AO4 - Research - Mark Gunning
Name: Mark Gunning
Organisation name: Culverhay School
Job title:
A School Sport Co-ordonator (SSCO)
Main roles/responsibilites of the job:
A School Sport Co-ordonator (SSCO) plays a
leading role in the delivery of the Partnership Development Plan for the
feeder primary schools in their Cluster. They support colleagues in the
delivery of high quality PE and school sport and have a remit to
increase sporting opportunities for pupils during out of school hours.
They are responsible for the co-ordination and development of after
school activities and local community links in their own school and
partner primary schools. Here is an example of an event organised by Mark Gunning, as reported by The Bath Chronicle - http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/Culverhay-cluster-enjoy-festival-fun/story-13875202-detail/story.html
CULVERHAY - The school staged its 116th sports festival for
youngsters from St Martin's Garden, St Philips, Southdown and St
Michael's.
Around 120 Year 4 pupils from the Culverhay cluster of schools
played tag tails, an invasion game which encourages team work, decision
making and appreciation of space
The festival, coordinated by school sports coordinator
Mark Gunning and head of PE Simon Scarborough, also promotes the
Olympic values of respect, friendship and equality through the safe and
inclusive game.
Culverhay's own young leaders coached and encouraged the children to engage and learn new skills.
Scarborough said: "The festivals are great for all concerned, the
young children love coming to Culverhay to take part and our boys are
inspiring the next generation of young leaders."
Impact / outcomes on youth involved in sport in the area:
In a document released by ofsted in 2003, this was the effect that School Sport Co-ordinator's (SSCO)have had since their introduction. Here were the main findings,
❑ The majority of schools are making substantial progress in working towards the achievement of the national objectives. The programme is raising the profile of PE and school sport and an awareness of their value in schools.
❑ Schools are committed to raising standards and improving the quality of provision. However, this is often defined in terms of increasing the range of opportunities for teachers and pupils rather than increasing opportunities for pupils to achieve and progress or the quality of their experiences.
❑ In the majority of schools, pupils’ attitudes are positive and their behaviour is very good. Their access to a wider range of learning opportunities is promoting more positive attitudes among some of
the disaffected groups of pupils in secondary schools.
❑ The quality of teaching in just over a third of lessons is good or better and is unsatisfactory in just over a quarter. Although the proportion of very good teaching in Key Stages 2 and 4 is relatively high, the overall quality of teaching is below the national average for PE. (The term teaching is used to describe teaching, coaching and leading of curriculum and extra-curricular PE and school sport
sessions linked to the programme.)
❑ Pupils are benefiting from a broader and more balanced curriculum particularly in Key Stages 2 and 4.
❑ The extensive contacts among schools stimulated by the programme have led to a willingness to improve curricular continuity and progression between Key Stages 2 and 3. In a minority of partnerships, teachers are beginning to develop cluster units of work, seeing these as ‘bridging units’ between the primary and secondary phases.
❑ The greatest effect of the programme is the increased provision of out-of-hours opportunities for primary pupils, including sports clubs and annual festivals. However, most clusters still need to fully implement their plans for developing links with community clubs so that pupils can continue their participation beyond school.
❑ Substantial procedures for managing the programme are in place. The procedures for monitoring and evaluating the effect of the programme, however, are weak.
❑ Development and action planning and auditing arrangements are generally sound. They provide a reasonable basis from which more detailed planning could direct the programme. However, objectives relating to raising standards and improving quality lack clarity.
❑ Teachers have benefited from the national training and increased opportunities for continuing professional development linked to the programme. However, although the training provides a good introduction to the roles and responsibilities of co-ordinators and link teachers, it does not address clearly enough the nature of ‘highquality’ PE and school sport or how to improve the quality of provision and raise standards.
