Dave Bartlett: says the Government's decision to scrap SSPs has been taken "without adequate research."
Government’s ‘devastating’ plan to scrap Welwyn Hatfield School Sport Partnership
By Ross Logan , Reporter
Sunday, December 5, 2010
9:00 AM
A CAMPAIGN has been launched in Welwyn Hatfield calling on the Government to reconsider its decision to cut funding for sports in schools.
"We’re looking very carefully at whether or not this is the right decision."
Parents, teachers, sports providers and health campaigners fear the decision by Education Secretary Michael Gove to scrap the £162m School Sport Partnership programme will have a “massively detrimental impact” on young people living in Welwyn Hatfield – now and in the future.
Members of the Welwyn Hatfield Sport and Physical Activity Alliance (WHSPAA) and the Welwyn Hatfield School Sport Partnership (WHSSP) united this week in their plea to make Mr Gove reconsider, and have organised a petition opposing the move.
WHSPAA chairman Dave Bartlett said: “Those of us in community sport, on the outside of schools, have been aware of the tremendous strides in recent years towards not only more sport and physical activity within schools but the increased involvement with clubs, coaches and sports facilities outside of the curriculum. The Government’s plans to scrap SSPs and replace them with Olympic/Paralympic style competitions appear to have been taken without adequate research.”
Partnership development manager Steve Savva warned the effects would be “devastating”
"The proposal to withdraw SSP funding will have a massively detrimental impact on over 11,000 young people across our community."
“The WHSSP is more than just a sports provider,” Mr Savva said. “Our partners and us address issues such as the obesity levels, low self esteem, anti-social behaviour, engagement of sedentary children and we encourage and deliver on leadership, teamwork, healthy living, inclusion and participation.
Sue Lewis, headteacher of Sir Frederic Osborn School, the partnership’s hub school, questioned the timing of the move, with the 2012 London Olympics just around the corner.
“The proposal to withdraw SSP funding will have a massively detrimental impact on over 11,000 young people across our community and many more in the future,” she said.
“I am sure that this is not the legacy Lord Sebastian Coe envisaged.”
Nick Brooking, the University of Hertfordshire’s director of sport, said: “As a sports professional working in the higher education sector, I am sure we will see a detrimental effect in future as initiatives delivered under SSPs, such as young leaders, ambassadors, officials and volunteers, will at best be sporadic and at worst disappear.”
The WHSSP also approached Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps to back their campaign.
Mr Shapps admitted that Mr Gove’s decision had been divisive among ministers, but defended the move as “done with the best of intentions.”
He added that he had already spoken personally to Prime Minister David Cameron about the issue.
“I think it’s vitally important some money does still go to sport,” Mr Shapps said. “I know we’re looking very carefully at whether or not this is the right decision.”
Latest News See all
- Hertfordshire murder victim was ‘repeatedly bludgeoned round head with hammer’
- Crackdown on noise nuisance in Welwyn Hatfield
- Slam Dunk Festival 2012 stage times announced
- 2,800 jobs to go as Clinton Cards axes 350 stores
- New executive from Welwyn Hatfield sought to join board at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
More news
- Hertfordshire murder victim was ‘repeatedly bludgeoned round head with hammer’
- Crackdown on noise nuisance in Welwyn Hatfield
- Slam Dunk Festival 2012 stage times announced
- 2,800 jobs to go as Clinton Cards axes 350 stores
- New executive from Welwyn Hatfield sought to join board at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
- Last call for Potters Bar carnival princess competition entries
- Heartless burglars steal toys from charity sheds in Hatfield
- Bus service changes in Hertfordshire
- Ultimate 80s Festival to be moved indoors at the Forum Hertfordshire in Hatfield
- Residents ready to fight worm farm plans again
- Fears cuts will chop Hertfordshire’s police helicopter cover
- Topping out ceremony for new Hatfield school
- Home-made signs lead to Welwyn success
- Mentally ill Welwyn Garden City hospital patient still missing
- Suspected arson at Welwyn Garden City flat
7 comments
As a chairman and head coach of 3 Herts junior clubs I am sure Gove is 99.9% wrong. Clubs and coaches now have the offer to help at the competions, for eaxmple, but few do. There were 14 different sports competitoins in WH last year. I went along and helped at WH SSP Badminton a month ago and watched Monks Walk deliver indoor athletics to their Primary schools last week. I have nothing but praise for the Competition Managers, SSCOs and PLTs - but only 3 coaches helped at the badmintgon and none (as far as I could see) at the MWS athletics. One of the main reasons is that there are few adults available during the day. The SSCos had done a fantastic job at MWS, though, 12 young Leaders were managing the various Primary events and were doing excellently. A big hope for the volunteering and professional development in the future. If you go back before SSPs it was almost impossible to get a reply from schools - PE teachers were and are just too busy. At least now there are paid staff to do the job - clubs and coaches can get into schools! My club provided coaches for 3 sessions in each of 3 WH Primary schools last year and that was with the help of Development Officers and the Primary Link Teachers. Lets not go back to the bad old days!
