods. 

"We’re flipping the script on what we presume girls want from PE, with girls' voices and choices allowing them to lead the way in what they want their lessons to look like."

Dani Ward

This Girl Can senior campaign activation manager

How the Studio You x Nike hub works

Recognising the preference of over a third (34%) of girls was to learn new activities incrementally, we’ve designed videos and lessons in bite-sized formats. 

Lessons are split into ‘start’, ‘build’ and ‘practise’ – increasing in intensity with each stage – to highlight progression. Videos are complemented by introductory content for both teachers and students, to get to know both the trainer and discipline. 

A group of women with a variety of characteristics smile for a posed shot.

Ensuring content fits seamlessly into classrooms nationwide, we tested the formats with PE teachers, who endorsed the approach.

Our further research findings highlighted a gap in understanding among less active girls of the wider benefits of exercise – such as the positive effect on mindset and emotions. So we’ve developed content around moods and themes which girls selected, including ‘confident’, ‘focused’, ‘energised’ and ‘calm’. 

A shared goal to transform PE

Since we launched Studio You in September 2021, 161,200 girls have used it, 60% of secondary schools in England have registered to it, and an average of 36,600 girls use it weekly. You can learn more in the Studio You Impact Report 2023–2024.