Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by the New College Leicester, Learning and Sports Village

1.0 The impact and effectiveness of current Government policy and expenditure on increasing sports in schools

1.1 The ministerial announcements regarding UK Sport and Sport England clearly demonstrate the commitment towards elite sport and community sport which is fantastic for those sections of the sporting landscape. However any good sports system should clearly link effectively and have an equitable split of expenditure across elite, community and school sport. These announcements have now been complemented by the recent (16 March 2013) school sport announcement. This new focus on enhancing primary school PE and sport provision is a welcome one which will help with creating the strong foundations of any sport system. The main concern we have is with the distribution mechanism for the funding as it bypasses all organisations that have an understanding of PE and School Sport and goes directly to primary schools where the knowledge base and experience is limited. Head Teachers in Primary Schools will be in unfamiliar territory when it comes to having funding ring fenced to improve PE and school sport and may not know where to turn for guidance.

1.2 The Sport England Creating a Sporting Habit for Life Strategy will also provide some support to providing an offer for young people through its section dedicated to schools. Programmes like Sportivate and the School Games will clearly need to have links with the new school sport announcement. Also with NGBs tasked with working with young people and with suggestions of them providing coaches for primary school sport it creates quite a confusing picture for schools. The coaching offer to primary schools should be that of a supportive role and the heart of a sustainable solution is up skilling current primary practitioners and perspective primary school teachers.

1.3 At the moment the policies, programmes and expenditure where school sport is concerned is fragmented. We have three ministerial departments investing resource. Some of that resource is directly to schools some is through bodies like Sport England who in turn have commissioned bodies like the Youth Sports Trust and National Governing Bodies of Sport. For a Head Teacher in either a primary school or a secondary school that is not an easy message to translate into a meaningful offer for young people.

1.4 The County Sport Partnership will obviously play a role in trying to make sense of this through working with local partners to coordinate school sport so that the best outcomes can be achieved for young people. However with limited resource this will only be part of the solution.

1.5 At New College Leicester we recognise the value of PE and school sport and it is very much at the heart of the school and it is referenced in the schools ambition to create a learning and sports village concept. We also understand how important it is to work with our partner primary schools in offering support and guidance on improving their own PE and school sport provision. We hope to still continue to offer that support for Primary PE and school sport post the withdrawal of the teacher release funding.

1.6 At New College we have never really believed there has been a School Sport Strategy. Previously there was the PE and School Sport for Young People programme/policy (PESSYP) which consisted of 10 strands and a network of school sport partnerships which didn’t really connect and had too much autonomy and no accountability locally. The recent announcements and resource is being targeted where it is most needed, but we believe the missing piece of the jigsaw was for Government to create a support mechanism for the primary schools as NGBs and coaches are not the sole answer.

1.7 While there was a need for a refresh and a review of school sport there was certain elements of the School Sport Partnerships system that did work and should have been used to create an even more robust system. A secondary school supporting their partner primary schools was a useful recruitment tool for secondary schools and it provided the support necessary for the primary schools in terms of sport. We hope to encourage our partner primary schools to continue and part fund that support mechanism moving forward.

1.8 Conclusion

1.8.1 In answer to the question we strongly believe that currently there is no coordinated school sport strategy. There are a number of programmes, initiatives and suggestions that create a very confusing picture for Head Teachers and schools. Going from one extreme of an over bureaucratic system to total autonomy with schools creates just as complex of a system as before. The short term nature of the primary school sport announcement provides a short term solution and not a long term cultural change of primary schools being better equipped to deliver PE and School Sport.

1.8.2 At New College we have taken it upon ourselves to create our own five year sports strategy that connects the whole of the sporting landscape and provides opportunities for all individuals to reach their potential through and in sport. We have Olympians that train at the school, community clubs that are based at the school and we have a meaningful school sport offer that also supports our partner primary schools. We value the approach of enabling us to do this without the over bureaucratic systems. However our concern is whether this approach is being adopted by all secondary schools across the country and opportunities are being created for all young people.

2.0 The scope, appropriateness and likelihood of success of the Government’s plans for a school sports legacy from London 2012

2.1 Depending on what you perceive the tangible measures to be will indicate whether the Governments plans for a school sports legacy are successful or not. If this is to be judged by the amount of young people participating in PE and school sport then I would suggest at the moment it is going to fall short.

2.2 Following what has been a tremendous year of sport, the first quarter of 2013 as been spent on debating the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in terms of what the legacy will be. No one can get away from the fact that it was always the intention to utilise the games to inspire a generation and I am sure that it went a considerable way to doing that pre and during the games. However on the ground and within schools we are yet to see a measurable impact of the games and the inspiration it created materialising into sustained participation in sport and physical activity. In fact the exact opposite is starting to happen in some primary schools and we are seeing a decline in sport and PE participation.

2.3 The political debate and stalling was not helpful in creating a meaningful and fit for purpose school sport offer and system that will improve the foundations of any sport system. High profile events have a shelf live in terms of utilising the interest the event generates and turning it into participation. At New College we are fearful that the inspiration that the games created is a missed opportunity in terms of school sport.

2.4 A national strategy and a system should have been launched shortly after the closing ceremony to enable the enthusiasm that was generated from the games to transform into participation.

