Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the County Sports Partnership Network
The following single page conveys the key points and experience of the CSP Network and would encourage the committee to examine the school sport legacy in the context of the wider sport and physical activity landscape for children and young people, not in isolation.
A Single System, Holistic, Young Person Centred Approach to PE & School Sport
The CSP Network believes in a holistic approach to the development of sport and physical activity for all and encourages collaboration and partnership working to make the best use of resources and ensure clear pathways for progression.
This principle includes PE & School sport where we believe it is essential to adopt a joined up approach to PE, sport and physical activity within schools and in the community with children and young people at its heart. Silo working is inefficient and ineffective. Schools can find it challenging to be outward looking organisations but in our experience when they connect with and are at the heart of their local community they are most effective.
Young people need to take part in a range of activities in and out of school, and the more consistent and complimentary this experience, with seamless pathways from school to community, the greater the likelihood of creating a positive attitude and commitment to lifelong participation.
Many teachers also coach in the community, Community coaches can extend the offer and bring additional expertise to schools, older pupils can inspire younger children, local clubs and partners can provide valued support to schools, and community clubs can benefit from effective links to recruit their next generation of members and gain access to valuable facilities on school sites.
With this in mind, and particularly when resources are scarce, it is essential that NGBs and national partners, as well as schools, cubs and other partners locally, work together, sharing their expertise and resources, to create a win-win and the best possible outcomes for children.
It is these schools, clubs and other local partners who will deliver the much sought after legacy for young people and CSPs are committed to getting as much resource as possible to the “front line”.
Leadership, Partnerships & Collaboration
CSPs welcome strong leadership and support and guidance from those agencies with specific expertise and or setting the policy agenda, such as Government, Sport England, Youth Sport Trust and AfPE nationally, and local Childrens Services, Local Authorities, Head teachers and networks of schools locally. The experience of CSPs suggests that very often national policy and programmes for school sport and wider sport and physical activity for children and young people are not joined up, making the job of CSPs and their local partners more challenging than it needs to be.
CSPs adopt and advocate a collaborative approach, and can help national agencies deliver their services and outcomes locally, often more speedily and efficiently than they could do alone, by connecting and brokering with local partners and agendas, and being well placed to provide local, responsive services to schools, clubs and other partners.
Background Information
The following background information may be helpful to Members of the committee to further understand the role and functions of the CSPs in relation to school sport and wider sport and physical activity for young people
Role of CSPs
The County Sports Partnerships, being embedded in local communities whilst providing an efficient nationwide network, provide coordination and support services for school sport as required from national and local partners. They can add value by:
helping connect NGBs and other national partners and programmes into schools;
coordinate the efforts and establish links between local partners within school and community;
Help connect suitably qualified coaches with schools;
raising the profile of and advocating for PE and sport with key local decision makers;
delivering national programmes and resources
providing support services such as education, training and events.
National sport and physical activity programmes provided by CSPs for young people that can support school sport
As the nationwide network for sport and physical activity, CSPs are currently contracted to deliver the following national programmes that can support school sport:
NGB delivery—helping NGBs to develop their local workforce and deliver their plans and programmes locally.
The School Games—facilitating the “Local Organising Committee” and delivering the Level 3 County Festivals ensuring links with Levels 1 and 2, as well as NGBs and local clubs.
Change4Life Clubs—
Satellite clubs/club Links—The new Sport England programme to deliver clubs for young people on secondary school and other community sites.
Sportivate—a part of the “Places People Play” legacy programme, providing 10 week courses to engage 14–25 year olds in sporting activities of their choice
Access to school facilities—Helping NGBs and their clubs secure access to sports facilities on school sites
Safeguarding—providing good practice and support for sports agencies and connecting with statutory
Local Role of CSPs that support school sport
As independent locally owned organisations, CSPs also often provide a range of other services to respond to local needs in the context of local provision and infrastructure, such as:
recruiting, deploying, training and quality assuring coaches;
supporting and developing young leaders;
providing training, conferences and events for schools and teachers;
Disability sport opportunities, festivals and pathways;
organising awards events to raise the profile of school sport;
advocacy and brokerage of partnerships and local solutions and securing additional investment; and
work with early years providers to ensure the best possible start.
CSPs will continue to respond to local needs and the network provides the opportunity to extend and replicate best practice and services across England, in collaboration with national partners where appropriate.
April 2013.