To all Headteachers and Principals

Dear colleagues

Planning is now well underway for the single sports partnership for the city. The Headteacher Group that is guiding the establishment of the single Plymouth Sports Partnership have met today and agreed a clear vision and strategy for the future partnership from September 2011 addressing equality of opportunity for Plymouth. This will build on the successful features of the two existing partnerships and create a single structure to deliver high quality sport for this city.

The structure will comprise new leadership roles and a team that will deliver a wide variety of opportunity for children in Plymouth. The aim is to create a new more flexible offer making the best use of the reduced funding available but also outward looking to bring additional funding into the city.

The steering group will ensure that there is clear evidence of value for money and impact. The group is confident that the model for the partnership will provide successful school sports provision for the city.

Further details and specific information concerning the offer to schools will follow.

Group members: Wendy Brett, David Farmer, Daisy Bailey, Kevin Norris and Nigel Sparrow.

Colin Moore
Assistant Director (Lifelong Learning)
Services for Children and Young People
Plymouth City Council
Plymouth PL1 2AA
Tel: (01752) 307464
Fax: (01752) 307462
Email: col.moore@plymouth.gov.uk
www.plymouth.gov.uk

We are immensely proud of everything that we have achieved and hope that the new Plymouth SSP will choose to sustain at least some of our work. We also hope that we will be able to honour all the commitments we have made for the remainder of the academic year. The strategic steering group of Head teachers and Local Authority Officers will decide what this partnership will look like. Any colleagues who would like to influence this should speak to their Head Teacher. If Heads do not make their feelings clear to this group, now, they risk loosing most of the opportunities we are providing!  

On a personal note I would like to thank everyone who has supported our work over the last 9 years, it has been a privilege to work with you. I would also like to apologize for failing to secure a sustainable legacy for all the outstanding work you have done. Sadly my attempts to secure the support of political leaders and local decision makers have been ineffective, .We have a very clear vision for the future which is realistic and achievable and will find out in the next few weeks if any or all of it will be able to happen.    .      

This group will need to be balanced to include representation from both the current SSP's which have evolved in different ways over time. The Heads from all three of the city's Sports Colleges [It is essential we remember to include our Special School Sports College] should be invited to be part of the group [their support has allowed us to achieve what we have] with Senior Officers from both Education and Leisure and a Primary Head from each of the current partnerships. This model would ensure that the best parts of the existing partnerships are sustained as far as is possible with the new model.

When deciding where and how the Plymouth SSP will be hosted consideration needs to be given to the logistical support that is vital to make this work successful. The governors at Plymstock School have been outstanding in this respect, not just providing office space, administrative support and storage space for partnership resources but also being prepared to employ staff carrying out partnership work when the schools they directly impacted on were unable to. In 2002 before the school became a Sports College Plymstock agreed to host the PDM and offer to employ the SSCo's who worked at Sir John Hunt, Tamarside, Stoke Damerel and Parkside schools. Since the expansion of the programme in 2005 these schools have taken on this responsibility themselves but Plymstock still employ SSCo's for DHSB, DHSG, Lipson and Heles.

The new world in which we are operating may require all secondary schools to employ their SSCo themselves but will still  need an organisation to employ the rest of the staff team that could include a PDM, Competition Manager and some Community Sports Coaches. These post holders will need to be based where the resources they are operating are kept, they will also require office space and administrative support. The key decision makers need to understand that If the governors of Plymstock School are willing to continue to support this work there is no other organisation in the city in a better position with a better record of supporting partner schools who can make this happen..

A speedy decision needs to be made about the range of services, activities and professional expertise the Plymouth SSP will offer if we are to sustain the best parts of the existing partnerships and move forward. When senior leaders have decided what is going to happen and cost how they will do this we will know what can be offered to the Children and Young People we support for the next financial year.

Our vision has been set out in previous news stories and blogs on this site. We have a clear vision and a strategy designed to achieve it, we believe that vision without action is dreaming, action without vision is passing time, but action with vision can change lives. We ask to be judged on our record, which is peerless, and implore the senior officers and others who decide our future to consider the above points!  

21 December 2010                                                                School Sport Partnerships

We promised to write to you about funding for school sport partnerships beyond February 2011; please accept our apologies that communication has been delayed. Thank you for your e-mails and calls about the issues involved; we appreciate the uncertainty you have faced, and the difficulties with planning and staffing. As you may already have seen, the Secretary of State announced, yesterday, his plans for school sport up to, and beyond, the end of this financial year. We hope that this factual note is helpful in setting out the position.

