From prospects to professionals: Maximising the opportunity for talented young sportspeople via the independent sector

Public First has published a new report for Sir Peter Lampl, on widening access to elite sport by providing further pathways for young talented sportspeople into the independent school sector.

The report recommends that a new national bursary scheme should be created to fast-track more the country’s best sporting talent into top independent schools to take advantage of their world-class training facilities and coaching. 

The idea has the backing of some of the country’s best known schools including Harrow and Rugby.

 The concept is modelled on the US College draft system that sees the best colleges competing to provide bursaries and scholarships for the best baseball, basketball and American football players, and on the wider Open Access scheme to broaden access to top independent schools, long championed by Sir Peter. 

Polling conducted for the report shows that the public does not mind where sporting stars were educated, so long as the team is successful. 

• For men’s national football, 81% of people don’t mind where the players come from as long as they are talented and make the team stronger. This figure is 75% for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, 68% for rugby, and 64% for cricket.

1. • 16% of people think it best for a young and talented sportsperson in rugby, cricket or Olympic sports to go to state school while 35% think an independent school. 42% don’t think it makes a major difference.
   • By 57% to 13%, the public supports a scheme of scholarships to independent schools for talented young sportspeople.

 The scheme would allow for means tested access for talented young sportspeople in rugby, cricket and some Olympic sports to go to independent schools for up to five years from the age of 13. On the basis of 500 national means-tested sporting scholarships from ages 13 to 18, with 100 scholars graduating each year, the report estimates that the project would cost just £14m per year, paid for by a combination of national sporting bodies, philanthropy, a contribution from participating independent schools via their existing bursary and scholarship funding, and possibly national government.

 Sir Peter, who has contributed more than £100m to social mobility in time and money over 25 years, said: “If we want to maximise the performance of the country’s potentially world class teenage sports stars, we need to make sure they get access to world class coaching and facilities. Now, even if the Treasury found a spare couple of billion for school sport down the back of the Downing Street sofa, it still wouldn’t result in thousands of acres of rugby and cricket pitches and a new army of high quality full-time coaches. Yet the public schools already have those things. So what if we concentrated on finding ways to ensure those potential teenage sports stars had access to the facilities that already exist? 

“We need a national bursary scheme, administered independently. Modelled on the wider Open Access scheme for independent schools that I have long championed where parents pay according to means, the arrangement would offer students with identified sporting potential a full five years at a leading independent school at potentially zero cost to parents depending on means. 

“The new sporting stars that the scheme would identify would have been picked on their merit, had their skills honed at some of our best institutions and represent the Best of British. Who knows, they might even win a test match or two.”

Supporting the scheme in principle are some of the leading heads and schools in the country.

Alastair Land, Head Master of Harrow said:

“Harrow School has a long tradition of supporting boys in their sporting development through the award of means-tested bursaries to families sharing these aspirations. We believe it is the right thing for the boy, his family, the school, and society more broadly, and would strongly support this scheme.”

Gareth Parker-Jones, Head Master of Rugby school said: 

“We are enthusiastic supporters of this proposal. As the birthplace of Rugby Football we know that sport transforms lives. We also understand that boarding is transformative and are determined that talented children can access a boarding education regardless of their background. More than 150 students at Rugby receive means-tested bursaries and this programme will enable more children to access a boarding education.  We are particularly keen to build the links between local sports clubs, independent schools and elite sports clubs so as many young people as possible have the opportunity to play sport and be supported by high quality coaching.”

Shaun Fenton, Headmaster of Reigate Grammar School, said: 

"The report is compelling and the central argument is persuasive. There is an opportunity to move the discussion from division towards partnerships that benefit children. This can offer improved educational opportunities to more young people with high sporting potential: developing talent, character, confidence and aspiration that will serve them for the rest of their lives, well beyond the sporting arena. We can use the strengths of the independent sector in nurturing sporting excellence to support the national interest — and we stand ready to help. This is not about recruiting students into independent schools, this is about investing in children with the potential to be future sporting heroes. We want to give them the best possible chance so that we can all enjoy cheering them to victory."

Mark Lascelles, Head of Epsom College, said:

 “This is exactly the kind of idea I want to support. Talent is spread evenly; opportunity isn't - and not every gifted young sportsperson gets the chance to develop what they have. Schools like ours are fortunate in our facilities and coaching, and the right thing to do is to share them: to open our doors, act as hubs for our communities, and encourage sport for all."

Read the full report here.