Schools Indoor Rowing League
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Children in Need Row 2026

Row for BBC Children in Need this November.

Any distance, any format, in PE, at the gym or across the office. Every pound your school, club or workplace raises goes towards the national total.

Row dates
2–13 Nov
Raised so far
£5,949
Teams
9
Register your row Donate now Find out more
Pupils rowing side by side on indoor rowers while classmates cheer them on
With our partners
  • BBC Children in Need
  • Love Rowing
  • British Rowing
  • Concept2
  • London Youth Rowing

Now open to schools

The national indoor rowing league for schools.

Schools across the UK compete on the same standard test — pupils row on Concept2 machines in PE lessons, submit their results, and climb a live national leaderboard. Built for teachers, driven by pupils.

Register your school Watch testimonials

A growing national league

From city comprehensives to village primaries, schools the length of the country are getting their pupils on the ergs.

150+
Schools competing
50k+
Pupils rowing
10M
Metres logged
24
Regions

How the league works

Two ten-week seasons a year — September to November and March to May — mapped to the school calendar. Here’s how a school takes part.

  1. Register and get set up

    Sign your school up for the season and get the lesson plans, teacher CPD and resources you need to run rowing in PE — no specialist coach required.

  2. Row the four-minute test

    Pupils row as hard as they can for four minutes on a Concept2 machine. The score is total metres — everyone finishes together, so it fits neatly inside a single lesson.

  3. Climb the national leaderboard

    Results are benchmarked by age and gender, so every pupil sees where they stand — and your school rises up a live national table that updates all season.

Why indoor rowing works

It supports physical education outcomes, wellbeing and the development of key life skills — for every pupil, not just the sporty ones.

Full-body, low-impact

Works the legs, core, back and arms in one fluid movement — highly effective yet joint-friendly, and suitable for all abilities, including pupils with SEND.

Reaches every pupil

Proven to engage pupils who struggle with traditional sports, building the confidence, teamwork and resilience that carry well beyond the gym.

Simple for any PE department

A one-day teacher CPD and ready-made lesson plans mean any school can run it — no specialist rowing coach required, and it maps straight onto the curriculum.

Measurable progress

Standardised scores and national benchmarks make every improvement visible, giving pupils ownership of their development and a reason to keep going.

Trusted by schools across the UK

One of the most encouraging aspects of the league was the participation of pupils who had previously struggled in traditional sports — and seeing them enjoy teamwork and success through rowing.
— PE Lead, Secondary school
Indoor rowing transformed participation in our fitness provision and quickly became something pupils looked forward to.
Oxclose Community School Secondary · Fitness and engagement
The competition format ensured both boys and girls were fully engaged and motivated across the event.
East Midlands Schools Championship Regional · KS3 and KS4
The event was extremely successful, with high levels of enthusiasm and several record-breaking performances from pupils.
Get Going, Get Rowing — North East Regional final event

Get your school on the leaderboard

Register today and we’ll set you up for the season with lesson plans, teacher training and everything you need to run the league in PE.

Register your school