IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008

Contents

Introduction2

  1. Objectives of the Alliance3
  2. Strategy4
  3. Intended results6

3.a Range of sportsand exercise offered6

3.b Joint management facilities8

3.c Joint multifunctional accommodations11

3.d Collaboration in top-class sports facilities12

3.e Communication, monitoring and evaluation13

  1. Organisational implementation14
  2. Realisation of theImplementation Plan17
  3. Funding18
  4. Adjacent policy areas19
  5. Planning21

Colophon22

The Hague

16 December 2005

Introduction

On 7 June2005, the Alliance“School and Sports - United We Stand Strong”was signed by the Chairman of the NOC*NSF [Netherlands Olympic Committee – Netherlands Sports Federation] and the Minister of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), also on behalf of the State Secretary of Public Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS). The purpose of this Alliance is to encourage young people to engage in sports and exercise throughout their lives. To achieve this goal, collaboration between schools and sports organisations is being promoted.

The new Cabinet memorandum on Sports: “Time for Sports”, which was presented recently (2 September 2005),stressesthe importance of this collaboration. The Cabinet is working out the details of this memorandum in a Sports Programme for the period 2006-2010.This sports programme also covers the current Alliance.

Where possible, the Alliance takes into consideration adjacent policy fields such as the covenant on excessive weight and obesity(27 January 2005). The guiding principle of the covenant is to re-establish and preserve the“balance between eating and exercise”.

In addition to the Alliance, an extensive analysis is being conducted under the responsibility of the National Government(Ministries of OCW and VWS). In this way, the Cabinet intends to gain insight into the conditions that are necessary to create more space in education for sports and exercise. The co-ordinated outcome of the broad analysis and the resultsbooked by the Alliancewill serve as input for plans of the new Cabinet in the interface between education and sports.

To create a basis for these new plans, a joint implementation plan has been drafted which outlines the objectives and ambitions for the school years2005-2006, 2006-2007 and2007-2008.

This implementation plan discusses the following subjects in succession:

  1. Objective of the Alliance
  2. Strategy
  3. Intended results
  4. Organisationalimplementation
  5. Realisation of the Implementation Plan
  6. Funding
  7. Adjacent policy areas
  8. Planning

During the process, the implementation plan will be adapted in light of opportunities and possibilities that arise.

  1. Objectives of the Alliance

The NOC*NSF andthe Ministry of OCW have the following goal for the Alliance:

To encourage young people to engage in sports and exercise throughout their lives. We will strengthen the basis for this goal by promoting forms of collaboration between education and the world of organised sports.

In the Cabinet memorandum “Time for Sports”this objective is put into operation by Education MinisterMaria van der Hoeven and by VWS State Secretary Clémence Ross-van Dorp through the formulation of the following ambition by 2010:

By 2010, every pupil will be able to engage in sports[1]on a daily basis during and outside school hours at 90% of all schools

In order to realise this ambition, theNOC*NSF andthe Ministry of OCWhave joined forces in the Alliance to encourage interaction between schools and sports clubs, so that each pupil actually gets the chance to profit from a good sports and exercise programme five days[2]a week.

Schools that meet the aforementioned standard are called “sports-oriented schools”. This name entails a clear distinction between schools active in sports (schools that profile themselves with sports, invest heavily in sports and distinguish themselves from the rest as a result), on the one hand, and the schools that only achieve the key goals and are not focused on sports (non-sports-oriented schools), on the other. Sports and exercise are not included in the qualification structure of Adult and Vocational Education (BVE). It is therefore not surprising that at vocational training institutions nothing is done in the realm of sports and exercise. Within the management of the Alliance, this deserves to be given extra attention.

If we relate this to the different types of schools to which this ambition pertains, it produces the following picture:

  • 90% of an approx. total of7,500primary schools = 6,700 sports-oriented schools
  • 90% of an approx. total of667secondary schools = 600 sports-oriented schools
  • 90% of an approx. total of 59vocational traininginstitutions = 53 sports-oriented institutions

To realise the above results, efforts in the areas of management, accommodations, the range of sports offered, top-class sports, communications and research are essential. To convince the worlds of sports and education, investments must be made in:

  • inspiring examples of schools active in sports in primary(PO)and secondary (VO) education
  • strong sports clubs
  • attractive range of sports offered
  • sports and exercise in the vocational trainingsector
  • multifunctional accommodations
  • combined functions
  • better facilities for top-class sports.
  1. Strategy

The Alliance will be carried out in two phases:

  • Phase 12005-2006 and2006-2007 school years
  • Phase 22007-2008 school year

This division is marked by a change in Government Cabinet. In phase 1,the emphasis lies on the launching, promotion and adherence to good practices. During this period, the broad analysis will also start, parallel to the implementation of the Alliance. Both processes should lead to a fundamental “review and scaling-up plan for sports and exercise in education (primary / secondary / vocational educationsectors)” at the start of the new Cabinet (phase 2).

