The sports specialism strives to ensure that there is excellence in teaching and learning .Pupils are encouraged to aim high, with a culture of success being prevalent through the extensive range of opportunities that are offered. This has been reflected in the Academy attaining Sportsmark status in 2006 - 7 and 2007 - 8. The main opportunities are included in the summary below, with many more that can be found as you navigate through the links.

• LEARNING WITHIN THE CURRICULUM - an extensive range of activities are covered within Physical Education lessons and are delivered by extremely well qualified and enthusiastic staff. The activities currently covered are: Orienteering, cycling, low ropes course, football, netball, basketball, hockey, triathlon, rugby, trampolining, gymnastics, dance, health & fitness, dance mats, badminton, tennis, athletics, swimming, rounders, softball, cricket, multi-skills, Taekwon-Do and self defence.

In Years 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 students have the opportunity to study Physical Education at examination level. The key stage 4 student follow the BTec First Certificate (2 GCSE grade A* - C) or the BTec  First Diplomas (4 GCSE grades A* - C).

Yrs 12 & 13 study either the BTec National Award (1 A level grade A - E) or the BTec National Diploma (3 A levels grades A - E).

Currently the core curriculum is being redeveloped in line with the new National Curriculum. Years 7 & 8 will follow a core curriculum very similar to the one currently in place. Yrs 9 - 11 will personalise their learning by choosing a pathway , in addition to a set of compulsory core elements, based around developing either creative or skills and tactical elements.  Assessment tasks will be introduced across the key stages to ensure that students are fully involved in assessment for learning and develop a greater responsibility for and awareness of their own learning.

Recently Northampton Academy has been successful in its joint bid with Manor Sports College, Southfields Sports College and Guilsborough School to host the Young Apprentices Scheme in Sport Management, Leadership and Coaching. This will initially see 10 of our Yr 10 students involved in this programme, with the same number to follow each year.

• LEADERSHIP - This is major focus for students within the sports specialism with the Awards offered by Sports Leaders UK forming the backbone of our provision.

Currently all Yr 8 students are following the Young Leaders Award (YLA) and will progress into Yr 9 with their first leadership qualification. All will then further develop these skills in Yrs 9, 10 & 11 through either the Junior Sports Leaders Award (JSLA), the Junior Football Organisers Awardor the RFU Community Leaders Award.

In Year 12 the Community Sports Leaders Award (CSLA) is studied, with the Higher Sports Leaders Award following in Yr 13. Both of these count towards UCAS points for those applying to Universties.

All students from Yr 9 upwards will work with our immediate community. Year 12 and 13 students work in our cluster primary schools on a weekly basis delivering a range of activities.

• INTERNATIONALISM - developed via the British Council Dreams and Teams project. We currently are in partnership with seven schools in Nairobi. The major links are with Aquinas Boys School and Huruma Girls School. We have further developed these links by fostering further links between these Senior Schools and their surrounding Junior Schools. These schools are Morrison, Dr Krapf, Mary Immaculate, St Patrick's and Kimathi Primary Schools . This is an unusual collaboration within Kenya and it is highly effective. All of the Tutor Groups in the School are currently working on a ‘Cash for Kenya' project which is a joint initiative between the Sports and Business and Enterprise specialisms.More details can be found on the relevant webpage.
•  HEALTH - The school is currently collaborating with Jo Davis to secure the National Healthy Schools Award
• LEARNING BEYOND THE CURRICULUM - curriculum development in PE is supported by and extensive extra-curricular programme, which runs before school, during lunch and after school. The programme is devised so as to include topportunities to develop participation, performance and excellence. This fosters inclusion between genders, ability levels and year groups.

  Further opportunities for development are made available through our extensive network of community links.

• COMMUNITY SPORT - this is an integral part of the what we do and our aim is to provide sports and activity opportunities for the surrounding community by not only allowing the sports facilities here at the Academy to be accessed out of school hours, but also for targeted provision of activities that are in demand within the community. Two examples of this are the provision of evening trampolining classes and the development of the Eastern Chargers Rugby Club for pupils of primary school age.

The high quality facilities that we have here at Northampton Academy can be viewed on the relevant webpage. If you are interested in hiring these facilities please contact Ian Oliver at the Academy.

We also deliver a great many initiatives in conjunction with our community partners including: Northampton Trampoline Gymnastics Academy, Northampton Saints, Northampton Town FC, Northamptonshire Sport, East Midlands RFU, Northants FA, Northampton Swimming Club, British Cycling and Northampton Borough Council.

For more information please look under the P.E./Sport subect area in the menu on the left.