School Club Links

What is a school club link?

According to PESSCL 2006 (PE, School Sports Club Links) a school has links with a club when pupils are actively guided towards club activities, either in a quality assurance setting at the club itself or on school premises. Activities on the school premises would include regular coaching sessions and out-of-hours clubs organised by the clubs coaches, but would not include one-off taster sessions.

Aims

The main aim of school club Links is to strengthen links between schools and local sports clubs/groups and by doing so increases the number of 5-16 year olds who are members of accredited sports clubs/groups.

Many young people take part in physical activity in school, but very few take part outside the school environment and this percentage drops further once they leave compulsory education.

An effective school club link works towards changing this culture, by altering the traditional perceptions of physical activities in school and by offering more alternative activities young people are more likely to use these opportunities to participate and continue with this later into their lives.

School Benefits

• Raises the schools profile
• Recognition as an institution that supports development beyond the school environment
• Community links
• Pathways for physical activity. Exit routes for children, ongoing involvement
• Increased number of school teams
• Increased healthy living in school
• Support and assistance with extra curricular activities/teams
• Increased participation
• Wider range of sports offered in school
• Getting everyone active

Young People Benefits

• Wider range of sporting opportunities
• Given a choice
• Improved opportunities to access sport in their local community
• Opportunity for their talent to be identified and nurtured
• Move confidently between school and club
• Consistency
• Opportunity to develop coaching and leadership skills
• Understand how their experiences in school and club compliment each other
• Recognise how PE prepares them for their involvement in clubs at junior age and beyond
• Introduction to healthy living
• Feel comfortable with a range of people from different backgrounds and of different ages
• Choose club programmes that are suited to them
• Can do a number of sports for free – can specialise later into life

Club Benefits

• Increase club membership
• Increased participation
• Raised base level participation in club
• Increased sporting profile
• Financial opportunities
• Opening up club access to wider community
• Promotion of the club in the school
• Increase potential to recruit new volunteers
• Co-operation, support and resources from other partners – school, PESS, Dragon Sport, 5X60 Officers
• Pool of young leaders, coaches and officials of the future

For more information on the programme or to get your club involved please contact the Club Development Officer on 01633 628965.