Christ's Hospital school to build new, state-of-the-art athletics and exercise facilities

Christ’s Hospital School has today announced the construction of state-of-the-art outdoor facilities at the Bluecoat Sports Centre (BCS), which is used by students at the School, BCS members in the wider community, local sports clubs and other groups.

A new 400m running track, a unique outdoor exercise adventure trail – the first of its kind in the UK – and four new Padel courts will be among the new facilities to be built following several years of planning, offering running, athletic and adventure-focused activities for all levels of ability. The new provision will be supported by a new access road and much-needed additional parking at BCS.

Work will begin in August 2023 and it is hoped that the facilities will be ready to use by autumn 2024.

Developed in accordance with UK Athletics and International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) design criteria and to national governing body standards, these facilities have been designed not only for experienced athletes but also for those who may be right at the beginning of their journey in movement and healthy living.

The new facilities will encompass:

  A 400m, six-lane all-weather running track with ancillary athletic facilities, including an eight-lane 100m sprint section.

Ancillary field facilities including a discus / hammer throw cage, 2 x javelin run ups, 2 x long and triple jump run ups with sand pits, a dual pole vault run up with 2 x landing mats and pole sets, a high jump run up with bar stands and jump mat, a steeple chase pit, water jump and a ‘shot put’ circle.

Four Padel courts – an easy-to-learn, fun and sociable form of tennis and the fastest growing racket sport in the UK.

A unique and inclusive outdoor exercise adventure trail based on a pioneering and imaginative approach to exercise and physical wellbeing. Multiple activity stations incorporate a range of running, jumping, balancing and climbing activities.

A grass infield will provide a landing area for the field events and will be marked out as a football training pitch for winter and spring use.

Sympathetic to the environment and designed with sustainability at their core, the facilities will also benefit from an athletics store with a green roof to support biodiversity and improve surface water management.  

Christ’s Hospital School is funding the development through philanthropic contributions made over a number of years and through additional fundraising.

Headteacher Simon Reid said: “Exercise plays a crucial role in both physical and emotional wellbeing and athletics has always been important at Christ’s Hospital: a tried and tested arena for driving individual skills, attributes and, in turn, self-confidence.

“These fantastic new facilities will enable us to accelerate our commitment to ‘learning for life’ (L4L) through ‘activity for life’ (A4L) and complements Expeditionary Education by extending the ‘challenge’ curriculum. These programmes equip our students with critical skills that enable them to thrive in the modern world.

“This is a really exciting development for Christ’s Hospital School and for our wider community.”

Chairman of Bluecoat Sports, James Maclean said: “We are delighted to have finally reached the point when we can announce details of these exciting plans to our members in the local community. The last few years have been tough but if we’ve learned one thing from Covid, it was how much we need and value our health, and the mental and physical benefits of outdoor exercise.”

To get in touch about the Bluecoat Sports expansion project, please email [email protected]