Industry News
A private education 'gives children a sporting chance'
Posted on 11th February 2008
The advantages of a private education extend beyond the classroom, a new article suggests.
Writing in the Independent, Andrew Cunningham notes that sporting provision in independent schools is going from strength to strength as the profile of sport in state schools continues to wane.
Some 60 per cent of British medals won in the last four Olympics were the achievements of athletes who had gone to independent schools, the report states.
And the chance to act as a representative of one's school on the playing field "can be an education in itself", the writer asserts.
"Most independent schools have proper matches each week: not only for the star players, but for B, C and even D teams in main sports such as (for boys) rugby, hockey, cricket and (girls) hockey, netball, and rounders," he points out.
Teachers are concerned that there are not enough specialist teachers in state schools to unlock the nation's sporting potential ahead of the 2012 Olympics, a recent Guardian report revealed.