Club Links
Local community sport clubs form a vital link with schools so as to help develop continuity and progression by way of children's exposure to sport and structured physical activity.
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It is essential that schools ensure that quality-assurance checks take place prior to inviting coaches to participate within curricular and / or extra-curricular activity provision. The same checks still need to take place when also signposting pupils to off-site satellite club meetings. PE Subject leaders are advised to therefore request and keep copies of the following documentation checks:
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a) DRB clearance
b) Insurance
c) Qualifications (minimum: Level 2 except where
NGBs carry waiver system e.g. Gymnastics)
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Check to make sure that they are not out of date and when the renewal dates for each take place
London Boroughs Sport Club Directory
London borough based sport clubs can be located via the Get Active London website. Please note that auditing process requires clubs to inform the site of any changes made to organisation including staffing. It is therefore advisable to still contact the club directly to obtain the required quality-assurance documentation should you wish to proceed with promoting a link:
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Link: http://www.getactivelondon.com/activity_finder.asp?section=22§ionTitle=Activity+Finde
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To register changes to club organisation:
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Link: http://www.getactivelondon.com/login_wide.asp?returnto=new_item_wizard.asp?section=000100010001
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Get Active London Beta site (meaning that it is work in progress and not completed) also provides schools with the opportunity to explore London's sports clubs and activity organisers:
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Link: https://beta.getactivelondon.com
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Bromley Council also lists a number of regional sport clubs:
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Link: http://www.bromley.gov.uk/directory/28/local_organisations_and_advice_services/category/42/categoryInfo/10
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Families Online also publicises sport clubs and classes for children & young people within the borough:
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Link: https://www.familiesonline.co.uk/local/bromley/clubs-and-classes/sport
Top Tips for Schools:
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Promote the club within the school – maybe immediately after a unit of work that matches the sport or during after - school clubs
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Provide facilities by offering the school site for the club to run sessions
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Offer the same sport as an after - school club in order to introduce the children to the sport in a familiar surrounding
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Identify a Club Liaison Representative to liaise with Clubs Schools Liaison Officer
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Distribute any promotional material that the clubs may have
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Invite club coaches to speak about their club in school assemblies/PTA meetings so that everyone is aware of what’s on offer
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Dedicate a notice board to the sports club
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Provide advice to pupils about getting involved
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Provide the club with letters of support for funding applications
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Regularly communicate local club opportunities and information to parents
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Prioritise your time to club links within your school's catchment area as children are more realistically going to be able to attend rather than clubs that are based miles away
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Benefits for Schools:
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More active and healthier pupils
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Raised profile within the community
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Increased funding opportunities
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Community Links – social benefits
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Pathways for sport – easy exit routes for children into on-going involvement
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Increased standard in school teams
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Recognition as an institution that supports
development beyond the school environment
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Support and assistance with extra-curricular teams/activities
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Top Tips for Clubs:
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Provide the school with information and promotional material about the club
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Assign a Liaison Officer contact to liaise with and provide info rmation to the schools
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Run a festival/display at the school
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Run a club open day/fun day at the school
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Provide coaches to assist with the extra - curricular clubs (even if it’s just once per term)
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Run a satellite club on the school site during a term where the club goes to the school (familiar surroundings for the children), then after that the children attend the normal club night and venue. (They would have time to become familiar with the type of training and the coaches)
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Tell the schools about their pupil’s achievements (e.g. in a school newsletter)
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Advise school of relevant events and ac tivities that might attract youngsters to the club
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Provide officials for some school fixtures /tournaments
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Make school visits
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The club provides the school with letters of support for funding applications
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Benefits for Clubs:
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More young people in the club
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Increased participation in the club
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Raised base level participation in club
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Opportunity to identify talent of the future
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Potential access to school facilities
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Raised profile within the sport
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Raised profile within the community
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Financial opportunities
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Opening up club access to wider community
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Increase the potential of new volunteers
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Co-operation, support and resources
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Pool of young leaders, coaches and officials ​
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Making a School Club Link Effective and Successful
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When a school and sports club are working well together, they:
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Talk to each other regularly
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Communicate well with young people and parents
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Respect each other
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Have a shared vision and approach
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Find ways of enabling young people to take part in club activities
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Agree expectations and goals
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Build on what young people learn in both settings
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Recognise, share and celebrate achievements
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Share and develop teaching and coaching expertise
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Share facilities, equipment and resources
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Understand the roles and responsibilities of other agencies that contribute to and support the school club link
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Benefits for Children & Young People:
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Improved opportunities to access sport in the local community
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Opportunity for talent to be identi ed
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Wider range of sporting opportunities
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Move con dently between school and club
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Opportunity to develop coaching & leadership skills
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Understand how experiences in school and at the club complement each other
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Recognise how PE prepares them for
involvement in clubs at junior age and beyond
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Introduction to healthy living
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Feel comfortable with a range of people from different backgrounds and of different ages