Report this comment
DaveBartlett
Saturday, December 11, 2010
As a chairman and head coach of 3 Herts junior clubs I am sure Gove is 99.9% wrong. Clubs and coaches now have the offer to help at the competions, for eaxmple, but few do. There were 14 different sports competitoins in WH last year. I went along and helped at WH SSP Badminton a month ago and watched Monks Walk deliver indoor athletics to their Primary schools last week. I have nothing but praise for the Competition Managers, SSCOs and PLTs - but only 3 coaches helped at the badmintgon and none (as far as I could see) at the MWS athletics. One of the main reasons is that there are few adults available during the day. The SSCos had done a fantastic job at MWS, though, 12 young Leaders were managing the various Primary events and were doing excellently. A big hope for the volunteering and professional development in the future. If you go back before SSPs it was almost impossible to get a reply from schools - PE teachers were and are just too busy. At least now there are paid staff to do the job - clubs and coaches can get into schools! My club provided coaches for 3 sessions in each of 3 WH Primary schools last year and that was with the help of Development Officers and the Primary Link Teachers. Lets not go back to the bad old days!
Report this comment
DaveBartlett
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Think Gove is right on this one. Lots of vested interests involved, development officers making sure they get the work and clubs are marginalised. It's simple. Volunteers from clubs should be working with teachers to provide coaching for kids where the school itself doesn't have the resources. Clubs need to be proactive as this is how they will pick up the next generation of members. All part of the Big Society, no need for lots of cash to change hands, but then we live in a society now where we can't have people showing kids how to kick a ball unless they are paid "professionals".
Report this comment
Realworld
Friday, December 10, 2010
To scrap the School Sport Partnership programme without a viable and tested alternative will have a “massively detrimental impact” on young people living in Welwyn Hatfield. The Schools Sports Partnership acts as an integral link with Welwyn Hatfield Sport and Physical Activity Alliance (WHSPAA) and with the delivery agents including local operators. This vital link ensures plans are dovetailed with local agencies, effectively communicated, monitored and audited and that resources are not wastfully duplicated. It is unlikley that the "model provision" currently provided by WH will be provided in future should these proposals go ahead in their current format
Report this comment
Stuart Trower
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
SSPs are a bit complicated. There are 10 strands to SSPs - Club links, Coaching, Competition, Continuing professional development, Disability, Extended schools (Sport Unlimited programme), Gifted and talented, Leadership and Volunteering, Swimming and Infrastructure. On the whole they work well and we know that because they are monitored. They are delivered by the SSP's Primary Link Teachers, School Sports Co-ordinators, Competition Managers and a Partnership Develoopment Manager. So it is not just that "some money does still [need to] go to sport,” Mr Shapps. As it still stands the Government has cancelled 9 of them.Which of the 10 don't you think is important? Whatever your answer, all the SSP staff are all being made redundant from February onwards so unless the rethink delivers answers before Christmas the damage will be done and would, even if the Govenment woke up, take years to put right...
Report this comment
DaveBartlett
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
I really can't see how Michael Gove and the present government can honestly say this concept of theirs is going to be better than the current SSP program. Having worked with Steve Savva and the local SSP to provide cricket to junior school pupils I have seen first hand the benefits the SSP brings to the community and young people. Let's hope they see sense.
Report this comment
nobby68
Monday, December 6, 2010
School Sports Partnerships have 10 strands: Club links, Coaching, Competition, Continuing professional development, Disability, Extended schools (Sport Unlimited programme), Gifted and talented, Leadership and volunteering, Swimming, Infrastructure. All of these the Government says it are scrapped with the exception of Competion which they will emphasise. Their actions may have been 'good intentions' as Grant states but so have many other ignorant and damaging decisions by people in history. My challenge to Grant is which of these other strands do you think are a waste of time and resources and that you don't support and why? I think they are all valuable and we need them all re-instated NOW. If you've any lingering doubts the least you can do is to turn up and see the sesions in action.. And Grant, unless this happens, now, staff with the skills and knowledge will be gone in a few weeks!
Report this comment
DaveBartlett
Monday, December 6, 2010