ASA West Midland Region : PESSCL - PE School Sport and Club Links

In October 2002 the Prime Minister launched the PE, School Sports and Club Links strategy and swimming is one of seven sports included in this project.

The DCMS set a national target for the School-Club Links programme, which is:

To enhance the take-up of sporting opportunities by 5 to 16 year olds so that the percentage of school children in England who spend a minimum of two hours each week on high quality PE and school sport within and beyond the curriculum increases from 25% in 2002 to 75% by 2006 and to 85% by 2008, and to at least 75% in each School Sport Partnership by 2008.

One of the key principles of a School Club Links Project is working together in partnership. Local partners will include Local Authorities, SSCo, County Sports Partnerships and Clubs. This process will be facilitated by Local Swimming Forums or Swimming Action Groups.

The ASA is looking to achieve the following outcomes from the School-Club links programme:

More children having the opportunity to move from schools swimming into Swim 21 accredited clubs or Aquamark accredited learn to swim programmes.
More clubs achieving Swim 21 accreditation and learn to swim providers achieving Aquamark accreditation.
More children participating regularly in swimming activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The role of the School Club Links Officer within a Swim 21 Club and Aquamark LTS programme will be pivotal to the operation of this programme. They will be the interface between the Partnership Development Manager in a SSCo, the Club, the Local Authority and County Sports Partnership.

For local information on School Club Links, contact Debbie Deane, Regional Development Officer for ASA West Midland Region.