Sports Scholarship (for girls) Standard

[Sportysmum]

Following on from the music scholarship question I would like to ask a similar one for Sport/PE.

I have seen quite a few posts on here asking about this for boys but not girls, in fact there seems to be very few that offer sports scholarships for girls (where's that Olympic Legacy!)

So, could someone advise what sort of standard is expected. DD swims for the county and is a regional gymnastics champion (she obviously has no time to study which is why we are going down the independent route ) Would this sort of standard be enough for a sports scholarship?

Also could anyone recommend any really sporting schools we are in the south-east but will look at anywhere.

FINALLY does anyone have experience of what form the assessments take?, and whilst the awards are generally quite small 5-10% of the fees are they very competitive?

Thanks

[West Kent Mum]

I believe Sevenoaks School gives sport scholarships for both girls + boys. A friend's DD is county level in a team sport and got one a couple of years' ago.

[daisyduke]

The Royal Masonic School in Rickmansworth Herts offers up to 25% for sports scholarship. (I don't work for them, promise, but this is my 2nd post today about them!). Is Herts too far away? It is a boarding school too...
The sports facilities are outstanding, and many girls represent their county outside school. Gym and swimming are both strong. My DD does trampolining and her teacher at RMS is no 3 in GB at the moment.
They are also flexible about fitting academic work around commitments, as the ethos is all about balance and excelling in what you are gifted at.
The sports scholarship test includes some all round CV, strength and flexibility work, some team games, and demonstations of your strongest sports, and an interview. It was very competitive and the girls who won really are a very high standard, similar to your DD by the sounds of it. So for up to 25% it's worth a go!

[Sportysmum]

Hi,

Thanks for your replies we have arranged to visit both as we are located almost equidistant, I shall keep you posted!

[blinks]

Having been a Director of Sport/Head of PE in a variety of girls schools we look for applicants in sports scholars ships in the specific sports that are high profile in that school. I would recommend looking at a school that has a strong focus on gymnastics /swimming if those are you daughters sports rather than just team sports. Unless of course she is also a good team sports player. The girls I have seen for sports scholarships have to do fitness and motor skill tests a variety of drills appropriate to team sports we looked for coachability ie listening to the instructions and putting it into practice as often sporty girls at the age of 11 get over taken by other girls as they develop who haven't had the same exposure to coaching in previous their schools. My teams in year 7 at the beginning of the year are rarely the same by the end of the year and as they go through the school as the girls grow and develop. Unless they are already in a high performance scheme externally to school.

Hope this helps

[Loopyloulou]

Millfield is probably the best overall sports school, it produced more medallists at the 2012 Olympics than any other school: http://www.millfieldschool.com/sport/honours.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Plymouth College is good for swimming of course, with current pupils getting a gold and a bronze. One of the boarding houses is a specialist house for swimmers.

[aliportico]

Friend of mine went to Kelly College, which is a very swimming-y and sporty place.