As part of Sunderland’s preparation for BSF, we are working with it's Stakeholder Group to articulate and then implement its vision to improve indoor and outdoor sports facilities to cater for school and community use.

To inform this vision, KKP carried out:

• A ‘stock-take' of the nature, number and condition of existing facilities at school sites. 
• A series of semi-structured interviews with head teachers from each school to gauge opinions on associated subjects referencing, in particular, ways of making school based facilities available for community access in a logical, affordable way. 
• A combination of online and telephone surveys with schools representatives.

Information gathered was used to inform a draft vision. This was presented, discussed and refined in a workshop for members of the Stakeholder Group, facilitated by KKP consultants.

The final, approved vision encapsulates the core principles required to:

• Ensure that facilities allow for an improved, broad and balanced PE curriculum at each secondary school.
• Allow all young people access to core facilities of comparable quality that will enable them to develop their physical literacy, sporting skills and fitness.
• Enable schools to accommodate a range of inter-school festival-based and competitive activities. 
• Facilitate cost-effective, community use of schools facilities.
• Ensure a strategic distribution of facilities across the area, reflecting the priorities of specific sports, which will engender greater participation in sport and physical activity by young people and the wider community.
• Enable school sports facilities in Sunderland to be used to contribute toward delivery of national targets and/or the development of healthy lifestyles for those living in Sunderland.

KKP also detailed the required aspirations to achieve this vision, focussed around facility design, community use and working relationships with partners including Sunderland City Council, University of Sunderland, Sunderland College and commercial and voluntary sector providers.