Sporty state schools - do they exist??

[Halloumidays]

Hello, I think I am possibly looking for something which doesn’t exist.
I have a child with special educational needs who copes well in state school socially and is naturally gifted at sports.
Building up her confidence is key due to past experiences and I would love her to go to a school where sports are really celebrated and available.
I can’t afford a private school unless it’s one with a good outreach/bursary option.
I am basically looking for a positive environment where she can feel like she is achieving especially with physical activities.
The North would be my preferred area but willing to look anywhere I can buy a 3 bed house within £450,000. Any suggestions would be very welcome!
Thank you!

Any sport? Is there something she enjoys/has a talent for?
The fact that you are willing to move anywhere to enable this sounds mad to me. Don’t you have work/family/friends? Is it just you and DD?

https://smchull.org/news/smc-pe-department-cited-by-dfe-for-exemplar-practicedfe-for-exemplar-practice

School is also highly rated overall by parents. I know someone going to teach in the SEN dept in Sept and they are impressed by the set up and support for staff.

For housing look to Cottingham or Beverley. There are buses to school from a few areas.

My DDs went to a school OBSESSED with sport. I would not recommend it for a child with SEN.

Agree with @BitOutOfPractice , at sporty schools the only dc celebrated are those in the A teams winning competitions, there is nothing inclusive or "have a go and enjoy it" about sporty schools.

I disagree. That is not always the case at all and comes down to the individual schools.

My DDs are at a very sporty
State School and there are so many opportunities for them to get stuck in.

They run sessions just for participating and boys and girls gym/fitness sessions. The participation sessions do loads of different sports like table tennis and dodgeball so the kids can get involved without having to do team sports. They also run cycling clubs and orienteering.

And the teams win national
Championships and get through to county finals for sports like hockey, football, rugby and rowing all the time and compete on a national stage with high performing private schools.

They put out A, B and C teams for the popular sports and massive athletics teams in the summer.

It comes down to the leadership at the school investing in facilities and really throwing their weight behind sport and recognising that it is good for ALL kids to play sport.

I wish it was in the north so you could visit it.
Great Marlow School.

www.instagram.com/gms_pe?igsh=MXdjaWprZ3Jid2wzcw==

I have to say @AlwaysTimeForWine that that is the EXACT opposite of my DDs’ experience. They have probably been put off sport for life.

No other achievement but sport was valued or appreciated. My two clever, well behaved, non sporty girls were invisible in the school (so much so that nobody even recognised my very bright and lovely DD1 when she went to the 6th form open evening at the school she’d attended for 5 years!). Forget achievement in art or music or drama. Nope. Only sport counted.

they both hated it and left to go elsewhere at 16. DD1 got a 1st in an academic subject she loved at uni. DD2 currently finishing a degree in the performing arts that’s she’s very talented in. I doubt either are remembered at all at school. But get onto the athletics team? Superstar status.

and don't Even get me started on the body shaming of the girls during PE lessons. Appalling.

so that’s MY experience of a “sporty school”. Would NOT recommend.

How old is she? Is this for Year 7 entry?

Hi thanks for the replies, really appreciate you all taking the time to reply and hearing different view points/suggestions. She is never going to be academic and is actually significantly delayed and has understandably very low self esteem.
So for 90% of her time at school she feels crap. Sport is where she could excel and I guess would be a A star pupil if they were scored on sports.
She is end of year 4, I don’t live in the North now but could relocate as that’s where I am from.
I have found my current city really disappointing and sadly don’t have a lot to stay for.
Mainly though, trying to get her the support she needs in school is an absolute slog, she deserves better. So I guess I need good SEN and sport. I will definitely look into all your suggestions. Thanks !

she’s still really young then (though I appreciate that you’re planning ahead for potentially big life changes).

Id look for a school with really excellent SEN provision rather than banking on the school being sporty. IMO / IME the two characteristics are mutually exclusive.

For example, the super sporty school I’ve just talked about was just downgraded on its ofsted record for its SEN provision. So Just tread carefully. Your DD might turn into a PE-avoiding teen in 3 years time!

There are specialist sports academies are there - Wright Robinson in Stockport (at least used to be) and I think Wellington in Sale.