Knowledge and Practice of Community Sport in BSF

This area provides a range of recent practice, experiences and tips from those involved in getting the most for sport through the Building Schools for the Future programme.

In addition to the summaries captured here, Partnerships for Schools (PfS) have produced some complimentary case studies ranging from transformational approaches and design through to new ways of teaching and learning for PE and Sport.  The PfS website has now changed, however we do still have access to these case studies if you would like to contact us.

Do you have any practice or lessons to share?

The feedback we regularly receive is for help with identifying and sharing more practice to support partners through all aspects of the programme.  We are therefore always interested to know of practice and experiences of engagement in BSF from around the regions. 

Expand Embedding a Strong Vision for PE and Sport

Building Staffordshire's Future

Theme:  Sport Vision Statements

Staffordshire's PE, Sport and Culture Stakeholder group, chaired by the CSP Director, has shaped and embed a strong PE, sport and cultural vision into the overall transformational vision of the LA and its guiding principles.  This has been achieved through developing a strong visioning document and briefs to shape future priorities and through intense high level advocacy with the LA BSF project board and stakeholders.

Top Tips:

1.  Ensure PE and sport is involved as early as possible in LA visioning and strategies.

2.  For the PE and Sport stakeholder group to be aware of and utilise the information contained in Local Authority PPG 17 compliant Playing Pitch/Open Space strategies and Built Sports Facility Strategies.

3.  The group should also advocate for the production of these where they do not exist and for wide consultation in their production, including NGBs.

Further Information:

Mark Thornewill - CSP Director
Sport Across Staffordshire & Stoke on Trent
Email:  mthornewill@staffordbc.gov.uk

Added:  18/03/2010

Expand Embedding PE and Sport into School Designs

Work of the Derby and Derbyshire PE and Sport Stakeholder Groups

Theme:  Needs and Evidence

The PE and Sport Stakeholder groups have shared practice and suggestions to develop scoring templates for assessing school designs for PE and sport requirements, for Stage 0 and Stage 1.  Scores and comments are recorded on areas including community use, access and general suitability of design. 

The groups also produce PE and Sport proposals for each phase of schools, supported by analysis of sporting needs, Borough needs, educational needs and demographics.  PE and sport facility requirements are featured as an appendix in the Local Authority Outline Business Case.

View the scoring templates for assessing Stage 0 and Stage 1 and their example PE and Sport proposal.

Further Information:
Paul Chambers - Business Development Manager
Derbyshire Sport
Email:  paulr.chambers@derbyshire.gov.uk

Added:  31/03/2010

Expand Developing a High Performance Centre Model across School Sites

Work of the North Tyneside PE and Sport Stakeholder Group

Theme:  Specialist Sport Sites Model

North Tyneside PE & Sport Stakeholder Group is committed to ensuring that the BSF programme leads to a substantial improvement in the quantity and quality of school and community sport and thereby enable the borough to deliver the 5 Hour Offer.

The vision for PE and Sport has been developed in consultation with a wide range of partners and stakeholders including national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) and it is based on the following key features:

• A minimum standard of provision for each school to ensure that every pupil and every community has access to good quality, flexible and accessible facilities.
  
• Working in partnership with NGBs and local clubs to develop and operate high performance centres. Extensive consultation has taken place with a range of sports to identify potential locations for the development of high performance centres. NGBs have an opportunity to contribute additional capital funding to augment facilities to meet their specific requirements and/or contribute to the operation of facilities to establish a high performance centre.
  
• A commitment to working in partnership with facility management specialists to ensure that the new facilities are managed to meet the needs of the school and community sport.

Further Information:
Ian Simon - Executive Director
Tyne & Wear Sport
Email: Ian.Simon@tynewearsport.org  

Expand Utilising Sport in Schools to Deliver Other Agendas

The Balfour Beatty/City of Stoke-On-Trent 'Football Action' Initiative

Theme: Making the Case for Sport

Launched in 2006, the aim of the initiative is to reduce vandalism and anti-social behaviour by using positive diversionary activities of football coaching and competition to engage young people identified as at high risk of committing acts of vandalism in problem locations. 

School inclusion officers nominate young people who are at risk of social exclusion in targeted schools to participate in the scheme.  Activities are supported through the development of a network of partner organisations and coaches through volunteering.

The overall impact on the prevalence of vandalism in the city has been dramatic.  The total number of vandalism reports in Stoke-On-Trent fell from 967 in 2006 to 546 in 2008, significantly reducing the cost of repairing the vandalism at the schools.

Further Information:
Web Links
View the Balfour Beatty news article on 'Stoke Football Action' 
View the news article on the 'Transform Schools' web page.

