Schools across Boston play a vital role in ensuring children and young people are active during the school day. Through PE, sport and structured activities, participation is strong and consistent. However, our Community Partnership Learning highlighted a significant challenge: what happens to activity once the school bell rings.
The challenge
Families described a clear drop‑off in physical activity outside of school hours. Cost, transport, safety concerns and limited awareness of local opportunities all played a part.
Many parents spoke about wanting their children to stay active but feeling constrained by practical realities. Some community spaces were perceived as unsafe. Others were unfamiliar or felt inaccessible without transport. For families new to the area or from different cultural backgrounds, navigating provision could feel overwhelming.
Schools, meanwhile, are already carrying significant responsibility. While they are trusted spaces and natural hubs for activity, they cannot – and should not – be expected to solve the problem alone.
Identifying the gap
The learning pointed to a missing link between school‑based knowledge and community‑based opportunity. Children were active in one part of the system, but pathways into wider community activity were unclear or fragmented.
Community organisations and sports providers often existed nearby, but families did not always know how to access them, or whether they would be suitable, affordable or safe.
Working differently
In response, partners in Boston began exploring how schools could act as connectors rather than sole providers.
This included:
- Better communication about local opportunities
- Building relationships between schools and community organisations
- Exploring shared use of spaces
- Supporting families to understand what is available and how to access it
Rather than expecting families to “find” activity, the focus shifted towards clearer, more intentional pathways.
Early signs of change
Where connections were made, families reported feeling more confident. Familiarity created reassurance, knowing that an activity was endorsed by a trusted school reduced uncertainty and anxiety.
For community organisations, working with schools offered greater visibility and understanding of local needs. It also helped align provision with the realities families face.
Importantly, this approach acknowledged that sustaining activity requires collective effort.
What this tells us
This case reinforces several wider lessons:
- Schools are essential partners and trusted safe spaces, but they are not the whole system
- Trust and familiarity influence participation
- Clear pathways matter more than additional provision
- Supporting families is as important as engaging children
Looking forward
Helping children remain active beyond the school day means strengthening the connective tissue of the system. By aligning schools, communities and local organisations, we can make activity feel more achievable, safer and embedded in everyday life.
The learning from Boston reminds us that continuity doesn’t happen by accident, it must be designed collaboration‑by‑collaboration.
