Blackpool Borough Council, keen to maintain its cutting edge profile in sports development has begun consultation on its new 5 year PE and School Sport Strategy. KKP's brief was to produce a strategy that is visionary and ambitious, but grounded and achievable.

The draft 2008-13 strategy provides a framework and creates a context for PE and school sport locally whilst contributing to improving whole school standards and national priorities for healthier lifestyles. In particular it seeks to:

• Position the aims and priorities for PE and school sport in a clear, deliverable strategic action plan.
• Encourage partnership work within and between schools and between education and the community.
• Ensure that PE and school sport contributes fully to the overall adoption of healthy lifestyles amongst young people in Blackpool.
• Provide a monitoring and evaluation baseline.

Methodology

Following a review of existing policies and in-depth face to face consultation, eleven key objectives have been set along with targets for improvement for local implementation. Stated targets reflect local and national priorities for participation per se, PE, school sport and club links whilst providing a structure within which to focus upon particular issues and propose appropriate, deliverable action.

A dynamic strategy development process has ensured that it dovetails with others in place or emerging in Blackpool and that it enables implementation of practical, measurable outcomes.

The strategy

The Strategy is based upon the core premise that Blackpool wishes to progressively move to a position where the system in place produces a greater number of more physically (movement) literate, motivated and active young people. To do this, the Strategy and the school practices, structures, work programmes and community links that emanate from it must:

• Be child/young person-centred. 
• Generate measurable net improvement in young peoples' physical literacy and individual fitness.
• Deliver accessible, enjoyable and varied sport and physical activity for all young people. 
• Deliver 2 hours of high quality PE and school sport.

Each objective is accompanied by detailed targeted actions with desired outcomes, timescales, itemising those responsible for delivery and the mechanisms for monitoring and review.

The strategy is currently being finalised by Blackpool Council staff and members, with a view to launching it across the Borough in time for the new school year.

Justine Blomeley, PE and School Sport Partnership Manager at Blackpool Council is delighted with the outcome. She said,

"As a service, we are keen to lead the way and are not content to follow the crowd. As such we have welcomed KKP's forward thinking approach. Its team has challenged current convention and recommended innovative yet practical objectives that we can pick up and run with but that also give us the flexibility to accommodate change, growth and development."

For an independent view on this case study, please contact Justine Blomeley, PE and School Sport Partnership Manager at Blackpool Council(Justine.blomeley@blackpool.gov.uk)