Expand Design Principles Underpinning a Vision for Sport and PE

Kirklees Schools for the Future

Theme:  Design

The Kirklees BSF Sport and PE Stakeholder Group has identified specific facilities to be included in the design of the Kirklees Centres for Learning, and focus sports for each school through their work with National Governing Bodies.  These expectations and design principles for indoor, outdoor and ancillary spaces have been included as an appendix in the authorities Strategy for Change 2, and the group are hoping for these to be followed through into detailed designs over the next 12 months.

Listed here are some of the design principles underpinning Kirklees' approach to PE and sport:

• Centres for Learning will provide a range of new indoor and outdoor PE spaces that are flexible and large enough to deliver a range of cater for a wide range of users. 
  
• They will be suitable for a range of weather conditions and enable users to have year round access.  
  
• They will provide appropriate surfaces and linage and provide ICT functionality to support and enhance learning opportunities and performance development.
  
• Improved facilities will help improve the take up levels amongst all social and ethnic groups, for girls as well as boys. It will also encourage all learners, whatever their ability, to take part in and enjoy sport at their level, including those with disabilities. It will provide good opportunities for all young people who want to, to take part in competitive sport and enable clear pathways for those with particular talent to be developed.
  
• Innovative use of outdoor space will be encouraged to develop both facilities and interest, and could include such areas as trim trails, cycle tracks and trails, orienteering courses and green gyms. Lighting will maximise use of facilities in evenings.
  
• We will look for high quality and efficient design of ancillary spaces such as changing rooms, movement spaces such as corridors, social areas, spectator viewing, community reception and foyer, and the ability to safely control access to these. Clear and bold signage will create a welcoming and manageable approach and entrance to the facilities.

View the Kirklees'  SfC2 Appendix - 'A vision for Sport and PE' for more information.

Further Information:
Nigel Harrison - CSP Director
West Yorkshire Sport
Email:  nigel.harrison@wysport.co.uk

Expand Partnership Working with Governing Body of Sports

Building a Strong Sustainable Sporting Infrastructure for Leicester City

Theme:  Sport Vision Statements

Leicester City, through the work of the PE, Sport and Culture stakeholder group have embedded the vision for PE, Sport and Physical Activity within the Transforming the Learning Environment (TLE) Boards direction of travel. The Stakeholder group produced 2 documents (Strategic Guidance on PE, Sport and Physical Activity / PE, Sport and Physical Activity and the bigger picture) which have been endorsed by the TLE Board.  These set the direction of travel for providing innovative facilities on school sites for the delivery of PE, Sport, Physical Activity and transforming learning.

Access to school sports facilities for organised and planned community use, outside school hours, is being encouraged to foster community sport links and provide out of school opportunities.

Partnerships with National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs) and other organisations are being brokered to create new innovative facilities that compliment the current city sports facility infrastructure. These facilities provide a hub site for the development of those sports from grass roots level thorough to a high performance level. 

For the sports you are hoping to work with it is key that you have a development plan for the local area and that clubs are very much a part of it. In Leicester we have sport specific development groups that oversee these plans. These groups consist of statutory and voluntary partners.  View the full case study.

Top Tips:

1. Strategic Approach - Consider a strategic approach to the provision of PE and Sport facilities through the whole BSF programme and not just school by school. This will avoid duplication and provide a diverse range of facilities over a geographical area that is meaningful to the delivery of PE, Sport and Physical Activity locally.
   
2. Communication - Lines of communication need to be frequent and transparent so that all partners are aware of the strategic vision for PE, Sport and Physical Activity through BSF programme and the progress made towards that vision.
   
3. Consultation - As part of the visioning process you need to work with the relevant individuals to raise the profile of PE, Sport and Physical Activity and involve all the relevant practitioners from within PE, Sport and the local community.  Work closely with the Head of the School when producing the schools strategy for change document.
   
4. Working with other partners - Partnership working is fundamental to potentially attracting additional resource. Have a clear vision / strategy for what is needed locally and a clear rationale as to why you are working with particular sports at particular locations.
   
5. Governance -  The governance arrangements have to be very clear so that individuals and organisations can understand where decisions are made. It is important then to present a coherent view with engagement from all partners to maximise potential opportunities. 

A vital driver for making PE and Sport in Leicester City's BSF programme happen strategically is having a PE and Sport Strategy Manager post in the Authority's structure who can bring together the strategic frameworks, visioning and planning across an area.

Further Information:
Wayne Allsopp - PE and Sport Strategy Manager
Leicester City Council
Email:  Wayne.allsopp@leicester.gov.uk