During 2007 Clubmark, the Sport England mark of high quality junior sports clubs, has gone from strength to strength, recording significant growth and increased brand awareness, raising the profile of the national programme.

Clubmark is now a robust, high quality and defensible scheme, which has the very strong support of NGBs and CSPs and is fully endorsed by wider stakeholders across the sector.

Reporting figures at the end of December show that:

• 27 NGBs and 4 CSPs are licensed to accredit Clubmark clubs.
• The number of Clubmark accredited clubs stands at 3,433. A further 4,093 are registered as working towards.
• Cricket has the highest number of Clubmark accredited clubs; nearly 1,000
• The latest sport to be awarded a license to accredit is sub-aqua.
• The South East region has the most Clubmark clubs (598)
• The latest CSP to be licensed is Living Sport (Cambridgeshire).

KKP has been instrumental to this success, driving the development of the programme and significantly exceeding the targets laid down by Sport England.

We took over the operation of Clubmark in April 2006, in which time, the number of accredited clubs increased by more than 50%. At the same time, the number of clubs deemed to be ‘working towards' rose by more than 80%. We have worked very closely with a range of stakeholders to improve the quality of the scheme and to develop what is now a robust, high quality and defensible quality accreditation process.

Key achievements of our work in the first year of Clubmark management include:

• Introducing the licensing process for NGBs.- all 27 have now completed the new licensing process (this is ten ahead of the target agreed with Sport England).
• Introducing the external verification process for clubs - in 2006 the ‘EV' process covered 70 clubs across the majority of sports, from all nine Sport England regions.
• Developing and servicing, in partnership with Sport England, the Advisory Group.
• Improved marketing including the implementation of the distinctive new Clubmark brand.
• Development of the website - this has now registered more than 40,000 hits since inception.
• The development of training for assessors and the implementation of its delivery.
• Baseline assessment of brand awareness of Clubmark in local authorities.
• Widespread and growing (although not yet universal) recognition and adoption within the industry of Clubmark as the minimum operating standard for clubs.

Central to this success is the close, strong working relationships we have with all key stakeholders. A key factor is the personalities involved, the enthusiasm with which the scheme is driven and the willingness of KKP's Clubmark staff to get involved with a variety of partners, agencies and wider stakeholders including the YST, CPSU and the FIA.

Clubmark is now the universal accreditation for junior sports clubs in England; recognised across and outside the industry as the mark of high quality. The long term aim is to have 10,000 accredited clubs across the country by 2012.

KKP's contract to manage Clubmark was recently extended until 2011. Work is now underway on strategic priorities for 2008 which include:

• Quality assurance - to ensure that Clubmark remains a robust, quality accreditation programme for clubs.
• Performance management - to ensure that even more effective systems and processes are in place.
• Expansion and development - developing the existing product for existing and new sectors and markets.
• Marketing and communications - developing an implementing a marketing plan to support and underpin overall Clubmark aims and objectives.

Effective marketing and communications are fundamental to Clubmark's success. Set against the backdrop of the work being undertaken to clarify and quality assure the underlying processes, we have taken Clubmark promotion and the wider marketing of the scheme to a completely new level. In future, subsequent marketing effort will focus upon reinforcing these messages and developing new channels to ensure greater awareness of the Clubmark brand.

If you still need further convincing, read a selection of the glowing testimonials we have received from partners and stakeholders:

As a CSP, we have seen a significant rise in the profile of Clubmark in the last18 months...we no longer have to wait to approach or tell people about Clubmark. The benefits of the scheme are better known and understood. We would hope for continuity in the publicity and resources that support such providers as ourselves". Steve Nelson, Chief Executive, CSP

The profile of the scheme has never been higher, either within the sport of rowing or in the wider community. Hopefully we will continue to work together for a number of years" Once again thank you. Simon Dickie, ARA Development, ARA

Over the past 18 months the profile and management of Clubmark has improved immensely. As a sport that has fully embraced the programme and seen the benefits of clubs achieving the standard it has been a huge benefit to us that a cohesive and efficient administration of the programme has been established. Mark Beecher, Head of Development, British Judo

This is a short note to thank KKP for its contribution in driving the Clubmark programme forward in the past 18 months. Clubmark is an important vehicle in ensuring that child protection is and remains a key agenda item for sports clubs. Your understanding of the issues, professionalism and proactive approach is noted and contributes to a safer environment for young people to participate and succeed in sport" - Gill Joyce, National Development Officer, CPSU

For an independent view on KKP's role in this review, please contact Phil Veasey at Sport England (phil.veasey@sportengland.org)