Starting, Promoting, Monitoring

Evaluating

Review and Scaling-up Plan

Sports and Exercise

Primary/secondary/vocational/adult education

Election of new Cabinet 2007

Realisation of ambitions for Sports and Education

90% of all schools to offer range of sports daily

Phase 1, Phase 2, Broad Analysis

Figure 1 Phases

The resources currently being made available are only sufficient to realise the goals of the first phase. To achieve the ambitions formulated in phase 2, substantial additional structural investments will be necessary.

This implementation plan covers a period running up to and including the 2007/2008 school year and outlines the manner in which and the path by which we will achieve the ambitionsstated and the intended results on the way to 2010. The organisations implementing the plan will determine the work method in detail (efforts and projects).

In education, collaboration is underway on achieving a structural integration of sports and exercise in education and increasing the visibility of both in the curricula. Sports organisations are working on expanding collaboration, by expanding strong sports clubs and sports federations and increasing the range of sports offered to pupils in primary education, secondary education and vocational education.

To build a broad-based foundation for lifelong sports and exercise, collaboration is necessary between sports and education with respect to the range of sports and exercise offered, the management(study programmes and combined functions), top-classsportsand accommodations for sports. With the aim of intensifying this collaboration, a communication process and monitoring and evaluation process will be launched.

The starting point for implementing this collaboration are the initiatives taken by the schools themselves, beginning with the physical education lessons, the possibilities for participating in sports within sports clubs and the initiatives taken by sports federations. In addition, sports and exercise can also fit in with initiatives in other subject areas such as biology, nursing, dance and drama. The Alliance pertains to both mainstream education and special education, to both top-class sports and recreational sports, and to both pupils with a talent for sports and pupils that are less physically gifted or less interested in sports.The interests of children enrolled in special education within regular sports clubs should be given extra attention - both in physical terms and as regards their integration.

The Ministries of OCW and VWS andthe NOC*NSF will build even stronger bridges between the different sectors by strengthening current initiatives, by promoting innovation and by removing barriers.

In view of the above strategy, strong communication about the benefit, necessity and opportunities for playing a role in the Allianceis a precondition. In addition to the active involvement of many participants in the Alliance, evaluation and monitoring are required for it to succeed. Action and involvement on the part of national partners such as sports federations, NISB and KVLO, as well as local and regional players, are vitally important to making the Alliance a success. The local government will also be essential to achieving an optimal result, particularly with respect to accommodations, BOS [community – education – sports] projectsand the community school.This must not only be viewed from the perspective of “care and welfare” or “education and sports”, but also from the point of view of areas such as town and country planning.

Because the promotion of sports and exercise is also intended to bring about a change in behaviour, the contribution and support of parents is essential. This pertains particularly to the desired participation of parents in the sports club structure.

The implementation of the Alliance is result-oriented, with the focus on the aforementioned objectives and preconditions.

We have definedfiveprogramme lines based on the key themes:

a.Joint sports and exercise programmes (range offered);

b.Joint management(programmes);

c.Joint multifunctional accommodations;

d.Collaboration intop-class sports facilities;

e.Communication, monitoringand evaluation.

Within each of these programme lines, we have defined different performance fields.

  1. Intended results

a.Joint sports and exercise programmes (range offered)

Primary and secondary education

In primary educationandsecondary education the focus is on creating a better link between the physical educationlessons and the training programmes offered at the sports club, in such a way that continuous learning lines are created running from the lessons at school to the training at the sports club and vice versa. Among other things, this means that physical education lessons must be made more sports-oriented and that the training programmes, in turn, must become more education-oriented. Transfer possibilities from education to the sports club at various levels (from beginner to advanced levels) should be improved. The federations should work this out in the basic document “physical education and the range of sports offered”. Further training routes will also be initiated in the area of healthy lifestyle.

This pertains not only to the content of the lessons and the training programmes. Pupils should be encouraged to find their way to sports clubs after school. Schemes and initiatives around the community school and day arrangements could support these developments financially. Sports clubs should also be encouraged to take the initiative in working with educational organisations. A possible solution to bridging the gap could be setting up school sports clubs in collaboration with regular sports clubs.

Sports-activeprimary and secondary schools serve as inspiring examples and are therefore the top-class of schools that take an active role in sports and exercise.

These actions apply equally to special primary and secondary schools. The joint sports and exercise programmes offered are aimed at all types of pupils, and therefore also target pupils from special education and pupils that are less talented physically or that are less interested.

Special attention is given to reaching the (more) inactive pupils, including ethnic minority pupils, especially the large group of inactive girls. An attempt is being made to make the sports and exercise programmes offered sufficiently challenging and interesting for these target groups either within or in addition to the lessons at school and in the (adapted) training programmes at the sports club. The Ministry of OCW,the NOC*NSF andthe Ministry of VWS are promoting a proactive policy to achieve this goal.

A benchmark will be used to provide a picture of the progressmade in the aforementioned process and the development of all schools in this process. This instrument for making comparisons is well-suited for the purpose. The primary purpose of the benchmark is to realise better and more intensive collaboration. Schools that rank high according to the benchmark can serve as examples of best practice. The Ministry of OCW will also consult with the Inspectorate of Education in order to explore the possibilities of including sports and exercise in the quality card. Initial research findings indicate that there is an apparent link between the contribution of sports to the improvement of school performance and the prevention of early school leaving.This is included in the broad analysis and consideration is given to whether a benchmark can provide information on this issue.

