One of the UK’s leading children’s activity and childcare providers rebrands, launches a national day of celebration and invites schools across the country to share their stories of progress
Progressive, formerly known as Progressive Sports, has today announced a landmark rebrand marking its 20th anniversary. Alongside the new identity comes the launch of National Be Progressive Day, held annually on 20th April, and a month-long prize draw open to schools across the UK. For Eddie Ray, the CEO who founded the business two decades ago, the moment has been a long time coming.
“When I started this business, sport was the vehicle,” says Eddie. “But what we’ve built is something much bigger than that. Progressive is about progress in every child, in every setting, every single day. This rebrand is us finally saying that out loud.”
The shift from Progressive Sports to Progressive is not cosmetic. With over 250 school partnerships, a national franchise network, and tens of thousands of children engaged every week, the business has long operated well beyond the boundaries of sport. Today it sits at the intersection of wraparound care, physical activity and education, delivering before and after-school care, holiday camps, PE provision and extra-curricular programmes trusted by schools, parents and local authorities nationwide.
At the heart of Progressive is a simple belief; every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, be active and feel a sense of achievement, whatever that looks like for them. The business has evolved to support the whole child, combining physical activity, creativity, wellbeing and personal development into experiences that cover a number of services for primary school and primary-aged children.
This evolution reflects a wider shift in both education and its customers’ needs. Schools and families are looking for more than provision; they want meaningful experiences that support development, confidence and wellbeing. Progressive has spent the last 20 years building a model that responds to those needs, and the rebrand signals a clearer, more confident articulation of that purpose moving forward.
National Be Progressive Day
To mark the occasion, Progressive is declaring 20th April as National Be Progressive Day, an annual moment for schools, children and communities to stop and celebrate progress in all its forms. The child who scored their first goal. The pupil who earned five stars in their spelling test. The sports day moment nobody saw coming. Progress, as Eddie puts it, looks different for every child and every setting, and that is exactly the point.
This year, schools are invited to enter a month-long prize draw by visiting the new Progressive website at progressive-uk.co.uk and sharing a moment of progress from their school.
Five winners will be drawn every Friday throughout May, with 20 prizes on offer including a £2,500 school gift package, a free football kit, free School Enrichment Days and Mentoring Programme places.