Friday 7 September 2007
With the new school term now underway sportscotland’s Active Schools Network is continuing to have a positive impact on the number and range of physical activity and sport opportunities for school aged youngsters in Clackmannanshire. Active Schools plays a key role in the Scottish Government’s drive to promote active, healthy lifestyles.
As Active Schools becomes well established in schools across Scotland’s 32 local authorities, there are now clear signs of progress being made, encouraging those traditionally under represented groups to take part in physical activity and sport.
The Additional Support Needs (ASN) work being carried out within Clackmannanshire through Active Schools is a prime example of good practice and is breaking down barriers for children with disabilities. This has ensured that children in Clackmannanshire’s special schools, nurseries, primary and secondary schools have the same chance to experience the thrills and challenges of being physically active as their able bodied friends. The active schools coordinators have worked hard to develop specialist programmes, projects and training to give young people the skills, confidence and opportunities to participate in physical activity and sport.
One success story that has come out of this great work is Rachel Sneddon a primary seven pupil at Claremont Primary School in Alloa. Rachel, who has cerebral palsy, was encouraged by Jean Duncan, her active schools coordinator, to participate in a learn to swim class. Rachel became very competent with her swimming and in particular demonstrated a real eagerness to participate in the sport. Spotting this potential Jean then used her experience and knowledge to support the local swimming club to take Rachel on. Today Rachel is a valued member of the club and is now swimming competitively which has helped her overall confidence, health and well-being.
Marjorie Macfarlane, Active Schools Manager for Clackmannanshire said: “The dedicated team working in Active Schools in Clackmannanshire, and in particular the ASN coordinators, has ensured that all children can share in the same experiences. The funding and support from sportscotland has proved invaluable in increasing the opportunities for young people to be physically active. Active Schools is making a real impact in Clackmannanshire and the effects are far reaching with children’s enthusiasm for sport translating to their families and friends.”
During a visit to a primary school in East Renfrewshire today to see Active Schools in action, Minister for Communities and Sport, Stewart Maxwell, said: “Active Schools has been successful in many parts of Scotland in encouraging more youngsters to play sport and try a wider range of sporting activities. I’m eager to assess the progress made so far and to identify areas of further improvement, to make sure as many young people as possible are benefiting from better sports provision.
“I’m extremely pleased to see that young people in Clackmannanshire with additional support needs are able to widen their sporting experiences thanks to the excellent work of active schools coordinators.”
The Active Schools Network is managed by sportscotland and forms part of the Scottish Government’s Healthy Living Campaign which aims to offer children the motivation and opportunities to adopt active, healthy lifestyles. Through its ring fenced investment of £12 million per annum, sportscotland works with Scotland’s local authorities to support, develop and monitor the Active Schools Network by providing a national framework for delivery at local level. sportscotland also manages the forum for key partners to share good practice, contributing to the further development and success of Active Schools, supported by a web-based staff support programme.
Julia Bracewell OBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “Active Schools is now a cornerstone of daily life within a great many schools across Scotland.
“As the national agency for sport in Scotland, we believe the Active Schools work in Clackmannashire with children with additional support needs has been invaluable in reducing the barriers to sports participation for the children involved. This has ensured that physical activity and sport has become truly inclusive.”
1. For further information about Active Schools in Clackmannanshire, please contact Marjorie MacFarlane, Active Schools Manager on 01259 222353.
2. Active Schools is a key element of the Scottish Government’s Healthy Living Campaign and is also part of the drive towards a healthier Scotland; a commitment outlined in the National Physical Activity Strategy, Let’s Make Scotland More Active. It also supports the Government’s aim to for all schools to be health promoting.
3. A key pillar in Active Schools is the development of a network of professionals to organise and coordinate activity – the ‘Active Schools Network’.
4. Active Schools is delivered by 32 Active Schools Managers, 293 Active Schools Coordinators (Primary), 343 Active Schools Coordinators (Secondary), 15 Additional Support Needs Coordinators (ASN). By the end of 2005-2006 over 20,000 people helped lead activity sessions with more than half of them unpaid volunteers.
5. In the 2005-06 school year 350,000 activity sessions took place in schools with Active Schools Coordinators in post, in addition to timetabled PE, representing an average rise of 17 per cent on the previous year. For primary schools the increase was 53 per cent. More than 8.5 million participant sessions were held across a range of 69 activities from rugby and hockey to Scottish dance and organised playground games.
6. In sportscotland’s Corporate Plan 2007-2011 our priority work for Active Schools with Scotland’s local authorities is to support and develop the Active Schools Network by:
· working with local authorities to invest in and maintain the Active Schools Network staffing infrastructure;
· managing the Network to support it to:
o recruit, support and sustain volunteers to deliver quality activity sessions
o develop improved links between schools, clubs and the wider community
o connect children to Scottish Governing Body (SGB) pathways
o provide targeted activities to increase and promote opportunities for under-represented groups;
· delivering a programme of training and support to the Network including the development of the Active Schools Network Community website;
· monitoring and locally evaluate the Active Schools Network;
· working with local authorities and other key partners to implement the outcomes of the Active Schools Coordinator (Secondary) Review;
· working towards long term strengthening of the Network.
7. sportscotland is spending £12 million a year on the Active Schools Network as part of its baseline funding from the Scottish Executive.