PESSCL - Physical Education, School Sport & School Club Links
Learning Through PE and Sport
In October 2002 the Prime Minister launched the PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy. Swimming is one of seven sports to be included in this project. The strategy consists of eight programmes which are being delivered by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The eight programmes are:
Specialist Sports Colleges
School Sport Co-ordinators
Gifted and Talented
Qualifications Curriculum & Authority PE Investigation
Step into Sport
Professional Development
School-Club Links
Swimming Charter
From April 2003, for a 3 year period the Government invested £459 million to transform PE and School Sport.
The two departments share a Public Service Agreement target to enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities. The main aim being:
“To build on and enhance the existing PE and sport opportunities available to young people in schools, thereby increasing the proportion of children guided into clubs from School Sport Co-ordinator Partnerships. Young people will be guided from schools to NGB affiliated or otherwise accredited clubs linked to these partnerships.”
The DCMS have set a national target for the School-Club Links programme, which is:
To enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16 year olds so that the percentage of school children in England who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum increases from 25% in 2002 to 75% by 2006 and to 85% by 2008, and to at least 75% in each School Sport Partnership by 2008.
The movement of Swimmers into a Swim 21 Club can be through one of two routes. Directly from schools into a Swim 21 accredited club or from schools into an Aquamark accredited learn to swim programme en route to a Swim 21 accredited swimming club.
In order to make the School-Club links project work effectively there is a need to focus on the three main areas:
· Swimming Clubs (Swim 21 accredited);
· Learn to Swim Programmes (Aquamark accredited);
· Primary Schools, principally those in School Sport Partnerships. (SSCo)
In the early stages of the project clubs and learn to swim providers that are committed to Swim 21 and Aquamark respectively can be included. However, as the programme matures, the expectation was that by the end of 2005 clubs and learn to swim providers that are not accredited would not be eligible for this programme.
Working in Partnership
One of the key principles of School Club Links Project is working in partnership. Local partners will include Local Authorities, SSCo, County Sports Partnerships and Clubs .This process will be facilitated by Local Swimming Forums or Swimming Action Groups.
It is essential that Clubs look to build partnerships with the SSCo partnerships. These SSCo's consist of families of schools that come together to enhance sports opportunities. The partnerships are made up of a Specialist Sports College, a number of secondary schools and primary or special schools clustered around the secondary and the College. It is important that the point of contact for all schools is the Partnership Development Manager in the appropriate School Sport Coordinator Partnerships i.e. that the delivery is based around families of schools, not individual schools. The partnerships' overall aim is to help schools to ensure that their pupils do spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport.
We are looking to achieve the following outcomes from the School-Club links programme:
· More children have the opportunity to move from schools swimming into Swim 21 accredited clubs or Aquamark accredited learn to swim programmes
· More clubs achieving Swim 21 accreditation and learn to swim providers achieving Aquamark accreditation
· More children participate regularly in swimming activity as part of a healthy lifestyle
HOW IT WILL WORK:
School Swimming
It has been recognised by the ASA that the key to the identification and progression of swimmers from School to Club are School Swimming Teachers. We will therefore provide free training and resources to support these Level 2 qualified Swimming Teachers.
These resources will include TOP Sport Swimming Cards with additional information on School Club Links which can be used in lesson planning. These resources will be provided to School Swimming Teachers as part of their attendance on a National Curriculum Training Course.
Aquamark
Not all young people learn to swim in school swimming lessons. This is one of the reasons that accredited learn to swim programmes (LTS) have been included as part of the pathway for school to clubs. As with Clubs we are looking to work closely with accredited LTS. To encourage and support these LTS we will be providing resources and support to LTS programmes who wish to seek Aquamark accreditation.
“Swim Link”
To ensure that swimmers have a seamless and quality experience in the transition from school swimming to Swim 21 clubs the ASA believes that there may be a need for an interim development group or session Swim Link. This will ensure that swimmers have the necessary skill and experience to make the transition to club swimming.
The Swim Link session will be designed and developed locally to ensure that it is set at an appropriate development level to ensure progression from school swimming into a Swim 21 Club or Aquamark learn to swim programme. This could take the form of an after school club activity run by local Swim 21 Clubs or an extension of Aquamark learn to swim programme. It can also be multi aquatic looking at Polo or Diving for example. This Swim Link would be in the form of 6 to 10 swim sessions of 30 minutes to an hour in length.
The local swimming action group/swimming development forum will lead this design and development with support from the local swimming development officer or ASA Regional Development Officer. Funding will be made available to develop these Swim Link sessions.
Swim 21 Clubs
Clubs who are seeking Swim 21 accreditation and who are involved in the SCL programme will be provided with financial support and should be seen as adding value to the School Club link.
The role of the School Club Links Officer within a Swim 21 Club and Aquamark LTS programme will be pivotal to the operation of this programme. They will be the interface between the Partnership Development Manager in an SSCo, the Club, the Local Authority and County Sports Partnership.
Current Development
The ASA School Club Link programme is now rolling out across England. ASA Regional Development Officers will be working with County Sport Partnerships and Local Swim Forums in establishing how best to work with the local school network.
For local information on School Club Links contact your Regional Development Officer.
Further information on PE, School Sport and Club Links can be found here
For further information on the National School Club Links Programme contact:
Jon Glenn
e: jon.glenn@swimming.org
t: 01628 486 938
m: 07771 943006
Bisham Abbey National Sports Centre, Nr. Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1RT
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