Message of the Month

These last couple of months have been an exceedingly busy time for us, below is a snapshot on what we have been doing:

• RHA have been actively meeting with the governing bodies of sports to secure the existing partnerships going forward.

• Submitted our “Improving outcomes for children, young people and families’ bids to the Department for Education at the beginning of the week.

• Approved the publication of the Impact of Playing for Success Executive Summary which our partners have agreed to support by allowing their logos to be shown – for further details please see ‘Reporting Process’ section below.

• Held a series of Funding Surgeries which have been exceedingly well received.

• Signposted enquiries from the press regarding the cessation of funding, directing journalists direct to centre managers, RHA has to work within the current government freeze on publicity and communication.

• Informing and sharing links and broadcast times/or publication dates for press amongst centres, LAs and the Associate team.

What next?

RHA will be holding a series of regional meetings which will be held for centres intending to operate beyond 1 April 2011, no matter how they will be governed and managed. These meetings will be open to all.

At the meetings centre staff will communicate their plans for the future and RHA will share, in practical terms, how we see the network of centres progressing and developing.
These very important meetings will be held in April, dates and venues will be announced soon.
RHA believes that there are considerable benefits that would be derived from having a strong national network of centres with capacity to meet key national and local priorities.

During February RHA will be conducting Market Research with centre managers. The aim of this research is to understand how centres feel about current RHA support and also to ascertain what centre managers feel they would need in terms of support in the future.
RHA will continue to do everything we possibly can to support centres in developing plans for sustainability and understand that at this time the future is uncertain for many of you and you may not necessarily know what your needs will be, but we hope that you feel able to contribute to this research.

Best Wishes
Marian Wood

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Latest News

Press Activity

Channel 4 News team highlighted Playing for Success as part of their 7pm broadcast on Monday 17 January. The feature presented the benefits of the programme and the possible impacts as a result of the end of the funding. Pupils from Batley Bulldogs were featured and were real ambassadors for PfS, demonstrating how centres work to build the confidence and communication skills of young people involved. To see the supporting online feature go to: http://www.channel4.com/news/playing-for-success-how-it-works and http://www.channel4.com/news/sports-study-centre-cuts-could-hit-key-skills

Following on from this there has been a real publicity drive throughout the PfS regions, including local newspaper articles, radio interviews and local TV coverage.
Below are some of the links featured:

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cambridgeshire/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9366000/9366978.stm

Pirate FM and BBC Radio Cornwall: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/cornwall/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9367000/9367816.stm

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8814416.Funds_blow_for_stadium_lessons_scheme/

Quality

Congratulations to the Viking Learning Centre who have achieved an important benchmark by being awarded the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Quality Badge. This informs teachers and others organising educational visits that if they bring children to the VLC they can be assured that they offer good quality educational experiences and manage risk effectively.

The LOtC Quality Badge provides for the first time a national accreditation combining the essential elements of provision – learning and safety – into one easily recognisable and trusted award for all types of learning outside the classroom provider organisations.

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Sustainability

Case studies, reports and exemplars produced by individual PfS centres can be found on the PfS website: http://www.playingforsuccessonline.org.uk/Pages/CaseStudies.aspx.

Recently added studies include:
• West Ham United Learning Zone at West Ham United FC, Mentoring and staff development at West Ham United Learning Zone (WHULZ) – a case study written by Nadirah Khan, Lead Centre Assistant at the WHULZ – outlining her experiences: CLICK HERE

• Falcons Study Centre at Derbyshire County Cricket Club, Playing for Success Impact assessment study: CLICK HERE

• ELG Interface at East London Gymnastics Club, The Graduate Programme – an Advanced QiSS case study: CLICK HERE

Funding Surgeries
We received positive evaluation feedback from the regional Surgeries run during January. The working tools used during the surgeries can be found on the MDA under Shared Documents


Funding Group 8 Education/RHA Partnership

Many of you will know of this partnership and the opportunity it presents for centres to raise revenue by marketing and delivering Group 8 programmes.  Four successful pilots have already taken place to test the Success Zone Classroom approach with generated interest from centre managers, schools and local authorities. The feedback was very positive, in all cases the majority of teachers and PfS representative were highly engaged in the workshop.  

