Helping young Scots get active
Monday 21 January 2002
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, Mike Watson MSP visited Cornton Primary School in Stirling today, to see for himself the success of sportscotland's Active Primary School Programme, which is already demonstrating positive effects on primary aged children's pattern of physical activity.
The Active Primary School Programme was developed following positive results from the introduction of the secondary School Sport Co-ordinator Programme, and the need to address similar issues in the primary sector.
The aim of the programme is to maximise the opportunities for all forms of safe and fun physical activity for children including play, physical education, sport and walking and cycling to school. It is an inclusive concept designed to build on what already exists in the school, through user friendly, practical programmes and advice. It takes a broad view of the potential for schools to influence the health and well being of young people and therefore considers the whole life of the school and not just the learning and teaching in the classroom. All those associated with the school are seen as having a role to play in enhancing physical activity for children.
The programme is implemented through the employment of an Active Primary School Co-ordinator to work across a cluster of schools. The co-ordinator's role involves developing opportunities for children to participate in sport and physical activity, to support and train parents, teachers and volunteers, to make links with other relevant agencies and individuals in the local community, including sports development, local clubs, voluntary organisations and area health boards. Of crucial importance is the partnership developed between the co-ordinator, the secondary School Sport Co-ordinator and the primary PE specialist (where they exist).
Thanks to additional Government funding of £2.8m over three years from the 2000 Comprehensive Spending Review, the programme which was first piloted in five local authorities has been extended to include a wider sample of Scotland's primary schools. By April 2002 there will be 37 Active Primary School Co-ordinators in post, working across 22 local authorities in around 280 primary schools.
Commenting at the visit today, Alastair Dempster, Chairman of sportscotland said: "It is vital that we do everything possible to encourage our children to become involved in regular physical activity at an early age. With the latest worrying obesity statistics released last week, we at sportscotland continue to face an uphill task, and initiatives like the Active Primary School Programme assume an ever-increasing importance.
"The development of a network of Active Primary School Co-ordinators provides an important resource for the promotion of physical activities that are stimulating and good fun for young Scots. It is our aspiration that there will be a co-ordinator working across every cluster of primary schools in Scotland by 2007."
Partnership working at a national and local level has been critical to the success of the programme, including the Health Education Board for Scotland (HEBS) and local authorities.
Ian Young, Programme Manager: Schools, Health Education Board for Scotland said: "We are fully supportive of this important initiative. Increasing the levels of physical activity in young people in primary schools will help to establish active lifestyles at an early age.
"In addition to the obvious health benefits of early physical activity, such as developing a healthy heart and lungs, other advantages include a reduced risk of osteoporosis in later years and the mental health benefits that are part of looking good and feeling good."
Stirling Council and sportscotland established a Strategic Alliance for Sport in 2000, with children and young people a key priority. sportscotland is delighted to be working in partnership with Stirling on the Active Primary School pilot programme. Currently with three full-time co-ordinators employed in the Wallace High School, Bannockburn and Balfron clusters, they are already seeing some tangible benefits, with an increasing number of children and staff taking part in an extended range of activities both during and after school.
John Hendry, who chairs Stirling Council's Community and Economic Development Committee, said: "The impact on our schools of Stirling's partnership with sportscotland has been extraordinary. Our participation in the pilot of this programme has produced one of the most far-reaching sports initiatives in Scotland. It will reach into every school and club, giving all youngsters the opportunity to take part in daily sport activities."
- £450,000 from the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review enabled the development of the phase 1 pilot programme introduced in 1999. sportscotland worked in partnership with five local authorities: Stirling, West Lothian, East Lothian, Perth and Kinross and Inverclyde, and five Active Primary School Co-ordinators were appointed.
- Scottish Council for Research in Education has been appointed to undertake the evaluation of the Active Primary School Programme. Year 1 findings will be available in the next few weeks, but early indications show that the pilot programme has had a positive impact in promoting opportunities for physical activity and has encouraged further joint working between education, sport and leisure and health within local authorities.
- sportscotland's aspiration is that there will be an Active Primary School Co-ordinator working across every cluster of primary schools in Scotland by 2007. The total cost of this will be £12 million.