School year 2010/11.

He has confirmed funding of £47 million to school sport partnerships from the existing sport budget for financial year 2010-11, which covers the remainder of the spring term and the summer term also. This grant is for the purpose of providing physical education and sport, particularly to embed good practice from the previous Administration’s PE and Sport Strategy and to introduce new sport competitions for more pupils as part of the Coalition Government’s School Games.

The grant to partnerships will be calculated on the basis of the cost of: · Partnership Development Managers (PDMs); Assistant PDMs; School Sport Co-ordinators (SSCos); FE Sport Co-ordinators (FESCos); and Primary Link Teachers (PLTs) for the remainder of the spring term (up to 30 April 2011); and · PDMs; Assistant PDMs; SSCos; and FESCos for the summer term (up to 31 August 2011).

Competition managers

The cost of competition managers is not met through the grant to school sport partnerships. The Department paid the various local authorities and schools that employ competition managers at the beginning of the financial year 2010-11, as the final year of the previous spending period. The Department has no plans to fund competition managers in the next spending period from 2011, beyond March 2011.

School year 2011/12 and beyond.

As you know, the Secretary of State has announced that he will not continue to provide ring-fenced funding for school sport partnerships beyond the summer term 2011. Instead, he is making available £65 million of new funding for schools to provide more competitive sport for their pupils. This funding will be for secondary schools to release a PE teacher from timetable for one day a week in the school years 2011/12 and 2012/13. You can find further details of the Secretary of State's announcement at http://www.education.gov.uk/inthenews/pressnotices/a0071098/a-new-approach-for-school-sports-decentralising-power-incentivising-competition-trusting-teachers. The Department will announce further details about this in due course.

Please circulate this email to all schools in your partnership and to any other people who need to know.

Ian Broadbridge

PE and Sport Team

Department for Education

More of the specific details behind the government's plans will be confirmed in the New Year. However as can be seen above we will be loosing the services of our Competition Manager from the end of March 2011 at a time when schools will be expected to introduce new sport competitions for more pupils. We will also no longer have PLT funding after the Easter Holiday.The above changes will have implications for the work programmes and plans of all SSP schools for this academic year and the future of other infrastructure posts.

We hope 'Our vision for the Plymstock Partnership for 2011-14' will become operational at the start of the summer term. SSP Primary Age Schools need to review their plans for the summer term as they will not have funding from the partnership to support some of the activities which have taken place in previous years. The work of the Competiton Manager will be divided amongst the SSCo team, who will also have a sharper focus on Change4Life Sports Clubs and Bikeability, which will be suported for the rest of this Parliment. The government plans for the 2012 Legacy also include the SSP continuing to provide CPD for Primary Schools.

We are working hard to ensure that the amazing difference that the SSP makes to the education of the 18,000 Children and Young People attending partnership schools is sustained and that schools who will be loosing their support in the future can also benefit from our offer if they wish to. We hope to be able to have this confirmed during the first half of the spring term. If you have any questions please contact either Rob Wright [rpwright@plymstockschool.org.uk] or your representative on the Steering Group.

Dear Secretary of State

We were very pleased that Mr Gary Streeter MP was able to visit us last Friday and meet a few of the Children and Young People we work with to get a real feel for the way the School Sport Partnership is impacting on their lives. We would like to invite you to visit us to see first hand how we have, are and can make valuable contributions to Key Government policies in education (1), Sport (1), employment (2), health (3) and the environment (4).

Eg (1) The Plymstock SSP Panathlon Challenge was an Olympic style Competition for schools with City, Regional and a National final.
(2) The Plymstock SSP employs 2 Modern Apprentices.
(3) The Plymstock SSP has been given a National Award by Sainsbury's for training people to lead physical activity for inactive groups and would welcome the chance to work with GP Fund Holders to develop this for 2012.
(4) In the last two years we have trained 1512 Children and Young People to Bikeability Level 2 standard.

We were heartened to read that School Sport Partnerships are not being closed down but being entrusted to schools. The schools which we work with are unanimous in wanting ot continue to use the Partnership to impact on the attainment of their pupils. They will not be able to maintain the current levels of provision for PE and Sport or encourage more competitive sport without funding.

