Sporting Schools hits the mark for program users

Sport Australia engaged ORIMA Research to undertake an independent national evaluation of the Australian Government’s Sporting Schools program during 2016 - to determine the extent to which the program has achieved its intended aims and objectives.

More than 6,700 educators and 1600 coaches and coach providers participated in the evaluation and eighty nine per cent or more of people using Sporting Schools strongly endorse the program and want to stay involved.

Overall, the findings highlight that:

• local communities place high value on sport in school
• schools value external coaches delivering sport in schools
• the program is helping to strengthen the broad value of sport and its contribution to key child development outcomes.

Sport Australia is working with sport and education partners to enhance the delivery of sport in schools through a range of strategic and operational projects. This includes building upon the following key success factors identified in the findings:

• an engaged coordinator or Principal selecting sports that meet the specific needs of their students
• co-delivery of sports by teachers and external coaches
• an inclusive program that accommodates a diverse range of abilities. Adaptable activities suitable for novices as well as children who already have skills in the sport
• good equipment/facilities
• junior products designed for delivery in schools. Products that emphasises a games-based approach to learning, minimise waiting time, explicitly promote inclusivity, and suitable for large mixed-ability groups of varying age
• experienced, trained and organised coaches
• appropriate child-to-coach ratios
• pathways to community sport

Sporting Schools Plus aimed to influence the whole-school environment by creating opportunities for students to encounter impactful physical activity experiences throughout the school day.

The program funded 450 schools to activate the Physical Literacy: Guide for Schools over terms 2, 3 and 4 in 2020.

Sporting Schools Club Connect aimed to enable primary schools to build on their involvement in the Sporting Schools program by establishing and building on relationships with local sporting clubs.

Successful schools delivered an out of school hours sport program by engaging a Club Connect partner sport.

The focus of the initiative was to support primary school students to transition from a school-based sporting program to participating at their local sporting club, promoting a lifelong engagement in sport.