We are now looking to hold a workshop in March ‘Train the Trainers’, further details can be found in the ‘Events’ section.

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Reporting Process

Monitoring

We are now in a position to publish the long awaited ‘Impact Evaluation’ following the release of the data to RHA from the DfE. Permission had to be sought by DfE colleagues due to the embargo and this was granted just before Christmas.

Several of the National Advisory Group Partners have agreed to the use of their logos. The publication is now with printers, it is anticipated that it will be ready to send out in the next couple of weeks. We have ensured a sufficient print run for every centre manager to have 5 copies for distribution to line managers, schools that participated as well as club personnel. We are currently looking at ways in which we can use this very positive impact evaluation to further publicise the benefits of PfS to wider audiences. This will include a letter and copy being sent to all Directors of Children’s Services as well as our National Partners and Ambassadors.

Quality Assurance

Recent discussions with Tribal Education in relation to RHA’s role as national partner for Quality Mark for Extended Services Providers have been very positive and we have now been given a ‘green light’ to market and run QM to Extended Services providers across most LAs in close working partnership with the Director of Quality, Sue Nicholson.

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Staff Changes

A number of PfS centres are closing and centre managers are facing redundancy. During this stressful time, we hope you can reflect on the successes achieved in spite of the challenges endured.  The posts some centre managers are moving on to reflects the management and quality as well as the unique learning experience you have all gained during your time in PfS.

Unfortunately a few centres have already closed or have ceased delivering PfS:
The Cherries Learning Centre at AFC Bournemouth, Foxes Learning Centre at Leicester City FC,  St Helens Study Centre at St Helens RLFC and Warriors Study Centre at Worcester Warriors.

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Resource Update

For several months RHA has been creating a new Shared Resource Area (SRA) to replace the current MDA, that will enable communicate between the PfS network during this transitionary period.  The area has been designed with a similar feel and structure to many of the social networking sites that you may already be familiar with.  Areas will offer saving files and documents, a shared calendar, a blog and messaging area, as well as a forum by which to share ideas, to help support one another over the coming months, and also post April 2011.

All centre managers should have received an email from the RHA office containing   details, if you haven’t please email karen@rexhallassociates.com. Login and password details will be issued shortly

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Events Diary

Friday 11 February, 1.30 pm – 2.45 pm, Beyond Playing for Success, webinar 2

Aimed at support centre staff as they prepare to capitalise on the skills and experiences they have gained through their involvement with PfS. This webinar concentrates on the journey through job hunting – a chance to review the process and a reminder of how to compose the correction information. The cost for registering is £10.00.

Friday 18 March, Group 8 Education/RHA Partnership – Success Zone Classroom, Train the Trainers, venue to be confirmed

John Corrigan the founding director of Group 8 Education will be delivering the programme. The day will consist of the training presentation, details of the three specific programmes that are offered and the extent of any commitment you will have to make.  The Success Zone Classroom translates the theory of PfS into the classroom; equipping teachers with the knowledge and resources to create an optimum learning environment. It is leading edge educational change and the partnership with RHA is wholly appropriate given Rex’s long term aspirations for Playing for Success.

There will be a charge for the training of £100 per person to cover costs. Those who wish to know more please contact Anne Timothy anne@rexhallassociates.com or visit www.thesuccesszone.com

Thursday 24 March, Holiday Inn Stratford Upon Avon, PfS National Event,

An evening for centre managers to celebrate their achievements and reflection on the legacy of PfS.

Early April – Regional Meetings, dates and venues to be advised.

If you wish to register for any of the above events please contact the RHA office: karen@rexhallassociates.com

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Other Items

With effect from 1 April 2011 the RHA office will be relocating further details to follow.

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