If the economic situation dictates that the government cannot fund this work will we have to ask parents and carers to pay an Olympic School Sport levy? The Plymstock SSP currently works with 29 Primary Schools, 5 Special Schools and 9 Secondary Schools reaching around 18,000 Children and Young People. If we ask parents/carers to pay £15 per year to fund our work we will generate the same amount
of funding as is paid by the Department for Education to support this work.

Our promise to school leaders is that we are, and will be, the best value for money investment that any school can make. You can find more information about what we do on our website : plymstockssp.com
We would like you to consider continuing to allocate DfE funding for this work so that we can make key government policies happen for the students in the schools we support. We would also like to invite you to visit us whenever you are able to so that you can see how much we are achieving.

Yours sincerely

Mr R Wright
Partnership Development Manager

Copies to : Mr Gary Streeter MP
Mr David Cameron Prime Minister
Mr David Farmer, Headteacher

While we wait [hoping for a quick reply so all our energy can be used to enrich the lives of Children and Young People] we need to consider the alternatives should the governments critics be correct. How will schools meet the Singapore Promise and the expectations set out by Michael Gove if the funding has gone? Extended Services money is to be given to schools and may be able to sustain a more efficient and effective SSP which continues to impact across schools and communities. If schools are to operate without SSPs they will have a huge additional workload to sustain the existing provision which is expected by the Secretary of State as a minimum. It is worth noting that OFSTED has not been cut as part of the CSR. Whilst some parts of the work of the partnership may be taken up by others we would challenge anyone to come up with a better value for money way to impact on whole school agendas than the offer we are making.

We could search for sponsorship, spend time bag packing or asking for donations or diversify into commercial activities like children's parties. All these things would reduce the offer we would be able to make to schools. Another option would be to ask parents and carers to pay £5 per term per child as an Olympic School Sport Levy. This £15 per year for each of the 18,000 Children and Young People attending SSP schools would replace the DfE grant and allow us to continue to be the best value members of every school staff. 

As an organisation we have [Panathlon Challenge offers an outstanding, tested, model for a schools Olympics] are [we currently employ 2 Modern Apprentices] and can [we have just been given a National Award for training people to provide physical activity for inactive C+YP and hope to work with GP fund holders to train health workers] work with schools and communities to help meet all the governments ambitions in sport and many other areas. Will parents have to pay an Olympic Sport Levy to make this happen?

The Coalition Government is committed to reforming sport in schools to create a lasting Olympic legacy. Ministers want to encourage more competitive sport so it is a vibrant part of the ethos of all schools, and to give schools the freedom to organise sport themselves rather than imposing a bureaucratic system for them to follow.

At our team meeting on the 3rd of November we will spend time shaping our vision for the future and agree what the partnership offer will be for SSP Schools to support them in meeting the government's expectations. This offer will then be shared with school leaders and the SSP Steering Group.

Teachers and coaches involved in delivering both within and outside the curriculum will need support to ensure standards are not only maintained, but also continue to improve. The partnership network is an effective way of continuing with the excellent work already done. There has been an issue with time allocated to physical education in Primary ITTE for some time now and NQTs joining the profession will continue to need considerable professional development in order to be competent in teaching the subject

There are many schools who will provide testament to the fact that high quality physical education and school sport have had a marked effect on standards right across the curriculum and the head teachers in these schools will surely stay committed to keeping our subject at the core of their school life.

Any colleagues who would like to contribute to shaping the vision should do so through the team or steering group member who represents them or by contacting rpwright@plymstockschool.org.uk

We do know that the Plymstock SSP is in a powerful position to impact on the lives of Children and Young People. We also knoiw that the Government have said they will reduce centralisation, so those people who felt they where continually faced with initiative overload have got what they wished for! This new localisation will see funding going direct to users who will then have an obligation to spend it wisely. Localisation will mean that local decision makers will have to decide what is best for the C+YP in their care, this may be without the level of support they are used to from organisations like the YST [who will downsize by 50% by Christmas 2010!!!] and the Local Authority. Our commitment to school leaders and governors is that partnership staff are the best value members of their team, we intend that this will continue.

At meetings in the second half of the Autumn term we will be sharing a tree video clip which shows a range of attitudes to a challenging situation. Everyone will have an opinion about any situation but whatever attitude you choose to adopt you need to remember the obligations we all have to the Chldren and Young People  in partnership schools that we work with!