Vocational education

In vocational education (the BVE sector), more attention should be given to exercise and sports. In this sector especially there are many young people that do not see exercise and sports as commonplace. One of the main challenges is to make the institutions more aware of the importance of exercise and sports. However, increasing their awareness is not enough. Efforts must be expended to put this conviction into practice and these efforts should be made transparent. Once again, a benchmark offers a solution here. The primary goal of the benchmark is to realise learning effects. Just as primary and secondary schools, institutions that rank high against the benchmark could serve as examples of best practice; there isn't an institution around that wants to be ranked at the lower end.

The inspiration team, with prominent representatives from all levels of society, will be given a central role in creating this awareness. A manifesto will be drafted with the institutions involved. The aim is to introduce sports and exercise at eachRegional Training Centre (ROC) and to introduce a top class of Regional Training Centres: sports-active Regional Training Centres. A public campaign will also be developed (as discussed at the Regional Training Centre ROC M_Nederland).

Objectives of the first programme line: programmesoffered

Performance field / 2005/ 2006 school year / 2006/2007 school year / 2007/2008 school year
Sports and exerciseback in vocational education /
  • Installation ofvocational education inspiration team (29 September)
  • Study into experiences, incl. international
  • 10 sports-oriented ROCs, 5 of which are sports-active
/
  • Manifesto on sports and exerciseto 20 ROCsignatories.
  • 20sports-oriented ROCs, 10 of which are sports-active
  • benchmark
  • 25 ROCs support the platform
/
  • 30(of 59) sports-orientedROCs, 10 of which are sports-active ROCs

Promoting sports-active schools /
  • 100 sports-oriented (community)primary schools, 50 of which are sports-active
  • 50 sports-oriented (community) secondary schools, 25 of which are sports-active
  • Election of most sports-active primary/secondary school
/
  • 500 sports-oriented (community) primary schools, 100 of which are sports-active
  • 100 sports-oriented (community) secondary schools, 50 of which are sports-active
  • Election of most sports-active primary / secondary /vocational school
/
  • 2,000 (of 8,000) sports-oriented (community) primary schools, 500 of which are sports-active
  • 200 (of 667) sports-oriented (community) schools, 75 of which are sports-active
  • Election of most sports-active primary / secondary / vocationalschool

More suitable range of sports programmes (marketingplans of sports federations) /
  • 10 federations have a sports programme that is tailored to primary and secondary education
/
  • 20 federations have a sports programme that is tailored toprimary and secondary education
/
  • 40 federations (of 72) have a sports programme that is tailored toprimary and secondary education

Special education /
  • 1 pilot project starting “REC on the Move”
/
  • Evaluation ofPilot “REC on the Move”
  • Pilot project with initiative at sports club level
  • Pilotproject with initiative at the local government level
/
  • 5 REC institutions starting project “REC on the Move”
  • 5 projects with initiative at the sports club level
  • 5 projects with the initiative at the local government level

Motivate inactive pupils/students in primary/secondary / vocational education /
  • Further details to be provided
/
  • Starting and monitoring 3 projects for Sports and Exercise for inactive pupils
/
  • Expanding successful projects

More sports-oriented sports and physical education /
  • Draftingbasic documenton sports and physical education (attainment targets)
  • Development of lifestyle module
/
  • Approval ofbasic document on sportsand physical education (attainment targets)
  • Pilot module
/
  • Implementation ofbasic document on sports and physical education (attainment targets)
  • Implementation of lifestyle module

Benchmark primary and secondary education /
  • Starting discussion with Inspectorate
/
  • Introducingsports and exercise on quality card of Education Inspectorate
/
  • Introducingsports and exercise on quality card of Education Inspectorate[3]

b.Joint managementfacilities

Good and sufficient management is essential for a good sports and education policy. This applies not only to top-class sports, school sports and competitive sports, but also to physical education (exercise) itself and to remedial teaching in physical education.

Youth sports managementphysical education teachers

In practice, it appears that in situations in which one person is responsible for both functions– i.e. sports instruction and physical educationlessons, collaboration between the sports and educational sectors in the area of youth sports is much more easily achieved and to better effect.

In the 2005/2006 school year, pilot projects for combined functions will be launched. The object of the pilot projectswill be to study whether and how a combination of functions can garner a broad following in practice (authority, quality, liability and funding) and what preconditions are important to create a win-win situation for both the sports clubs and the schools. It is expected that the outcome of the first pilot projects will be known after a year. Should this study have a positive outcome, considerable effort will be focused on combined functions.

The management of good collaboration between education, sports clubs and possibly other parties is a specialised “field”. A number of good instruments have been developed to support/train officials. Examples include the exercise management method and the Groninger lifestyle model.The further communication of such instruments fits in with the Alliance.