Ricards Lodge Women's Rugby Academy provides a unique opportunity for young women to train for 10 hours a week with Harlequins Rugby coaches alongside their post-16 academic studies.  As the only comprehensive state school in London offering this programme we aim to provide talent athlete pathways to both academic success and career paths in the growing field of Women's Rugby.  Students apply to us from a wide demographic and from across the South East.  

The level at which the team now plays means being part of a league that stretches from Kent to Cornwall and up to Gloucester.  With regular fixures requiring transport for up to 30 players and staff.  Currently the individual coach hire costs per match can be up to £1500 and this could prohibit our widening participation plan for students from more disadvantaged backgrounds.

The school also has a vibrant offer of competitive team sports including football, netball, athletics, basketball and volleyball, all of which require transport to fixtures across London and the South East.

Ricards Lodge is committed to "Educating Successful Women of the Future" and part of this commitment is to ensuring ongoing wide particpation in sports by young women and giving them the skills that team sports bring into all aspects of their lives. "Sport participation for young women builds essential life skills, improves mental and physical health, and drives future career success" (Women's Sports Foundation):

Active young women are up to 50% more likely to secure senior professional roles later in life. Regular sports participation cuts rates of anxiety and depression significantly, lowering mental health disorder risks by 1.5 to 2.5 times (and up to 5 times for multi-sport athletes). Girls involved in sports show higher grades, degree aspirations, and extracurricular engagement.

The fundraising for this project falls under our school PTA Charity - Friends of Ricards Lodge.