Hon. General Secretary: John Bryant
1 Bishops Road, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex, SS17 7HB
Tel: (07986) 533698 (Mobile)
E-Mail: ecsfasecretary@yahoo.co.uk
Chairman: Mike Spinks
17 Brentwood Place, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 9DN
Tel/Fax: (01277) 226320 (Home)
Tel: (01785) 785970 (Work), (07734) 981232 (Mobile)
E-Mail: mikespinks@hotmail.com
Vice-Chairman: Graham Hall
9 Upland Close, Billericay, Essex, CM12 0JR
Tel: (01277) 625909 (Home), (01708) 514458 (School)
E-Mail: grahamhall@havering-sfc.ac.uk
Immediate Past Chairman: Jeff Saxton
216 Thundersley Park Road, South Benfleet, Essex, SS7 IHP
Tel/Fax: (01268) 756964 (Home)
E-Mail: d.saxton123@btopenworld.com
Referees' Secretary: Barry Poulton
6 Crouch Avenue, Thames View Estate, Barking, Essex, IG11 0QZ
Tel: (020) 8591 0650 (Home)
E-Mail: barry.poulton@btopenworld.com
FA Club-Link Schools
Following the launch of The FA's National Game Strategy and the new PE and School Sport Strategy for Young People, it was deemed the right time to amalgamate the FA Charter Standard Scheme with the School-Club Link Programme and focus on providing quality club links between schools and Charter Standard Clubs.
Club Link is a key area in both The National Game Strategy and the new FA Corporate Strategy to drive the growth and retention of new club and school teams. With all this in mind, The FA Charter Schools Programme was terminated last year and existing Charter Standard Schools were invited to apply to become FA Club-Link Schools.
What does this mean for existing Charter Standard Schools?
If a school is within the three-year accreditation period they will continue to access the benefits package and enjoy discounted England youth and women’s international tickets and the special Umbro website as normal. If they are outside the accreditation period, access to the benefits has now finished. By applying to become an FA Club-Link School, institutions will have continued, focussed support from The FA over the coming year.
If the FA Charter Standard is so popular, then why the change?
Schools received The FA Charter Standard based on their current provision in football, both curricular and extra curricular, to a minimum number of year groups (boys and girls) for a minimum period of time. Although recognising the excellent use of football by the school, it did not always reflect a strong link to local Charter clubs.
What are the criteria and benefits?
Focus schools will be asked to submit a plan of what they hope to achieve with their football activity over the coming year, ensuring that the Programme is outcome-driven. Simply, baseline activity is recorded upon how the school sets target numbers for new teams, numbers for pupils (not in the school team) attending extended opportunities (after school clubs, Futsal etc) and, key to the whole, Programme the number of pupils going on to club football.
There should also be a commitment by school staff to gain FA qualifications, through attending one of the new ten education modules or a standard coach education course, such as a Level One Certificate in Coaching Football. Benefits will include a £50 Umbro voucher for kit and equipment, tickets to England Under 21s, women’s and youth games, an FA Club-Link School Certificate as well as stronger link with local Charter Clubs which will provide quality pathways for pupils.
Who are the Essex County FA Club-Link Schools for this year?
Melbourne Park Primary & Nursery, Benhurst Primary, Howbridge Junior, The St Christopher, Godwin Primary, Scotts Primary, Northlands Junior, Friars Grove Junior, The Davenant Foundation, Roding Valley High, Shenfield High, Woodham Walter C of E Primary, Tom Hood Community Science College, Canon Palmer Catholic, St. Clere’s, The Westerings Primary, Cedar Hall, The Westborough Primary, Thurstable School Sports College & Sixth Form, Warren Secondary, Chafford Hundred Campus, Shoeburyness High.
How do we become an FA Club-Link School?
If you wish to be considered for the current phase between September 2009 and June 2010, please contact the ECFA Education & Schools Development Officer, Lana Gillard, on (01245) 393073 or E-Mail lana.gillard@essexfa.com to receive an Expression of Interest Form.
Further Education
At the beginning of the National Game Strategy in 2008, The FA teamed-up with British College Sports and British Universities and Colleges Sport to start a programme aimed at developing football in higher and further education.
Becoming a Focus Institution is the pinnacle status available to a college or university in football development and it recognises those that are making significant strides in their provision.
Football has a unique ability to engage young adults. BCS, BUCS and The FA are determined to maximise this and encourage development. BCS and BUCS have selected a number Football Development Focus Institutions across the Country each year since the programme began.
These Focus Colleges and Universities develop football across six key areas:
*Workforce: increasing the number of coaches, referees and volunteers.
*Futsal: introducing Futsal to students, developing Futsal leagues and encouraging both men’s and women’s teams to enter the national championships.
*Football Foundation: assisting the college or university in applying for grants to improve facilities and enhance overall football development.
*Intra Mural Football: increasing the overall number of small-sided and 11-a-side teams.
*Disability: developing links with disability football clubs in the local area and reducing the barriers of participation for disabled players.
*Club Links and FA Charter Standard: encouraging both men’s and women’s sides to become FA Charter Standard clubs and forge links with other Charter Standard clubs within the local community.
As well as assisting football development in these areas, BCS and BUCS are also providing bursaries for coaching, refereeing and Futsal courses ran for students. In Essex, we have the following institutions:
*Focus Colleges: South Essex College
*Focus Universities: University of Essex
*Potteries Visit for South Essex College
Teacher Bursaries
The English Schools FA is supported by the FA National Game Board in providing bursaries for teachers. This scheme aims to assist teachers in gaining FA qualifications which will aid them in running or refereeing football teams or an ‘out of school hours’ activity for students.
To find out if you could qualify for these bursaries, check out the application forms in ‘Documents’ which outline the full criteria. There is a specific amount of support available per course, subject to the availability of funds in the scheme:
1st4sport Level 1 Award in Coaching Football: Up to £50
1st4sport Level 2 Award in Coaching Football: Up to £100
Level 3 Youth Award and Age Appropriate Modules: Up to £50
Referee Course £20
Garry Sapsford, Head of the PE Department at Shenfield High School, has benefited from the scheme in the past to help fund his FA Level 2 course and he said: “The cost of courses, on top of the time implications, could be a major deterrent to teachers when they consider applying for qualifications. This bursary scheme ensures teachers are not out of pocket if their school cannot find all the funds to finance this valuable coach education. Having coached football for over ten years before taking my FA Level 2 I still learned a lot from attending this excellent course.”
For further information on schools football in Essex contact Education Development Officer Lana Gillard on (01245) 393073 or via E-Mail at lana.gillard@essexfa.com.