The video shows responses to the challenge of the tree blocking a road. Will you be like the woman who say's she hates this country and does nothing? Are you like the man who gets his helpers to lift him over the tree and into a waiting taxi? Would you be as brave as the boy who tries to move the tree even though he knows it is impossible to do it on his own in the rain? Is the woman who sends her partner to help while she sits in their car like you? Do you think you would join the boy and make the impossible possible? Choose your attitude!

The Olympic [Friendship, Respect and Excellence] and Paralympic Values [[Determination, Courage, Inspiration and Equality] are being used in some schools to re-write behaviour policies. Monthly posters are placed in tutor rooms which focus on one of the seven values. 

These values have also ben used to train students do carry out lesson observations providing staff with 360 degree feedback. Schools have used this system in a number of ways. Some have had a number of selected students who work along side members of SLT carrying out lesson observations, the students feedback to the member of SLT who then provides the teacher with feedback. In other schools a large number of students access the training and colleagues are made aware of those who complete it successfully, they are then able to ask one of these students to evaluate a lesson which they are part of. Every lesson we teach is evaluated by the students who attend it, by giving them training and a specific focus schools are finding they are improving staff/student relationships and raising standards. 

We were also made aware of schools where the Student Sports Council is designing the PE Curricular. This has led to a massive increase in participation in lessons with some groups and improved take up of  OSHL.

The 2012 Games are not just about PE and Sport they can be used to cross every area of school life.

Stage One:
This stage sets out an annual development planning process. Stage 1A (1/2 day) also acts as an induction for new PLTs. Stage 1B offers a review and planning model that can be used annually with all PLTs. Stage 1A should be offered to all new PLTs, however Stage 1B can be used flexibly to compliment, review or extend the ongoing planning with an SSP. The core principles within this stage are; to provide a robust structure to enable PLTs (with support from SSCos and PDMs) to plan an effective work programme that is focussed around their key role and responsibilities, and to provide a signpost to relevant Stage 2 options according to their needs.

Stage Two:
This stage offers five professional development options [2A Improving HQ PE, 2B Developing L+V, 2C Increasing Participation, 2D Developing Potential, 2E Improving community Links]that support different elements of the PLT role explored through Stage One. It is designed to enable PLTs to work within, and offer and build appropriate opportunities for young people across the participation pathway. It will provide support for individual/ groups of PLTs to deliver their action plan priorities identified at Stage One. Stage Two is not compulsory and has been designed to offer flexible options against local needs. It is not set out as a complete CPD solution and SSPs and LDAs will still need to review and supplement this stage according to specific local needs.
Each option within Stage 2 follows the core development planning process set out at Stage 1. There are clear links between the modules and where appropriate SSPs/ LDA can consider using the core activities from a number of stage 2 workshops together. This is probably particularly relevant across workshops 2C, 2D and 2E.
Inevitably, there will be challenges in introducing new approaches, if any partnership PLT's would like to be involved in discussing how we offer this CPD to colleagues please contact Rob Wright on 01752 495046 or rpwright@plymstockschool.org.uk or speak with your SSCo.. 

A giant outdoor gym was unveiled by a special celebrity guest in Devonport to inspire schools and the local community to get more involved in sport. British Olympic sprinter Craig Pickering attended the official launch of the adiZone. 

Designed and developed by adidas, the adiZone is a 625 square metre venue inspired by Olympic and Paralympic sports. It will help widen the opportunities for recreational leisure activities in the city and is free to use 365 days of the year. It includes basketball, football and tennis areas, a climbing wall, an outdoor gym and an open area to encourage dance, aerobics, gymnastics and martial arts.

On Friday 27 August 2010 there was a launch party at the park at Mutton Cove with a basketball and street dance demonstration by Urban X to show how the adiZone can be used.

Plymouth City Council's sports development unit has been working with the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership (DRCP) and the Children and Young People's Trust to secure funding to bring the facility to the city. adiZones were initially installed by adidas in four of the London 2012 host boroughs and are now being introduced to towns and cities across the UK as part of the preparations for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Youth Sport Trust will be working with the Cities SDU and SSP's to offer a schools activation package.

If we are going to meet the needs of all the Children and Young People in Plymouth to be physically active and learn outside the classroom we must start to use this and similar facilities as teaching and learning areas.

