Overview

We were the first secondary school in the country to be recognised by the TASS Dual Career Accreditation Scheme, along with being the first school in the UK to be accepted onto the European Network of Sport Schools in March 2020.

LeAF Studio’s Sport specialism offers an exciting opportunity for athletes aged 13 to 19. We are a unique institution that offers young talented athletes the opportunity to develop their sporting careers alongside their academic studies in order to excel at a competitive or professional level.

We welcome high performance athletes from any sporting discipline and aims to deliver a true legacy for sport. Our athletes have access to education, sport and a professional support service. The athletes are at the heart of the programme.

If you are performing and competing at a high level and are ready to commit to a future career of full time training, then our Sport specialism programme will increase your chances of success.

The core purpose is to make the pathway towards High Performance more accessible for young athletes. For too long, talented junior athletes have had to sacrifice their education in order to succeed in their chosen sporting field. The pressure of managing the demands of an elite training regime and meeting academic deadlines have resulted in lost potential, in one or even both disciplines.

Our teachers, coaches and sport science staff have been chosen for their high level of experience and expertise within sport, enabling them to give relevant and specific guidance to LeAF’s young athletes on their dual-career journey. Our approach to success is to create a professional culture in both educational and sporting pathways by providing the most appropriate support network around the athlete whilst at LeAF.

The Sports Specialism at LeAF consists of a 4-tier system; High Performance, Performance; Development & Enrichment levels.

Our Sport Specialism welcomes high performance athletes from any sporting discipline. Please find information below on the different tiers of the Sports Specialism Programme, along with our specialist technical training pathways that complement the PE curriculum.

The table above outlines the provision and requirements at each level. Within the first 6 weeks of starting the school, a student will be placed on a specific tier using our Sports Assessment matrix. These assessments are reviewed by our teaching and coaching staff three times in the academic year, whereby students may move tiers due to a change in their attitude to training, physical progression, technical progression or attitude towards lessons.