The Grove Athlete Performance Programme

At The Grove, we appreciate the value of sport and the tremendous benefits it offers. We try to make sure we offer something for everyone, with a wide sports offering, ranging from fencing to golf and cross country to chess.

Sport is in our DNA and our proud sporting heritage serves as one of the key pillars on which our school community is founded. There are no gimmicks here – just the highest quality, expert coaching from seasoned professionals who know their sport inside out – for every single pupil, whatever their ability. And, if a pupil finds a sport that they excel in, as so often happens in such an environment, we go the extra mile to help them achieve their very best.

The Grove Athlete Performance Programme (GAPP) has been developed for those students who compete or have 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 launched GAPP over 6 years ago.

GAPP is a unique and well-established programme with a holistic approach, covering guidance on well-being, psychology, fitness programming, physiotherapy and career advice. Our 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, who know the pupils well, work closely with our GAPP participants to create training diaries and liaise with external coaches to establish tailored training programmes. GAPP athletes also attend Sports Psychology and Drugs in Sport workshops.

Nathan Barr, Assistant Director of Sport said:

It is a privilege to be part of a school community where an initiative like GAPP can flourish. Our athletes come from a huge variety of disciplines – from fencing to football – 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:

GAPP 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. GAPP isn’t just motivational soundbites – the support the programme offers is tangible. 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 GAPP athletes go on to achieve, we want to give them the best start possible. A Grovian start.

Find out more about Sport at The Grove here.

I am my unlocked potential.

I am Grovian.