Water Safety

A project funded by RoSPA, and reported in RoSPA's 'Safety Education' Summer 2010 edition, has come up with an interesting conclusion relating to traditional life-saving advice. Instead of immediately attempting to swim or wave for help, researchers at the University of Portsmouth are advocating 'float first'.

Apparently tests have showed that staying as still as possible in the first few minutes after tumbling into water (a major cause of drowning fatality in the UK) increases survival time by enabling air trapped in clothing to keep the head above water and slowing the rate at which the body cools.

This clearly places massive demand and expectation on a less than water confident child in a hostile life -threatening environment so appropriate training and rehearsal seems to be critical to its success.

On a slighter lighter note, a recent Child Safety Education Coalition (CSEC) project on water safety which took part at the National Water Sports Centre, Nottingham included the following quote from a Y6 pupil:

'I learnt how to save people from drowning in the water, by throwing something that floats like a football, or string and stick which I have to hold onto. I enjoyed it'

One hopes that the 'holding onto' does NOT refer to the football!

Sun Protection

Let's hope we continue to experience a bumper summer with lots of opportunity for activity outdoors.

So if the sun intends to be kind to us let's ensure that our pupils adopt sensible precautions and wear suitable clothing, including hats, and utilise sun block wherever necessary.

QCF Is Coming - Do You Know What It Is?
You will have heard us talking about big changes coming as we move from the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), to the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). But do you really feel comfortable with what this is, and how it will affect you running a Sports Leaders UK course?
Our website now features an Introduction to the Qualifications and Credit Framework, and copies of the Sports Leaders UK Technical Updates to help you. 

So, what do you need to do?

The fundamentals of what we do still stand, however we have also been using this opportunity to streamline our systems to make them more customer friendly. Our new Approved Assessment Centre Application Form and Course Application Form are now available.

New Age Range - Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership and Level 1 Award in Dance Leadership 

We've lowered the starting age for our Level 1 awards. Candidates can now start these qualifications from age 13. Read more at Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership, and Level 1 Award in Dance Leadership.

Level 2 Award in Sports Leadership 

We have a brand new qualification being launched in September 2010, the Level 2 Award in Sports Leadership. This qualification is designed for candiates aged 14+ and is an ideal progression for candidates who have achieved the Level 1 Award in Sports Leadership.

Level 3 Award in Day Walk Leadership and Level 3 Certificate in Basic Expedition 

We currently have two qualifications that meet the needs of 'the outdoors'. The Level 2 Award in Day Walk Leadership, and the Level 2 Award in Basic Expedition Leadership. The transition onto the QCF has given us the opportunity to review these qualifications, which has resulted in them being re-levelled. As of September 2010, these qualifications will now be the Level 3 Award in Day Walk Leadership and the Level 3 Certificate in Basic Expedition Leadership.

Price List

The price list for 2010/11, including any changes brought about by the framework change in September, was issued with the 'QCF Special' Technical Update. It can also be found on our website - see Fees & Charges. 

National Qualification Framework (NQF) Courses (pre-September 2010) 

The last date a course can start under the current National Qualification Framework is 31st August 2010. All courses that start on or after 1st September 2010 will be registered to the QCF. All certification for NQF courses must be claimed by 31st August 2013. 

QCF Resources
Tutor Resource Pack Order Form
We have been busy re-writing our Tutor Resource Packs (TRP) to ensure they reflect the changes brought about by the QCF, and to offer new ideas to assist with running a Sports Leaders UK course. As you will have already heard, anyone who has bought a TRP since 1st February 2010 will automatically receive the new electronic TRP free of charge, once they are available. If you would like to order the new QCF TRP, please use our new Tutor Resource Pack Order Form.

Record of Achievement
As you will have read in the Technical Update, as of September 2010, we will no longer provide Log Books, but will instead require all candidates to compile a Record of Achievement. Using feedback we've received from customers, we have re-designed these to be in an A4 format, which can be placed in a ring binder, making it easier to add candidate evidence. We are in the final stages of producing the new Record of Achievements, and they will be with you for all courses starting in September 2010.

Government have announced the process for the Comprehensive Spending Review, the exercise which sets departments plans and priorities for 2011/12 to 2014/15, and the results of this are anticipated in the early autumn. It is only then that there will be any informed decisions about the future. You will be aware that significant additional cuts are expected in public expenditure and that there is also a strong commitment to devolve significant amounts of central funding directly to schools. During this period there are likely to be lots more rumours about what will and won't happen and we'd urge you not to take too much notice of these and to wait for the outcomes of the review.

