School Sports Partnerships in Stockton-on-Tees is a joint national programme developed and implemented by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust (YST).
It aims to improve the quality and quantity of after-school sport and inter-school competition, and involves a wide range of partners.
The SSCo programme has five key principles
- Support for PE
- Integrated sports development and partnership working
- Focus on disadvantage and inclusion
- Schools working together in families
- A whole school approach.
In Stockton-on-Tees we have two partnerships managed locally by our two Specialist Sports Colleges, Northfield and Blakeston.
Each school employs a Partnership Development Manager (PDM) who each work with a number of School Sport Co-ordinators (SSCos) based in secondary schools and Primary or Special School Link Teachers (PLTs) from the associated family of primary/special schools. Schools receive funding to release teachers from their normal timetable to fulfil the role of SSCo or PLT.
Partnership Development Manager (PDM)This will be an experienced sports practitionerbased in a Sports College. Their role is to support and manage the development of the local partnership.
School Sport Co-ordinator (SSCo)This will be experienced teachers who will co-ordinate and drive development in each family of secondary, special and primary schools. They will be released from timetable for two days per week.
Primary Link Teacher (PLT)This will be a nominated teacher from the primary school who will co-ordinate the development of PE within his or her own school. They will be entitled to access a certificated programme of professional development and will receive funding to release them from their timetable for up to 12 days per year.
Each School Sports Co-ordinator Partnership is required to produce a 3-year development plan against the following objectives:
Strategic Planning - to develop and implement a PE and school sport strategy.
Primary Liaison - to improve PE and school sport programmes by establishing and developing links within and between the families of schools (particularly around the Key stage 2/3 interface).
Out-of-Hours - to provide new and enhanced out-of-school-hours opportunities for all young people in the partnership.
School to Community - to increase all young people's participation in community sport through creating and strengthening links with sports clubs, leisure facilities and community providers.
Coaching and Leadership - to provide training, support and deployment opportunities in leadership, coaching and officiating for senior pupils, teachers and AOTTs (Adults other than teachers).
Raising Standards - to raise standards of pupil's achievement in all aspects of school life, through increased participation and improved performance, motivation and attitudes.
Overall, the development plan is designed to ensure that schools within the partnership offer all pupils a minimum of 2 hours high quality PE and school sport each week within and beyond the curriculum.
For further information about either of the partnerships within Stockton-on-Tees, please contact either Daran Crofts on (01642) 539562 or Carl Smith on (01642) 612381.
