Written by Leap
Introduction
Leap has provided funding to 29 schools to support the re-opening of sports facilities for after-school clubs, summer holiday activities and external lettings. Working in partnership with community groups, schools have been able to enable hundreds of young people to get active and have fun!
Leap supported collaborations between schools and community partners to extend the range of opportunities on offer these included: Bucks School Swimming Partnership, Neil Bailey Swimming coaches, High March Swimming pool and participating schools and parents in the delivery of the Missed Opportunities Swimming Programme. This summer holiday provision aimed to address the gap in water confidence and swimming skills because children have been unable to access lessons.
Background of the fund
In July 2019 the DfE, DCMS and DHSC published the School Sport and Activity Action Plan (the Action Plan). This Action Plan was a joint commitment to ongoing collaboration at national level to ensure that sport and physical activity are an integral part of both the school day and after-school activities. Opening School Facilities phase 2 programme supports this commitment and Leap are responsible for the delivery of this programme across Bucks and Milton Keynes.
In March 2021 Sport England announced that £10.1 million of Department for Education funding (DfE) will be invested into the Active Partnership network to:
- To help develop extracurricular opportunities and community links for children and young people.
- Support schools to open and re-open their facilities to the local community.
Leap provided support and investment to schools to help deliver after school provision to help young people reconnect, recover and return to play. We also looked to support schools to help open or reopen their facilities to the local community, as local evidence suggests that schools are community hubs where people feel safe.
Priorities of this fund
Applications that we received were prioritised based on the below criteria:
- Located in or catchment school for one of Leaps 30 priority areas. Priority will be given to schools located in our top 10 priority wards.
- Schools with high percentage of free school meals
- Schools looking at engaging the pupils who are least active and or SEND pupils.
We funded Primary, Secondary & Special Schools as well as community organisations working with these schools. Below, is a list of what we funded:
- External Lettings: in making their facilities covid safe to allow external letting to restart e.g.: extra cleaning supplies, hand sanitiser stations, swimming pool cleaning services.
- After school provision: secondary schools utilised the funding to run additional after school activities for priority groups e.g.: Stony Dean funding for additional boxing equipment for after school clubs to restart. (could restore equipment).
- Holiday provision: Utilised the funding to run holiday provision over the school holidays with some of our community partners who we have good relationships with.
Final Report
To read the Final Opening School Facilites Report please Click here
Case Studies
The Wycombe Wanderers Sports & Education Trust received funding and delivered 2 weeks of Summer sports camps for girls in school years 3 to 8. The camps took place at Highcrest Academy, the camps helped girls take part in different sports / physical activities. They learnt about the physical and mental benefits of sports participation, this in turn will hopefully help increase the participation levels moving forward.
Click here to read the full report from WWSET
The Buckinghamshire Schools Swimming Partnership (BSSP) received funding for The Missed Opportunity Swimming Programme. The aim of this programme was to tackle inequalities, this was delivered through 3 weeks intensive lessons to primary aged pupils, who were the least active, on free school meals or had additional needs. The programme took place at 3 different locations within Bucks.
click here to read the full report from BSSP
This is a handwritten thank you note from one of the children on the missed opportunity swimming programme
Fund Contact
For more information please contact Rhiannon Smith, CYP Project Manager on rhsmith@leapwithus.org.uk