Specialist Status

In September 2005 the school became a Specialist Sports College. Sports College status is about more than offering more healthy lifestyles to young people and the community. It is about raising standards in classrooms by teaching pupils study and revision skills and by giving them a feeling of success with individual Personal Exercise Plans and support. In 2008 the school was redesignated as a Sports College and graduated as a High Performing Specialist School (HPSS). This allowed us to take on a new specialism Maths and Computing, to compliment the great achievements of our Sports specialism. In addition to this we are now beginning a new role as the lead school for gifted and talented in the local area.

Sports Specialism Update - Olympic Champion, Darren Campbell MBE opens sports pitches

On Thursday 15th October 2009, Olympic Gold medal winner, Darren Campbell MBE came to the Royal Alexandra and Albert School to officially open their new sports facilities. On the new athletics strip, pupils received coaching on sprint starts from the 4x100 relay champion before he unveiled a plaque to commemorate the occasion.

The new sports facilities comprise

  • All-weather, floodlit sports pitch which will be used for sports such as hockey, lacrosse and football
  • All-weather athletics strip
  • Three floodlit netball courts

The new floodlit sports pitch has enabled the school to introduce hockey which is already proving popular with pupils. There are opportunities to play hockey during lessons and also in the after-school activities programme. Lacrosse, which was introduced last year, is also popular, and now pupils can play on a properly marked out lacrosse pitch.

Headmaster, Paul Spencer Ellis says “I am very pleased that Darren Campbell has come to open our new sports pitches as he is an excellent role model for our pupils. He is a young man who has achieved real success through sport and has built a career from it"

As a Sports College, the Royal Alexandra and Albert School has a strong focus on sport and the new facilities will enable us to offer even greater variety to pupils. We are already seeing the benefits with more sports available within the school day as well as during after school activities.