We continue to believe that School Sport Partnerships provide a highly effective and efficient delivery mechanism. Indeed we believe that they are the only way to ensure that every school creates opportunities and that consistency of delivery is available for young people of all ages and abilities. It is on this basis that we will keep advocating at all levels and with a wide range of individuals and organisations - we would urge you to continue doing likewise.

In what we know is a difficult time please stay positive and let's keep our focus where it needs to be - delivering the very best sport opportunities for young people.

Thanks again for all you continue to do for young people through sport"

With kind regards,

Baroness Sue Campbell (Chair) and Steve Grainger (Chief Executive)

The previous Government accepted recommendations put forward by Sir Jim Rose to implement a new primary curriculum from September 2011. Ministers announced today that the Government does not intend to proceed with the new primary curriculum.

Ministers are committed to giving schools more freedom from unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy. They have always made clear their intentions to make changes to the National Curriculum that will ensure a relentless focus on the basics and give teachers more flexibility than the proposed new primary curriculum offered.

The Government intends to return the National Curriculum to its intended purpose - a minimum national entitlement organised around subject disciplines - and will shortly announce its next steps.

In the meantime, the existing primary curriculum will continue to be in force in 2011/12 and schools should plan on that basis.

Ministers have also decided not to proceed with the revised level descriptions which were due to come into force for Key Stage 3 from this September. Secondary schools should therefore continue to use existing level descriptions.

Information on the Department's website will be updated as announcements are made and more detail is available. Please visit www.education.gov.uk/curriculum for the latest news and answers to your questions.

If schools choose to use coaches in this way they should ensure that they are not missing the opportunities that class teachers have to develop children within and outside the classroom linking both areas. They will also be expected by OFSTED to have a system of regular monitoring and evaluation of the coaches work which will be inspected against the TDA HLTA standards. If schools feel their teaching staff are not able to teach satisfactory PE lessons the LDA can provide training at no cost to the school to support and develop colleagues. Children may benefit far more from other areas of the curriculum being contracted out whilst teachers teach PE.

Coaches are a very valuable part of the school workforce, the contributions which they make to OSHL and when they work alongside teachers during PE lessons add value to the experiences of children. Their use as cover for PPA time is something that the SSP feel is not educationally sound, our coaching team have been told never to work in this way!

If the answer to any of the above questions is no you may be missing significant opportunities to raise standards and children and young peoples achievements. PE and sport can easily contribute to 19 of the 25 ECM C+YP outcomes, which schools are funded to meet and inspected against. Many schools are using PE and sport to raise standards in English, maths and science as well as improve behaviour, attendance and aspirations.

Some primary colleagues have commented that Griggs and Wards 'Cogs in the machine' article reflects their experiences whcih shows how much work still needs to be done to be able to say yes to all the questions above! School leaders who answer no to any of these questions should talk with their Primary Link Teachers, School Sport Co-ordinators, Partnership Development Manager and School Improvement Partner to start to drive their school's achievements upwards and improve opportunites for children.

The Road Safety and Sustainable Transport Teams within the city council have also secured funding to offer Bikeability training to primary schools which will mean that Head Teachers will be able to choose which provider is best for their school in 2010/11. We have requested a review of these departments either from within the city or by OFSTED to ensure that they are able to operate at the appropriate level to provide a high quality experience for all children. If they recieve a clean bill of health we will look at ways of working together to increase opportunities. 

Over the last 2 years we have trained more than 1300 children and young people to Bikeability Level 2 and been cited as an example of good practice by Cycling England.  The contract for the PCC training has been given to a Midlands based firm, Outcomes UK, after a deduction of £2,500 in the name of best value! Outcomes UK are looking to recruit local staff, most of whom have been trained by 1 of the SSP's to run courses for them. How can the introduction of 2 extra layers of administration do anything but dilute public funding and reduce quality? It is hoped that the review/inspection will clarify this and other issues to the satisfaction of elected members and key decision makers or recommend appropriate actions to ensure we all operate in the best interests of the cities children.   

SSP's have invested in people nationally and have been recognised as providing excellent value for money. The work of the Plymstock Partnership has been recognised at a national level on three occassions in the last 5 years.  The contributions that can be made to the ECM C+YP outcomes by the partnership are significant but are not always being taken up by all the schools we work with!

