Were you inspired by Wimbledon? UK boarding schools have an excellent reputation when it comes to sport and tennis is one of the most popular sports at school. With the prestigious Wimbledon Championships taking place at the end of June and beginning of July each year, we’ve been thinking about the UK boarding schools that excel in tennis and could well be nurturing the next Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu. There are so many great schools that offer tennis, it’s no easy task to choose which are the best. We’ve put together a list of just some of the top boarding schools for tennis in the UK.
Tennis at Bede’s School has a longstanding reputation of success. Participation is equally as important to the school as performance, so there are plenty of opportunities for all students to get involved. Pupils will have the chance to attend tennis tournament tours to Eastbourne, Wimbledon and the World Tour Finals. For elite pupils aiming to continue with tennis at a competitive level after school, Bede’s has a high success rate in securing scholarships to American universities including many ‘full ride’ scholarships. Read more about Bede’s School.
Culford is widely known as one of the best tennis schools in the UK. In fact, the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) regularly ranks Culford in the top three British schools for tennis. Tennis at Culford is open to all pupils regardless of their ability and all students are actively encouraged to participate in recreational games. Pupils have the opportunity to travel abroad for tournaments and take part in an annual training event at the prestigious Spanish La Manga club. Talented players who train with county squads, school also offers a High-Performance Tennis Programme. Read more about Culford School.
The tennis success of Eastbourne College places it firmly amongst the UK’s best tennis schools. Tennis opportunities are available to all, whilst the school’s year-round programme for elite senior players is very successful. The programme features individual and group strength and conditioning sessions, player-led sessions and one-to-one sessions with top coaches. The time and resources dedicated to tennis produces excellent results with Eastbourne’s boys, girls and mixed school teams performing very highly at national tournaments. Read more about Eastbourne College.
Ellesmere College’s dedicated tennis academy marks the school as one of the top UK boarding schools for tennis. The school’s academy enables players of all abilities, from recreational to elite, to reach their full potential. Their fully qualified expert coaches run a structured programme which aims to nurture student talent in a safe and supportive environment. High Performance players may be selected to take part in a separate elite tennis programme which includes personal fitness sessions, individual and group sessions, nutrition and competitive matches. Read more about Ellesmere College.
Merchiston Castle is a boys’ school that offers excellent tennis coaching at their prestigious tennis academy. In 2020, the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) named Merchiston as the best school in the UK for tennis. The school grounds feature three all-weather floodlit tennis courts which are available to all students. However, Merchiston’s specialist tennis academy provides elite one-to-one coaching to their top level players to improve their performance and match success. Read more about Merchiston Castle School.
Millfield School has a reputation as one of the best UK boarding schools for sports, and tennis is no exception. The school has an outstanding track record for producing professional athletes, and regularly sees former pupils competing at the Olympic games. Millfield’s individualised tennis programmes are tailored to the strengths, weaknesses and needs of each individual. This allows every player to achieve their full potential. Balance is important at Millfield, so pupils have full support to ensure they find a good balance between academics, sport, and free time. Read more about Millfield School.
Queenswood School is largely regarded as the top school for girls’ tennis in the UK, with ex-pupils representing Great Britain in the sport. The school holds a strong ‘tennis for all’ ethos, whilst also offering high quality coaching and facilities for top-level players. Read more about Queenswood School.
Since Reptonian student Herbert Lawford won Wimbledon in 1887, Repton has had continued success in the sport and consistently produces national level players. To date, Repton has won the Independent Schools’ Championship an incredible 11 times! In 2021, Which Schools placed Repton in the top six tennis schools in the UK. Repton has excellent partnerships with American universities, enabling students to study in the USA on tennis scholarships. Read more about Repton School.
St George’s Edinburgh is an all-girls school and promotes a ‘sport for all’ mentality in its Physical Education department. The school teaches tennis to all age groups. Girls at St George’s can make use of the many astroturf tennis courts at school. Read more about St George’s School Edinburgh.
Stonyhurst College is home to some of the best sports facilities of any boarding school. Tennis players can take advantage of the seven outdoor tennis courts and world-class tennis dome. Combined with the school’s top-quality training programme, Stonyhurst College aims to develop the next generation of elite players. In addition, students have the opportunity to become school ‘Tennis Leaders’. These carefully selected pupils receive mentoring from the Director of Tennis and help coach younger players through the academy programme. Read more about Stonyhurst College.
Taunton offers tennis for all students as well as a Senior Tennis Academy for players looking to play competitively. Students can take advantage of one-to-one and group coaching which includes video analysis. The course covers health and fitness, and game strategy. Every year Taunton enters teams into competitions and plays against some of the best UK tennis clubs. A number of Taunton players currently represent Somerset County. Read more about Taunton School.
Keep an eye out for the next blog post in our ‘Best UK boarding schools for…’ series!
This article appears in the following categories Best of..., Boarding School Life, School Admissions
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