School Sport & Education
30th August 2006
Between 2003/04 and 2007/08 TNS, an independent research company, conducted four annual surveys among schools in the School Sport Partnership Programme on behalf of the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
The surveys collected information on the levels of participation in Physical Education (PE) and school sport in partnership schools and were used to measure progress towards a Public Service Agreement (PSA) target.
The surveys took place during May-July each year, with the most recent one involving the participation of a total of 21,631 schools.
This represents a response rate of 99%.
Overall the 2007/08 survey found that 90% of pupils in partnership schools participated in at least two hours of high quality PE and out of hours school sport in a typical week. This means that the 2008 PSA target of 85% participation has been exceeded by five percentage points.
- Primary (96%) and special schools (93%) achieved particularly high rates of participation in two hours of PE and school sport. In secondary schools the figure was lower at 83%.
- There were also large differences in terms of levels of participation between year groups. For Years 1-9 participation rates were all in excess of 85%. However there is a noticeable drop in Years 10 and 11, with participation rates at 71% and 66% respectively.
- All 450 School Sports Partnerships achieved a participation level of at least 75% in 2007/08, which means that a further element of the PSA target has also been met.
The Physical Education, School Sport and Young People Strategy (PESSYP)
West Yorkshire Sport works closely with education in order to improve sports provision for young people across the county. We work with School Sports Colleges, schools and universities to deliver the School Sports and Young People Strategy (PESSYP).
All specialist Sports Colleges are expected to play an appropriate role in implementing the PESSYP strategy. They should do this through their school and community plans as well as by hosting a School Sport Co-ordinator Partnership (as part of an LEA strategy) and building on links with other bodies associated with strategic developments in sport.
The PESSYP document incorporates 8 different strands, the main aim of which is,
"Enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by five- to sixteen-year-olds by increasing the percentage of school children who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum from 25% in 2002 to 75% in 2006 and 85% by 2008."
And by 2010 the aims is to offer all children at least 4 hours of sport every week, comprised of at least 2 hours high quality PE and sport at school and the opportunity for at least a further 2-3 hours beyond the school day (delivered by a range of school, community and club providers).
The eight different strands of the document are supported by £459 million from central government.
- Specialist Sports Colleges
- School Sport Partnerships
- Professional Development
- Step into Sport
- School / Club links contact the school's PDM or SSCo for details
- Gifted and Talented
- Swimming
- QCA PE and Sport investigation
