OFSTED Report on School Sports Partnerships!

School Sports Partnerships have achieved great things across the country and I know personally from the work they did in Leeds that the coordinated, collaborative approach developed within the school networks served by these partnerships has a major impact not only on sports development and health and well-being but on self-esteem, personal and social development and achievement generally. The School Sports Partnerships clearly demonstrate the power of collaborative, cooperative team working between families or clusters of schools. Everyone should read the new OFSTED report on School Sports Partnerships which validates the success of this brilliant initiative.
OFSTED's key findings were as follows: "The visits undertaken to School Sport Partnerships as part of this small-scale survey of good practice indicate that:

• Collaborative planning across a number of schools and at a strategic level is increasing the capacity of individual schools to improve the quality and quantity of PE and sport.
• The 12 partnerships visited are effecting beneficial changes in PE and sport for learners and their communities. In line with findings in the most recent Ofsted PE report, this is most notable in primary schools, but increasingly so in secondary schools. Collaborative planning at a strategic level is increasing the capacity of schools to improve the quality and quantity of PE and sport.
• In the vast majority of SSPs, pupils participate in an ever-increasing range of PE and sports activities. Better coordination of what pupils are learning in PE lessons and the activities provided for them after school and in local clubs is promoting continuity and reinforcing learning.
• SSPs can contribute to improvements made in other subjects and aid pupils’ transition from primary and secondary school. The values of the 2012 Olympics are being used to stimulate pupils’ interest in learning and motivation to boost their academic achievement.
• Growing numbers of pupils of all ages train to become young leaders and are helping to run clubs and competitions for others. SSPs provide a wealth of opportunities for young leaders to organise, officiate and support in sport which is having a beneficial impact on their personal organisation, attitudes and behaviour towards others.
• Partnership Development Managers foster good relations between partners and promote effective teamwork among staff. They have a unique knowledge and understanding of local and national organisations, the resources available and the roles that teachers, coaches and volunteers play in providing a coordinated, cohesive and coherent approach to increasing participation and raising standards in PE and sport. They work with other Partnership Development Managers to train and support staff in other SSPs.
• SSPs strengthen the pathways from school into community sports clubs. Where these do not exist, SSPs help to create them by liaising with personnel from sports clubs on behalf of schools and by providing resources to employ specialist coaches to complement existing provision in schools and to enable more pupils to participate and compete. Activities are designed to include pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or are at risk of disengaging from PE and sport.
• SSPs play a leading role in the professional development of teachers, often leading staff training across local authorities and providing a regular forum for PE teachers. They train volunteers to gain awards in leadership and sport and get them to deliver after-school clubs.
• After-school clubs, competitions, festivals and events involving large numbers of young people capture the interest of local communities and give PE and sport a high profile. Achievement in sport is celebrated in these schools."

If you want to read the full report, which makes really interesting reading, you can visit the OFSTED website at ofsted.gov.uk.
Chris