KKP is currently midway through a two year evaluation of the Club Links programme - a work strand within the wider government - PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy for the national partners, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Sport England (SE) and the Youth Sport Trust (YST).

The evaluation is examining the programme's success in strengthening links between schools and local sports clubs and the extent to which it has increased the proportion of children guided from school sports partnerships (SSPs) into local national governing body of sport (NGB) affiliated and accredited sports clubs.

To do this KKP is working closely with the 22 NGBs involved in the programme, county sports partnerships (CSPs), SSPs and local sports clubs - the main deliverers of PESSCL at local level.

Year one has covered 11 case studies in six CSP areas. The emphasis is on identifying the elements that make an effective school-club link. Case studies comprise in depth consultation with partnership development managers, school sport co-ordinators, primary link teachers, other school staff, sports clubs, young people and parents.

Other consultees included the national partners, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, the Department for Education and Skills and the National Council for School Sport.

To support the case studies, KKP published an Internet survey for NGB accredited clubs to access and complete. 119 clubs responded to the survey across 16 sports providing important statistical data with regard to the extent of success of the programme, benefits to clubs and the challenges they have faced and overcome.

Emerging findings highlight a number of fundamental characteristics of an effective school-club link. Among these is the presence of a familiar person/people with ‘a foot in both camps' - vital in enabling the transfer of a young person from school to a club. A range of barriers to creating links has also been identified.

Findings from year one will be detailed in a report due to be submitted to Sport England in May 2006.

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