Partnership Overview - About us - North Oxfordshire SSP

Partnership Overview

School Sport Partnerships are central to the Government's aim of creating a world class system for PE and sport for all children and young people; a system that will stimulate and increase participation in sport and sustain it!

The North Oxfordshire School Sport Partnership came into existence in September 2004 as part of the roll out of the national 'Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links' (PESSCL) strategy.  With our hub site at Blessed George Napier Specialist Sports College, originally we consisted of just 5 secondary, 33 primary and 1 special school, managed by a Partnership Development Manager and 5 School Sport Co-ordinators.

The Partnership grew in September 2006 to include a further 2 secondary, 13 primary and 2 special schools, taking the total number of 5-16yr olds in our care up to 18,400.  September 2008 saw a further expansion as Oxford and Cherwell Valley College joined the Partnership.

During this time the work of the North Oxon SSP has impacted massively on the lives of local young people.  Through effective school-club links, joint ventures with local providers, external funding including £133,000 from Big Lottery, and a massive training programme for teachers, coaches and young leaders, the quantity and quality of curriculum, out of school hours, competition and performance and leadership and volunteering provision has increased significantly.

National and local targets for participation amongst the 5-16 age range have been exceeded year on year.  Between September 2005 and July 2008 the number of young people actively engaged in a minimum of 2 hours high quality PE and school sport each week jumped from 69% to 95%.  Last year alone 38% of youngsters took part in inter-school competition whilst 66% participated in intra-school competition and/or performance.  Furthermore the number of 10-15yr olds involved in sports leadership and volunteering rose to 25%.

The SSP has also successfully helped to address a number of whole school and wider ranging educational issues.  Its intervention at lunchtimes and pre-school through the Active Playground scheme for instance has helped to reduce bullying and anti-social behaviour; the Take 10 programme has improved school attendance; and the Tri-golf scheme has help to improve numeracy skills of groups of 7-9yr olds.

Whilst we can all be very satisfied with our progress to date there is no time for complacency.  September 2008 saw the end of the PSSSCL strategy.  It was replaced by the Governments's new 'Physical Education and Sport Strategy for Young People'.  Central to this strategy is the '5 Hour Offer'.  The Government wants all 5-19yr olds to have an opportunity to participate in at least 5 hours of PE and sport per week by 2011 and for sport to become a natural part of every young person's life.

The Partnership is well positioned to meet this latest challenge.  Its infrastructure has grown considerably since the early days.  In addition to a Partnership Development Manager, we now employ an Assistant PDM, 8 very experienced School Sport Co-ordinators, 1 Further Education Sport Co-ordinator, a Dance Co-ordinator, Competition Manager and 7 part-time coaches (gymnastics, trampolining, badminton, basketball, dance, multi-skills and rugby). 

We continue to work strategically and functionally with our key local partners.   With Cherwell District Council we strive to develop bigger and better community projects that impact on the lives of more and more young people.  We work with the leisure centre and PCT amongst others through the Cherwell Community Sports Network, and Oxfordshire Sports Partnership remain a key allie.

Our aim is to continue to create attractive, innovative opportunities for all young people to engage in sport, as well as clear pathways for them to pursue their chosen activities into adult life.

Carl Hamilton, Partnership Development Manager

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