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Young People in our London Schools Coaching
How We Deliver Our Schools Work
Free Rugby Provision in Schools
In London, our schools programme is delivered through TackleLondon - a programme we run jointly with The Atlas Foundation. TackleLondon exists because we know that what a young person needs most isn't always a lesson plan or a behaviour chart. Sometimes it's simply a consistent adult who turns up, who remembers what they said last week, who notices when something's wrong, and who doesn't give up on them.
No Barriers, Just Rugby
Beyond London, we also deliver our own schools provision directly across Sussex, and we're beginning to make inroads in Yorkshire too. The model is the same wherever we work - the same values, the same commitment to consistency, the same belief that a trusted adult and a rugby ball can do remarkable things.
The reality in many of the schools we work with is that teachers are stretched to their limits. They're doing an extraordinary job under enormous pressure, but they can't be everything to every child, and in under-resourced communities, the gaps can be vast. PE provision is being cut. Extracurricular activities that were once a given are disappearing. The enrichment that helps a young person discover who they are and what they're capable of is increasingly something that only some children get access to - and largely determined by postcode.
We go into schools because that's where the young people are. We don't wait for them to find us or for their families to have the time and means to get them to a rugby club on a Saturday morning. We walk through the school gates, we set up on the pitch or in the sports hall, and we make it as easy as possible for every young person to be part of something. No kit required. No prior experience. No barrier to walking over and giving it a go.
Rugby is the vehicle. The relationship is the point.
From School to Something More
The school session is just the start. The programme is built around a proper pathway: from those first sessions in the school day, to after-school clubs, to community rugby clubs, to our own Matt Ratana Rugby Academy. From primary school through to young adulthood, there's always a next step, always someone waiting on the other side of it.
Even when young people eventually step away from playing rugby, the friendships they've made and the belief they've found in themselves doesn't disappear. We've seen it again and again: young people who came to us disengaged and withdrawn, and who years later are coaching the next group coming through.
Schools Feedback
Coach Aidan has played a pivotal role in building and strengthening our school's rugby provision. Each week he brings dedication, expertise and belief in our students. He works hard to support our girls, ensuring they feel confident and included in every session. He has helped to create an environment where students can develop both their skills and their love for rugby. His positive impact is clear through the team, and his contribution to rugby at our school has been amazing.
Meridian High School
Connecting Schools to Community
Our Pathway Breakdown
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Young People in our Matt Ratana Rugby Foundation Academy
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Young People in our After School Clubs
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Young people have been transitioned to their local rugby club pathway
Impact
What We're Seeing
Educational Life
• 738 had special educational needs and disabilities
• 60 were at risk of exclusion or had already been excluded
• 61 were involved with a social worker
Our Impact:
✓ 1,208 showed improved learning or work outcomes
✓ 1,290 improved their engagement in school
Home Life & Emotional Health
• 32 were young carers
• 81 had been affected by domestic violence or abuse
• 1,547 were from low-income families or living in poverty
• 21 had been affected by homelessness
• 21 were refugees or asylum seekers
Our Impact:
✓ 1,063 showed improved socio-emotional learning skills
✓ 1,327 demonstrated improved relationships
Mental Health & Wellbeing
• 189 had mental health concerns
• 86 had been affected by or involved in violence, gangs or exploitation
Our Impact:
✓ 1,378 showed tangible improvements in mental health and wellbeing
✓ 12 reduced harmful or risky behaviour
✓ All schools reported a clear impact on general student wellbeing
Schools Feedback
We love having the coaching here at Orchard Park High School - it is such an opportunity for both students and staff to develop.
Orchard Park High School
Support Our Work
Help Us Provide More Young People with Opportunity
We know there are more schools that need this - in London, in Sussex, in Yorkshire, and beyond. More young people who would benefit from having someone like this in their corner. But we can only reach them with the resources to do it.
If you want to be part of what we're building - whether through fundraising, donating, or just spreading the word, we'd love to hear from you.