The funding we receive comes with terms and conditions [PLT's are aware of these and MUST ensure that they share this information with their business managers and heads in order for the auditor to approve claims] and is provided to support parts of the school element of the 5 hour offer. This consists of 2 hours of high quality PE within the curriculum and at least one hour a week of sport for all young people beyond the curriculum which is accessible, attractive, affordable and appropriate. We need to use all the resources available to us to make C+YP and their parents and carers aware of all the opportunities on offer as take up is an issue in some schools. 

There is a need to realign the culture within some of our schools, where 80% of OSHL time is spent with 20% of C+YP, with the ECM agenda [which schools are funded to provide and inspected against] if we are going to reach the SSP floor target of 80% of five to 16 year olds taking part in 3 hours of PE and sport organised by schools each week. This means taking up opportunities for things such as Active Lifestyles and Change for Life clubs which target inactive children and young people.

In the Summer we are going to use the story of another Australian hero, skater Stephen Bradbury, to encourage people to maximize the opportunities available to them. We have been informed by both Baroness Sue Campbell [Chair Youth Sport Trust] and Steve Grainger ,YST CEO, that the major political parties all have plans to sustain the SSPP infrastucture exploding the myth that SSP's will disappear after 1st September 2011. The outcome of the election on 6th May will determine the work that partnerships will be expected to carry out but all the major political parties are unanimous in recognizing the impact of the work we have done and the potential of SSPs to make a difference to C+YP.

The reality is that the investment in people within our partnership and across the whole programme has created a workforce which is constantly developing and improving, The SSP floor target of 80% of C+YP accessing the 2+1 element of the 5 hour offer by 1st September 2011 will require this workforce to refocus and perform in different ways. We need to change fast and be supported at both local and national levels to meet this challenge successfully.

The timescales involved are very short but were the only viable option and will challenge all of us to work in a different way between now and Easter.This project offers an outstanding opportunity for up to 720 Young People in the School Sport Partnership Secondary age schools to learn to swim for free!

We have a professional obligation to help our students stay safe, be healthy and enjoy and achieve. If a young person can not read or write it is unfortunate, if they can not swim it is potentially fatal, every year in the UK children die by drowning! With the amount of water which surrounds our city we must do everything possible to reduce the chances of this happening.

During curriculum time for its first 2 weeks the pool will be used by students from the host school. All partnership schools will have the chance to be scheduled into the last 4 weeks of the programme from Monday 8th March. To book some pooltime or for further details contact Rob Wright [01752 495 046/07812771859 or rpwright@plymstockschool.org.uk]

The Fit for the Future guide has been developed by the Partnerships for Schools (PfS) PE & Sport Design Steering Group.

The role of this steering group is:
To provide advice on updates to PfS Technical Guidance notes and templates in relation to PE & Sport.
To develop resources and guidance to support schools and local authority PE & Sport Stakeholder Groups in the design process.
To promote good practice and innovation in the design of PE & Sport learning environments and community provision.
The group is made up of representatives from Education, PE & Sport and the Private Sector with experience in commissioning, designing and constructing PE and Sport facilities for education and community use.

The Fit for the Future guide aims to challenge current thinking, provoke discussion and provide advice. It will be particularly relevant to BSF PE & Sport Stakeholder Groups in their role supporting schools to translate their vision for PE & Sport into a design brief.

The guide can be downloaded from this website or by visiting www.partnershipforschools.org.uk

The BSF PE and Sport Stakeholder Group aims to represent the priorities and needs of PE to the BSF Project Management Team. The initial meeting of the Plymouth group on Tuesday 26th January was attended by some of the people seen as core to this work BUT was informed that the Lead officer for sport/leisure in the authority and the LA Stategic Lead for PE and Sport [curriculum] are unlikely to be involved in the group. Have we got our priorities right? Even if we are only looking at 10 sites with a budget of £40 million each BSF will have a greater impact on Plymouth than the Life Centre or the football World Cup so surely it should be a higher priority on these colleagues work programmes!

Other issues that need to be addressed to maximise the success of this opportunity are the representation on the group from the Primary Health Care Trust [they need to send a budget holder], the fact that the workstream lead for PE and Sport does not have a grounding in PE or schools and the assumption that those people who did attend on Tuesday can clear their diary on very short notice to attend another meeting in 3 weeks time. 

