Learning Through PE and Sport

Introduction

All children, whatever their circumstances or abilities, should be able to participate in and enjoy physical education (PE) and sport.

PE and sport in schools, both within and beyond the curriculum, can improve:

• Pupil concentration, commitment and self-esteem; leading to higher attendance and better behaviour and attainment;
• Fitness levels; active children are less likely to be obese and more likely to pursue sporting activities as adults;

Thereby reducing the likelihood of coronary heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer; and

• Success in international competition by ensuring talented young sports people have a clear pathway to elite sport and competition whatever their circumstances.

The Prime Minister launched the PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy on 2 October 2002. It is being delivered by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) through eight programmes. Locally partners, including local authorities, need to come together to ensure the effective delivery of these programmes to support schools and maximise the benefits for young people.

What is high quality PE and school sport?

High quality PE and school sport produces young people with the skills, understanding, desire and commitment to continue to improve and achieve in a range of PE, sport and health-enhancing physical activities in line with their abilities.

When PE and school sport provision is of the highest quality, all young people will, to the best of their abilities, develop and demonstrate the following personal qualities:

• A strong desire to learn and make progress;
• High levels of dedication, attendance and involvement in PE and school sport;
• High levels of commitment to PE and sport;
• Good levels of positive behaviour such as politeness, fair play and helpfulness; and
• High levels of enjoyment and enthusiasm and a strong desire to get involved.

Developing these personal qualities affects young peoples attitudes to school and learning. This has had a positive impact on the whole school and can lead to whole school improvement.

Specialist Sports Colleges

A specialist system is being created in which every secondary school has its own special ethos and works with others to spread best practice and raise standards. Sport is one of 10 specialisms within the Specialist School programme.

Specialist schools are maintained secondary schools that receive additional funds. They focus on a particular curriculum area e.g. PE and sport, and deliver a four year development plan to raise whole school standards.

DfES and the Youth Sport Trust support schools and local authorities and are encouraging the expansion of the network of Specialist Sports Colleges. Previously, schools were invited to apply for specialist status through twice yearly (March and October) application rounds. Schools started operating as Specialist Sports Colleges each September. After four years, they must reapply to maintain their special status. 

However, the last of the Sports Colleges were createdin September 2006, when partnerships expanded to include any schools not in already in a partnership. So, all state primary & secondary schools in England are now part of a school sport partnership (SSP).

For more information on Specialist Sports Colleges programme, visit the Specialist Schools information website at http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/specialistschools/what_are/sports/?version=1

School Sport Co-ordinator Partnerships

School Sport Co-ordinator partnerships are families of schools that come together to enhance sports opportunities for all. The partnerships are made up of a Specialist Sports College, up to eight secondary schools and up to 45 primary schools clustered around the secondaries of the College. Each partnership receives a grant, dependent upon it's size. This pays for a full time Partnership Development Manager (PDM, who is usually based at the hub Sports College), and the release of one teacher from each of the other partnership secondary schools (and middle schools) for up to two days a week to allow them to take on the role of School Sport Co-ordinator (SSCo). Additionally, the grant pays for one teacher from each partnership primary school to become a Link Teacher as well as subsidising the release of teachers in their schools for up to 12 days a year to allow them to increase their level of expertise in specific areas of PE. The responsibilty of the Primary Link Teacher (PLT) is to communicate the sporting CPD opportunities available in the partnership and beyond to their staff, to help involve their students in the activities of the partnership and community sports clubs, and to ensure the accurate collection of data for the annual PESSCL audit, as well as informing the partnership of their school priorities, in order to allow a strategic Partnership Development Plan to be created and implemented every 3 years. 

The Partnerships' overall aim is to help schools to ensure that their pupils spend a minimum of two hours a week on high quality PE and school sport. Six strategic objectives have been set:

• Strategic planning: to develop and implement a PE/sport strategy;
• Primary liaison: to develop links, particularly between Key Stage 2 and 3;
• Out of School Hours Learning (OSHL): to provide enhanced opportunities for all pupils;
• School to Community Links: to increase participation in community sport;
• Coaching and leadership: to provide opportunities in leadership, coaching and officiating for senior pupils, teachers and other adults; and
• Raising standards: to raise standards of pupils achievements.

For further information about School Sport Partnerships, visit the following website:- http://www.youthsporttrust.org/subpage/specialist-sport/index.html

¹Maintained special schools can also apply for special status.