2.5 Conclusion

2.5.1 I have no doubt that many young people will look back on the 2012 Games with a lot of memories and desire to imitate the success of the athletes that made up Team GB and Paralympic GB. However with schools placed under ever increasing pressure to perform academically we are fearful that it is diluting the amount and quality of PE and School Sport being delivered.

2.5.2 If you were to measure the impact of the games only a year on from the opening ceremony 27 July 2013 we believe it would be very difficult even after only a year to demonstrate that there is any tangible school sport legacy.

2.5.3 We feel the new announcement regarding primary school sport gives us a chance of legacy, but we have a long way to go to catch the likes of reality TV which seem to be doing more in terms of keeping the Olympics alive than anyone else.

3.0 The impact so far of London 2012 on the take-up of competitive sport in schools

3.1 Improvement in competition within schools was always on the up well before the introduction of the School Games Programme and the 2012 Games. One of the 10 strands of the PESSYP programme was dedicated to competition and a robust network of Competition Managers were working across the country through School Sport Partnerships to improve the calendar of school competition on offer.

3.2 All the introduction of the School Games did was rebrand this approach and reshuffle individuals within the school sport system. A number of Partnership Development Managers became the School Games Organisers picking up from the work that the Competition Managers had started.

3.3 The sole emphasis on school based competition at the time resulted in resource realigned and dedicated to improving competition within schools. Within Leicester City we have two full time posts dedicated to the School Games. This is more than was in place before although the disbanding of the network of individuals within each and every school with a remit for school sport is making it difficult for these individuals to have any impact.

3.4 The Local Organising Committee facilitates a successful range of competitions at level 3 and the local School Games Organisers do their best to arrange level 2 based inter school competition to compliment that. However we feel at the moment that the structure is fairly rigid and will only create competition for a select few. The programme needs to have greater flexibility to allow all students the chance to compete at one stage or another.

3.5 Competition is extremely important when it comes to sport and life. You can’t take competition out of sport but this is not the only factor that makes school sport great.

3.6 Conclusion

3.6.1 Following the 2012 Games I would suggest with the resource dedicated to the School Games that competition is sustainable. I don’t think that on reflection with data from the PESSYP survey that it would have increased dramatically in Leicester City. No dedicated members of staff within the primary sector since the withdrawal of the Primary Link teacher funding leaves a huge gap. Some of those relationships have been sustained but others have soon disappeared when the funding was not there to release teachers to support festivals and inter school competition.

3.6.2 The autonomy provided to secondary schools with regards to teacher release funding has resulted in some schools not supporting the School Games and priorities directed elsewhere with the use of this funding.

3.6.3 Teacher release funding disappearing in July 2013 will dilute the system further and we will be left in the City with two School Games Organisers responsible for the School Games Programme. With no official system to work with and schools with autonomy this will potentially see a decline in competition.

4.0 What further measures should be taken to ensure a sustainable and effective legacy in school sport following London 2012

4.1 Rightly or wrongly we have to live with the decision to disband School Sport Partnerships and we have to take on board the new school sport announcement.

4.2 School Games will continue to exist and the network of Local Organising Committees and School Games Organisers will continue to facilitate the programme to improve competition. Primary Schools will have financial resource to strengthen their PE and School Sport offer in a way that caters for their needs. At New College we just hope that these new ways of working for school sport can be coordinated in a way that will lend itself to creating a sustainable legacy.

4.3 One of the fundamental problems at the moment is the lack of an identified lead body for school sport. This is creating conflict between the Youth Sport Trust and the Association for Physical Education selling their different membership packages in relation to improving school sport and physical education. They are both within their rights to target schools and sell their membership packages which I am sure are really valuable for schools. While schools have the autonomy to select who they purchase from this also creates a bun fight with no government recognised lead body for school sport.

4.4 Conclusion

4.4.1 To create an effective and sustainable school sport legacy there needs to be:

(a)A robust national school sport strategy not just programmes with key performance indicators. This needs a major focus on Primary Schools. Ideally it needs to be led by a government department and government recognised independent body.

(b)A stronger policing and inspection of Curriculum Physical Education. This could be provided through Ofsted or a separate independent body given the powers to do so.

(c)There is a huge need for up skilling within the primary sector and a re-evaluation of the qualification that apparently equips primary practitioners to deliver effective Physical Education.

(d)There clearly needs to be some identified parameters between Curriculum Physical Education and School Sport. Coaches need to be seen as a support mechanism not the lead and answer for Primary Physical Education. Coaches need to be well trained and equipped to deliver effective fundamental movement sessions aligned to the curriculum that will encourage physical literacy. The Long Term Athlete Development Programme (LTAD) made an enormous amount of sense regarding a staged approach not an age approach. The main issue is equipping coaches to deal with young people taking part in compulsory PE rather than those that choose to play sport and be coached.

(e)In terms of New College Leicester we would suggest any strategy should have the following inclusive strategic aims:

Improved curriculum physical education with a focus on 5–11 year olds.

Improved links between school and community sport.

Improved Leadership and Volunteering.

Improved competition.

(f)Any school sport strategy needs to effectively link with community sport and elite sport.

(g)At New College Leicester we strongly believe that an effective school sport legacy and vision is about:

“Raising the self esteem of young people and allowing them to reach their potential in and through high quality physical education, school sport and competition.”

April 2013