If Secondary School Leaders are able to use their influence to ensure we make the most of this investment, it is worth noting that Building Bulletin 98 remains as guidance and is not statutory, we could create facilities such as, Lifestyle studios, Aesthetic Movement Spaces, Physique Centres, and a variety of games playing areas combined with quality changing areas to give young people an enriched PE experience and allow teachers real opportunities to tailor the curriculum to suit all needs. 

http://public.schoolsonthemove.co.uk

Any SSP schools who would like to use these resources should contact their SSCo. 

http://blogs.msdn.com/ukschools/archive/2008/09/11/shift-happens-uk-download.aspx

We need to be prepared to look at and do things differently if we are going to make the 5 Hour Offer a reality for the C+YP we are supporting. Over the last week PLT's from JKCC and Plympton Academic Councils as well as SSP staff have looked at an A3 sheet which could be viewed as the letter B or number 13, like a lot of the opportunities offered by the partnership. Those who want to Be positive are taking up opportunities and making things happen for the C+YP they work with, those who see 13 [unlucky for some C+YP] are often 'too busy to read' about these opportunities, wearing ' too many hats' and need support to change their thinking and working practices.

When people are at capacity it is not possible to do more but it is possible to do things in a different way. We need to ensure that 80% of our effort does not go into 20% of our students and start finding ways to engage colleagues who have not been involved in leading physical activity to promote children's health and well being.

1944 curriculum hours will be provided by Secondary Schools changing their curriculums at Key Stage 4. We are expecting to get support from the Youth Sport Trust, Healthy Schools, OFSTED and Children's Services to ensure this happens by September 2010.

The other 3056 hours will need to come by offering more OSHL opportunities which are targetted at Children and Young People who are not currently accessing the school element of the 5 hour offer. SSP resources will be prioritized to support this work.

We need set up 4 new clubs per week in all mainstream partnership schools with at least 22 pupil places at each club. ActiveLifestyles clubs are one way that this can be done. In primary schools an Active Play Club for Key Stage 1 Children and TOP Activity Clubs for Year 3/4's and 5/6's could provide 3 new clubs each week. We are able to access support from the YST and the LDA to resource and train people to lead these clubs. The 4th club could change each term to make use of the opportunities provided by Plymstock Outdoors.Secondary schools could offer a 3 TOP Activity Clubs for the least active students in Years 7,8 and 9 and engage students in Key Stage 4 in some of the opportunities to learn outside the classroom.

The provision of new activities may need us to access new spaces as most of the indoor facilities in SSP schools are at capacity, it will also require us to engage people as leaders who are  new to leading elements of the 5 hour offer. .      

Girls Minor Schools; 1st Holberton [37], 2nd Cornwood [73], 3rd Pomphlett [75]

Boys Minor Schools; 1st Wemburt [61], 2nd Kings [88], 3rd Widewell [90]

Girls Inter Schools; 1st St Andrews, Buckland [55], 2nd Mary Deans [60], 3rd Highview [85]

Boys Inter Schools; 1st Mary Deans [34], 2nd St Pauls [68], 3rd Holy Cross [98]

Girls Major Schools; 1st Hyde Park Juniors [41], 2nd Goosewell [42], 3rd Lipson Vale [74]

Boys Major Schools; 1st Hyde Park Juniors [53], 2nd Widey Court [60], 3rd Goosewell [62]

The course was marshalled by sports leaders from Coombe Dean and the hare for all 6 races came from DHSB, many thanks to all these students for helping to make the event a success. We have had some very useful developmental feedback which will help improve the event for next year, if you have any ideas as to how we can improve things next year please get in touch.  

If other groups are able to access further funding for Bikeability once they have the capacity to run training for more than 2357 children in SSP schools we will reduce our programme to a level that provides for every child, eventually not bidding against other areas to do this work.Please note that our grant is only able to be accessed by SSP's therefore anyone within the city who would prefer to see this funding being used elsewhere does not have an interest in the cities children!

We are really pleased to be one of a small number of SSP's to be selected to be part of this programme. Two members of the team are attending a training day on October 8th 2009 after which we have to identify 10 sites in the SSP to run TOP Activity Clubs.Schools who sign up to hold a club will receive CPD for staff who run the activities, a deliverers handbook, a series of activity cards, a DVD and music CD plus a selection of alternative activity equipment. To find out more or register your schools interest in this scheme contact Rob Wright on 01752 495 046 or  by e-mail to rpwright@plymstockschool.org.uk .