At The Grove, we have always gone the extra mile to ensure that each and every student is offered the help and support that they need to be the best that they can be.

Within our school community, we are lucky to have a number of students who are excelling in a variety of sports, to the extent that they have competed or been recognised at International, National, Regional or County level – or have been signed by a professional academy.

Training at this level, whilst balancing school and family life can be quite a challenge for even the most dedicated and talented athlete. It is with this in mind that we are proud to have launched the Grove Athlete Education Programme (GAEP).

GAEP is a unique initiative within the regional independent school scene with a holistic approach, providing pupils excelling in sport with guidance on well-being, psychology, fitness programming, physiotherapy and career advice. Woodhouse Grove’s objective is to provide these talented young athletes with the support they require to enable them to coordinate academic life around their sporting commitments – and maximise their potential.

Specialist Woodhouse Grove sports staff work with GAEP participants to create training diaries and liaise with external coaches to establish tailored training programmes. GAEP athletes also attend Sports Psychology and Drugs in Sport workshops.

Chris Softley and Georgie Thompson, our GAEP Leaders had this to say:

It is a privilege to be part of a school community where an initiative like GAEP can flourish. Our athletes come from a huge variety of disciplines – from water polo to trampolining – each with very specific challenges and training requirements. Within the programme, each athlete is allocated a Mentor who works with them, their external coaches and their families to ensure that they have the best possible opportunity to learn and develop to their full potential.

James Lockwood, Headmaster said:

There is a tendency for Independent schools to “Stretch and Challenge” academic high flyers but allow talented athletes to simply get on. At The Grove, our ethos is to help every single child become the very best version of themselves – and GAEP is our way of ensuring that we enable our athletes to make the most of their talents and support them as they balance, what can be quite significant external commitments, with their school and family life. I am very excited to see these young people grow and look forward to seeing what the future has in store for them.

Whatever our GAEP athletes go on to achieve, we want to give them the best start possible. A Grovian start.

I am my unlocked potential.

I am Grovian.