The key to a truly rounded education is balancing personal interests with academic pursuits.
Repton School specialises in supporting pupils competing in elite level sports without compromising their school lives. Alongside state-of-the-art video analysis, access to world-class facilities and individualised strength and conditioning training, Repton pupils have an unrivalled support network.
We chat with James Wilton, Deputy Head Admissions and Marketing at Repton School, about the culture that fosters outstanding achievements within the realms of elite sport and academic results.
Q: Can you provide an overview of the high-performance sports programme?
A: The Repton High Performance Programme is an integral part of our sports provision. The programme contains all of the essential ingredients required to succeed at the highest level of competitive sport – pre-eminent coaches with decades of experience, world-class facilities for a diverse range of sports and frequent workshops with sports psychologists.
The most crucial aspect of our programme, that also underpins our entire ethos, is our nurturing approach towards pupils. Each of our promising athletes are assigned a personal mentor who will help guide them through their journey – not only in the development of their skills, but also in their emotional and psychological wellness.
They are also on hand to facilitate the transition beyond Repton. We have exceptionally strong links with Ivy League colleges, Premier League football clubs and many other elite institutions where our alumni have achieved major success.
Q: How would you describe Repton’s approach to school life?
A: Our priority is to ensure that pupils have immediate access to their support network during their time at Repton. Balancing their studies, sporting endeavours, passions, social lives and many other facets can be extremely exhausting for young people.
Here at Repton, we retain a maximum figure of 630 pupils to ensure that each pupil receives the necessary support during their time. All of our teachers live in school accommodation in the village of Repton, which provides an exceptional level of support for our pupils. Our teachers regularly sit down with students to catch up with schoolwork – especially vital for our elite athletes.
Another important aspect of life at Repton is the fully integrated house system. Day and boarding pupils spend time in the same spaces, and share the same dining hall for meals. Each house has its own chef who prepares menus that are designed to be healthy, as well as teams of designated tutors and support staff.
Q: Does the high-performance programme result in opportunities for pupils?
A: Absolutely, many of our athletes achieve great things whilst still studying at Repton. For example, one of our swimming champions also broke the world record in a relay race. Despite only being in the Lower Sixth, she has the opportunity to study medicine in America or at a top institution here in the UK, or become a competitive athlete at the highest level.
Pathways are an integral component of our sports provision, as we take a holistic view of each student’s interests and talents. Our sports industry pathway vastly widens the range of prospective careers and specialist areas of interest. By combining extra-curricular activities with BTECs and CTECs in their chosen fields, our students have gained crucial insight into the sports industry.
We firmly believe that academic or sporting success does not have to come at the expense of anything else. Our competitive athletes still find time to unwind with friends during their downtime, and their extensive support network ensures that they can reach their full potential in all areas.
For more information about Repton’s sports provision or to make an enquiry, visit repton.org.uk or call 01283 559200.
