Sports Scholarship Programme - Hurstpierpoint College

Sports Scholarship Programme

The Hurst Performance Athlete Scholarship Support (PASS) Programme has been designed to assist our Sports Scholars in achieving their potential while at Hurst.

The programme offers a range of support that is underpinned by our six pillars of development:

  • Strength and Conditioning
  • Nutrition
  • Practice
  • Lifestyle
  • Performance Analysis
  • Leadership and Role Modelling

Alongside these pillars, scholars are offered mentor support by our Head of Sports and Sports Performance Managers. Each scholar is allocated a full-time mentor and a ‘buddy’ from another year group. This mentor system ensures our scholars always have someone to talk to or seek advice from, whether it’s sports or school-related. Our buddy system enables peer sharing and support.

Our scholars also attend a variety of presentations by guest speakers. These include current and former professional sports people, sport psychologists, nutritionists, people working in professional sport and those with sports-based university guidance.

Supporting Academic Aspirations

We have no expectations that our Sports Scholars will go down the “Sporting Route” with their academic studies.

In Years 10 & 11 pupils can study GCSE Physical Education which gives an excellent foundation to the factors that affect sporting performance which enables pupils to apply it to their own sporting performance.

In the Sixth Form we are in an enviable position with regards to course options. The department offers two options; the Level 3 Diploma in Sport, or A Level (GCE) Physical Education with OCR.

A Level Physical Education delves deeper into sporting performance with specific topic areas being Anatomy & Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Biomechanics, Socio Cultural Studies, Sports Psychology and Skill Acquisition. Within the A level, 15% of the final grade is based on a pupil’s own sporting ability.

Level 3 Diploma in Sport (BTEC) equates to two A Level qualifications where pupils will study similar topic areas to the A Level, however, it is assessed through 9 units that are internally and externally marked. The style of learning in this qualification differs from the A Level as it is ongoing across the two years. As units are completed, pupils receive a mark and can keep track of their learning. Within the BTEC there is no assessment of a pupils sporting ability.

We believe every child that is awarded a sports scholarship at Hurst should be provided the opportunity to excel at their sport during their time at the College. PASS is in place to ensure our top performance athletes are given all the support, guidance and expertise they require to do so. Mr Woodhead, Head of Sport Scholarships at Hurst