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Press release: School sport partnerships motivate disenchanted pupils to take up sports

The school sports partnership programme is motivating some disaffected pupils to become involved in PE and sports according to a new report School sport partnerships: a survey of good practice published today by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted).

The report found the programme helps to improve quality of provision in physical education and school sports, particularly in primary schools. Schools reported that this improved provision is helping to motivate pupils. They pointed to more positive attitudes in school, better attendance and increased participation by pupils, as well as greater opportunities to play sports outside school through strong links with sport clubs and sport coaches.

This small scale survey identifies good practice and evaluates the impact of the government's physical education, school sports and club links (PESSCL) strategy. This strategy was developed to widen participation, raise standards and improve the quality of PE in schools. Its aim is to ensure that school children in England spend a minimum of two hours each week participating in high quality PE and sport within and beyond the curriculum. Today's report found that almost all schools in the survey are achieving this.

Almost all pupils in the primary schools visited are achieving at or above the nationally expected standard in most aspects of PE. Schools believe their standards have risen as a result of their involvement in the programme, and particularly note improvements in aspects where they previously had not been as strong, such as gymnastics or dance. In addition the report found almost all pupils in the schools visited are leaving primary school achieving at or above the national average standard expected in swimming.

Miriam Rosen, Director of Education, said:

"Pupils are benefiting from the school sports partnership programme and previously disenchanted pupils are now motivated to take part in sports and physical activities. It is important that children participate in physical activity as there are serious concerns about obesity."

In several of the primary schools, pupils are benefiting from additional daily physical activity including 'huff and puff' or 'wake-up and shake-up' sessions, which involve short, regular periods of exercise to music that help them to understand the importance of fitness and health through daily exercise. The schools visited ensure that wherever possible all pupils are included in PE and sports. The programme is further encouraging pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities to take part in all lessons and club activities.

In secondary schools good provision was often tailored to attract pupils previously disenchanted by PE or sports. This included an increased number of out of hours clubs and less traditional school sports such as basketball. New activities during PE lessons, and sports activities at lunchtimes, are helping to reduce inappropriate behaviour.

An important outcome for secondary school pupils is the promotion of leadership opportunities that arise from the new sports activities. Many of the pupils have gained additional awards such as sports leader UK level 1 award.

Inspectors observed good teaching in both primary and secondary schools. This was often associated with the greater confidence teachers had gained as a result of their training, which had included observation of demonstration lessons. The schools that showed the greatest gains from their involvement in the programme had placed it high among their priorities.

Teachers are aware of, and are striving to meet, the ten outcomes of high quality PE and school sport set out by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department for Culture Media Sport (DCMS). In the majority of cases good communication between the primary subject leader, the partnership development manager, the school sports coordinator and the primary link teacher ensure that both the school's and the partnership's priorities are managed effectively. The support of head teachers and a strategic overview from the local authority are also influential.

The schools involved in the programme have improved the quality and range of learning within PE and extra-curricular activities. Schools have successfully developed strong links with sports clubs, and sport coaches in the community, giving pupils more opportunities to play sports outside school. One primary school's participation in the programme improved standards to such an extent that the partner secondary school enhanced its curriculum to match better the higher levels of attainment of the pupils entering year 7.

Inspectors found the quality of leadership and management was good or better in all the primary schools visited. The programme has enabled subject leaders to influence their colleagues' teaching and improve provision. However the programme has had less influence on improving the leadership and management of physical education in the secondary schools visited.

Miriam Rosen added:

"Primary schools have taken well to the school sport partnerships programme and their pupils are benefiting from the activities as well as learning the importance of exercise. Now secondary schools need to further improve their provision and ensure all pupils receive their entitlement to two hours of high quality PE per week."

Although the visits focused on good practice, issues emerged in some schools that need to be addressed:

Support for the programme, and its impact, were not as strong in secondary schools as in primary schools.The time allocated at Key Stage 4 was often insufficient.Few of the schools assessed pupils systematically to record their progress or achievement. As a consequence the evaluation of standards was inconsistent and judgments were often too generous.

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Notes For Editors 

1. Schools sport partnerships programme: a survey of good practice is available on the Ofsted website today.
2. Forty three settings in total were surveyed in the spring of 2006. Her Majesty's inspectors visited 14 primary schools, 12 secondary schools and 16 school partnerships. HMIs looked specifically at the effectiveness and the relation between timetabled provision of physical education and extra curricular sporting activities within and beyond the school, as well as links with other schools, local clubs and other sporting bodies to assess the impact of the programme.
3. Ofsted is a non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. Its role also includes the inspection of further education, local authority children's services, teacher training institutions and some independent schools. During 2001, Ofsted became responsible for inspecting all 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years childcare, including childminders.

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