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Frequently Asked Questions around sport in BSF

Expand Q: Where can I find general information and documents for setting up a PE and Sport Stakeholder group?

A:

All the information you need can be found on the PE and Sport pages on the Partnerships for Schools website.

You will find information on the role and suggested members of a PE and Sport Stakeholder group, guidance on a typical Terms of Reference and a detailed step by step routemap outlining the stages involved in BSF.

Expand Q: Should NGBs be members on the PE and Sport stakeholder group?

A:

This is not what is expected as their needs will be represented on the groups by the County Sport Partnerships (CSPs). It remains a local call to decide whether an NGB can and should play a representative role for all NGBs in addition to CSPs on the group.

Expand Q: What external support is available for PE and Sport Stakeholder groups?

A:

The partnership offer from PfS and Sport England currently includes:

Two PE and Sport Advisers hosted by PfS provide a core offer of an initial meeting to support the development of a stakeholder group, a second meeting to support the PE and Sport Workstream Lead in their Strategy for Change (SfC) submission and a third meeting to support the Outline Business Case (OBC) submission in a workshop format.

Sport England has produced a range of guidance, tools and support services which will assist stakeholder groups in making a strategic case for sport based on evidence and need. These can all be found on the main BSF page on Sport England’s website. 

CSPs , our active partner on the stakeholder groups, will know which services or experts to access at appropriate points in the BSF process.

Expand Q: What is the role of the CSP and where does their role begin and end?

A:

County Sports Partnerships act as our representatives on local PE and Sport stakeholder groups.  These groups in place are a requirement for Wave 5 LAs onwards, and is generally the adopted mechanism for making a strategic case for sport in BSF programmes. 

Sport England supports CSPs to perform the following roles:

• CSPs  support the set up of PE and Sport Stakeholder groups
• CSPs are an active member on these groups, to advocate for and represent NGB  and community sport needs.

Their role begins even before LAs enter the programme, providing early advocacy for the sport offer in BSF , and continues beyond procurement stages to ensure the sport offer is embedded in BSF schools once they are open.

Expand Q: How do NGBs get involved in BSF?

A:

Local authority BSF programmes are strategically managed at a county level and are driven by local need.

NGBs wishing to engage in BSF are advised firstly to take a national and strategic approach on where to focus resources and why, articulated through national facility strategies which help inform a local evidence base.  There will be around 3500 schools in BSF which can not be all things to all sports and vice versa.  

The Sport England BSF team provides expertise nationally with  NGB facility leads through three joint meeting groups; Sports Hall Sports, Playing Field Sports and Access Sports.  Development Teams in NGBs should link to their Facility Teams around engaging in BSF , thereby ensuring requirements are clear and consistent.

NGBs which are clear on where they wish to engage should provide the required details to CSPs for them to represent on the county PE and Sport stakeholder groups.  These groups are best placed to broker the links and opportunities for NGBs to directly link into the process with LAs and schools at the appropriate stages. 

Expand Q: What is the timescale for projects?

A:

Current government funding levels allow 6 Local Authorities to enter the rolling programme every 3 months. The typical timescale for a LA programme, from formal entry through to the opening of a school is around 4 years!

Once in the programme, the following timescale applies:

• Remit meeting – marks week 1
• Strategy for Change (SfC) – at 28 weeks
• Outline Business Case (OBC) – 22 weeks on
• Procurement –Approximately18 months after OBC
• Build and Occupancy – Approximately 18 months after procurement

Expand Q: What will be an appealing offer to LAs in BSF from NGBs?

A:

An appealing revenue offer from NGBs to LAs will consist of a sustainable and robust business case for enhancing facilities (e.g. line markings, lighting) and programmes, and a commitment to provide expertise and intelligence of their sport.  A joint committment by sports to block bookings of facilities, community use agreements and tenancy are demonstrating appeal with a number of LAs in BSF with schools open.

Capital funding will hold most appeal, however these commitments will only be possible in a small number of projects with NGBs due to the finite levels available and the restrictions on timescales for this funding.

Expand Q: How can you influence LA BSF programmes?

A:

Local Authority programmes can be influenced in two halves:

1. Influencing LA programmes at vision and strategy development stages:
   The earliest stages are where most influenced can be achieved.  CSPs need to be provided with a very clear set of evidence and strategic need of the sports.  The CSPs will then represent sports’ needs on the PE and Sport stakeholder group, and it is this group which has the main role to influence and maximise the PE and Sport vision in the LA BSF programme.
   
2. Influencing LA programmes which are at build or occupancy stages:
   New influence at these stages is harder to achieve.  However it may be possible to influence the use of built or soon to be built facilities through providing an attractive and robust revenue model to the Local Education Partnership (the body contracted by the LA to deliver the programme and delivery services) or the alternative body responsible for overseeing the management of the facilities.

BSF Programme detail on Partnerships for Schools website