Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Greenfield Community College
1. Impact and effectiveness of current Government Policy and expenditure on increasing sport in school
Poor—Most PE departments do not have time to cope with interschool sport in addition to the many other pressures placed upon them. All PE departments need an improved structure that gives time to plan, organise and promote OSH, Competitive sport and club links. One day release is not enough time, and from Sept most schools will lose even that.
School sport in Secondary schools is really struggling. My school has given the PE dept the time required—ie two days to continue the old SSCo role. Consequently we enter and take part in everything—but in many schools they struggle, as a consequence, in some sports we do not have any teams to play against. It is so sad. We often get to County finals without having played a match—and find many others are in the same situation—the standard is low and deteriorating. Without regular competition at grass roots level—it will continue to deteriorate.
Primary schools also have so many pressures—and now that there is no monitoring and accountability some Primary Heads won’t even meet to discuss sport, it is NOT a priority. Most Primary schools in our area manage to take full classes to participation festivals (1 a year), but struggle to find time or staff to take teams/MAT students to play interschool matches eg football or netball. Eg out of almost 40 Primary schools in our area—18 enters our football leagues (50%), only four entered the netball league and tournament this year. It is a real concern.
In addition, such events only take place in our area because our Primary schools pay to maintain a School Sport Partnership in our area. Some areas without a SSP—do not have football leagues and have only 1 netball opportunity in the year for all schools.
Children need regular competitive opportunities to improve skills, confidence, self-esteem, motivation, health & well-being and very few Primary pupils get regular competition in any sport. Many areas, including ours have very few clubs, Schools do not have teachers/staff with time, and it is our Nations children that are missing out. 40 years ago I took part in many more interschool matches than our Primary students do now, since the demise of the SSP. Because other pressures on teachers are so immense.
2. The scope, appropriateness and likelihood of success of the Governments plans for a school sport legacy from London 2012
Falling well short and very frustrating for the few who are working so hard to ensure our legacy is not lost altogether.
3. The impact so far of London 2012 on the take up of competitive sport in schools
Fantastic interest in our school –because we returned to the old SSCo structure, after a year of struggling with 1 day—day release. But very few schools have the funding to support this development, and have not been able to capture the momentum due to a lack of staff time to plan, organise, promote, train and attend events, with so many other pressures and so little time. Most schools have very little time to do competitive sport and all that entails for their students. Which is very sad.
4. What further measures should be taken to ensure a sustainable and effective legacy in school sports following London 2012?
Make school sport accountable and set targets which have to be achieved. Direct schools to provide the necessary time to their staff—two days to plan, organise, promote, train and attend events, and to work with local Primary schools. Provide funding and ring fence funding to ensure this happens.
Monitor School sport—so schools management see it as a priority. At present Teachers with responsibility for PE feel undervalued, and often comment how OFSTED have no interest in school sport (why do we bother—no-one is interested). In addition the demise of the PESSCL/PESSYP survey—has had a massive impact—with no accountability and so many other accountable targets. PE and school sport is not a priority in most schools—some legacy!
April 2013