Sport

Participation allows pupils to try new activities, find enjoyment in exercise and a lifelong love of physical activity eg: Zumba, HIIT, road running, badminton, squash, Fives, Yoga, Pilates and swimming.

Competition where we promote all the factors from Participation but enable students to receive specialised coaching by qualified professionals and to give them the confidence to apply their skills in match play. They can choose to enter internal or external leagues and fixtures. Through this pathway we promote cooperation, leadership, tolerance and shared values. This pathway is the most popular at Rugby School, especially in team sports, where we have high numbers. In 2019/2020, 78% of our Year 13 pupils choose an activity that allows them to compete in an external fixture. 158 teams in 20 different sports played in more than 1072 fixtures in 2018/2019 (our last full sports year, due to COVID).

We have developed a Sports Science department which consists of strength and conditioning coaches, physiotherapists and sports analysts. Whilst many schools deliver generic modules based on national statistics, we have used data collected by our performance analysts to ensure our modules are unique to Rugby School students. This data proved invaluable after the first national lockdown when students were away from school for nearly six months. On their return, we were able to test their fitness levels and compare them with the previous data. We implemented a programme called Return to Fitness that ensured all students were given the opportunity to regain their fitness levels before being exposed to match play and high-intensity training. Previous studies we have carried out on this subject had proved that we reduced non-contact injuries by 45% between 2018 and 2020.

Students who choose this pathway join our Aspiring Athletics Performer Programme (AAP). This gives our students access to our Sports Science team who measure the students’ current physical abilities and produce individual fitness training plans based on each individual’s goals. Students have access to an online training platform that they can access all year round and from anywhere in the world, which proved valuable during Covid. All students on our AAP programme have a mentor from the sports department who meets with them regularly to set targets, adjust training plans and support them in their academic life so that the two are closely aligned.

We link closely with many professional sports organisations such as Leicester Tigers RFC, Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Wasps Super League netball. We aim to make our provisions mirror those of professional clubs so our elite athletes can have a seamless transition from student to professional. Last year three students were awarded professional contracts with premiership Rugby clubs.