The Abbey School has won the national award for ‘Sporting Achievement by an Independent School’ at this week’s Independent School of the Year awards.

This was based on the wonderful Festivals of Sport over the last two years, supporting belonging and inclusion in girls’ sport. 

The Reading Festival of Sport @ The Abbey is a student, school and community collaboration to help girls and young women find ‘belonging’ in sport. Bringing together our student sports leaders and expert PE staff with elite athletes and community sports clubs, we have created a town-wide multi-event platform for action and discussion to support girls to find a positive and lifelong relationship with sport.

To date over 1,000 young people have taken part, experiencing a new sport – such as rugby sevens, lawn bowls, weightlifting and boxing – or deepening a relationship with a current sport. Over 60% of students surveyed opted to try a new sport with 40% wanting to pursue it as a result.

In addition, we launched a Reading-wide conversation about ‘belonging in sport’ through a remarkable photographic exhibition, charting global icons in women’s sports, on exclusive loan from the Saatchi Gallery. Showcasing the challenges of role-models launched a student-led conversation about the experiences of girls in sport today and a vote for celebrity ‘heroes’. The exhibition at The Abbey was opened to all Reading schools and members of the public – 2,500 people visited as part of activities in the town for National School Sports Week.

These awards are the most significant in the independent sector and along with the annual TES awards for independent and maintained schools, represent the highest level of accolade available. There couldn’t be a better platform to celebrate all the wonderful activity at The Abbey, in sport and in all fields of endeavour.