In a bid to create more opportunities for young people and communities to engage in physical activity, the Opening School Facilities (OSF) programme has been a transformative initiative. Backed by a £57 million investment from the Department for Education, the programme has enabled schools to make their sports facilities accessible beyond regular school hours.
Our team at North Yorkshire Sport has been working tirelessly with 30 schools over three years to ensure that those in areas with limited access to sport and physical activity can benefit from improved opportunities.
Overcoming Challenges to Drive Meaningful Change
Implementing change on this scale comes with its fair share of hurdles. Some of the key challenges included:
Encouraging schools to think beyond traditional approaches—instead of simply hiring external providers for after-school clubs, we pushed for the development of ambitious community projects.
Staff turnover affecting programme leadership—multiple changes of business managers and PE leaders meant they had to be replaced midway through the programme. New OSF leads then took charge with limited knowledge and different perspectives on funding usage.
Navigating complex funding expectations—many schools pushed for infrastructure upgrades, many of which fell under the school’s capital spend policy.
Administrative pressure—reporting participation and managing funding claims presented an additional workload.
Commitment to community projects—our firm stance on supporting purposeful community-based opportunities meant some schools stepped away. This was often at short notice although we remained unapologetic about our vision for the funding.
What Schools and Communities Gained
Despite these challenges, the OSF programme has led to tangible improvements in facilities for both students and the wider community. Some key additions include:
- Improving Active Travel to school through initiatives such as Cycle maintenance sessions, Bike and scooter libraries.
- Development of Golf range bays, fitness suites, and alternative sporting equipment, such as spinning bikes, skateboards, pickleball, and gymnastics gear.
- Upgraded swimming pool plant rooms and pumps to facilitate evening and weekend classes for both children and mother and baby sessions.
- Mobile floodlights for outdoor courts, extending accessibility for local sports clubs.
- Alarm and keypad systems, enhancing security and enabling greater use by community providers.
Training opportunities – Long-Term Impact
To ensure lasting benefits, North Yorkshire Sport has ensured schools have considered staff development and training. Notable efforts include:
- Qualifications in trampolining, bike marshal training, and rebound therapy.
- Encouraging support staff to take leading roles, allowing them to access additional income through delivery of extracurricular activities.
- Family cycling engagement days, where parents, carers, and students learn to ride and maintain bikes together.
Strengthening Relationships Across the system
Collaboration has been central to the success of OSF, with strong partnerships between North Yorkshire Sport, school leaders, and local authorities. By working closely with stakeholders such as North Yorkshire Council Public Health, The School Games Network, and the Youth Sport Trust (YST), we’ve been able to:
- Influence school leaders on the benefits of community-based projects.
- Establish new relationships with school leaders, including the addition of four new schools in Scarborough.
- Identify schools suitable for the Creating Active Schools professional development programme
- Share knowledge and learning with North Yorkshire Council’s Active Travel and Environments team.
Adding Value to Wider Initiatives
The OSF programme has also been a catalyst for connecting different areas of our work, reinforcing efforts to make physical activity more inclusive. Notable examples include:
- Opening up discussions to develop multiple community Play Zones, providing accessible spaces for local groups.
- Enhancing Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) provision, giving young people greater opportunities to stay active through North Yorkshire’s FEAST programme.
- Increasing attendance at local YST PESSPA meetings, improving collaboration between schools and service providers.
Looking Ahead: Reflecting on Progress
The journey has been insightful, particularly through the engagement of our Pioneer Schools, whose leaders have embraced the opportunity to reflect on the impact of their work. Informed by physical literacy many schools are now considering the social and environmental factors which influence participation in physical activity. This approach has supported school leaders in their decision making, ensuring pupils are receiving positive early experiences of sport and physical activity across the school day.
Our work is far from over, and we’re excited to see how these relationships continue to evolve beyond OSF. Keep an eye on the news section of our website for more updates, school case studies and future developments!
Niall O’Brien
Education Manager
