Academic PE Students Inspired by Visit to Loughborough University
On Wednesday 9 October, A Level and BTEC PE students visited Loughborough University, gaining an insight into life at one of the UK’s leading centres for sport, performance and higher education.
The visit began with an introduction to the University, following the initial talk there was a guided campus tour showcasing Loughborough’s exceptional sporting facilities. Students were inspired by the sheer scale and quality of provision available to elite athletes, from the ECB Performance Centre featuring temperature-controlled indoor facilities used by the England Cricket Team to the Athletics Centre, where British Athletics train regularly. The tour also included two performance gyms, a swimming pool complex, rugby pitches, water-based hockey pitches and padel courts.
Throughout the visit, the group were surrounded by university students in training, giving a real sense of the energy and focus that defines Loughborough’s sporting culture.
The afternoon included an engaging talk from Jess, a current student athlete who competes nationally for Great Britain. She offered a fascinating insight into a typical day in the life of a high-performance athlete, explaining how Loughborough’s structure and support systems enable students to balance rigorous academic work with demanding training schedules.
In addition to exploring the sporting opportunities, pupils attended a detailed UCAS application guidance session, helping them prepare for the next stage of their academic journey. They learned about the UCAS application process, including deadlines and equal consideration dates, with the importance of meeting school deadlines to allow teachers time to prepare references and review personal statements, how to write a strong, authentic personal statement that reflects genuine interest and experience and how sporting excellence can form part of an application with top athletes sometimes eligible for grade concessions through Loughborough Sport.
The session emphasised that universities value applicants who are reflective, well-prepared, and confident in expressing their individual strengths and motivations.
A highlight of the day was meeting former RGS pupil, Haineala Lutui, who is now studying Sports Psychology and representing Loughborough Lightning Rugby. Haineala spoke warmly about her time at RGS and her experiences balancing academic study with elite sport at university. Before departing, the group saw Haineala and her teammates training as they left the university.
The visit provided an inspiring and informative experience, allowing our Academic PE students to see how the subjects they study connect to real-world opportunities in sport, health and performance. Many left the day feeling motivated to pursue their ambitions both on and off the field.
