LTA Youth Schools celebrates 26,000 teachers trained
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The LTA’s free programme for tennis in primary and secondary schools, LTA Youth Schools, has reached a major milestone in its goal to boost tennis participation in British schools, with over 26,000 teachers now having completed the programme’s training course.
LTA Youth Schools is part of LTA Youth, the LTA’s overarching junior programme, created to help many more children enjoy the benefits of playing and staying in tennis. LTA Youth Schools has been designed by teachers specifically for schools to support the curriculum and wider school outcomes, bringing together inclusive physical education (PE) lesson plans, personal development resources, and competition opportunities for schools that take part, all to help more children get and stay active through tennis.
Key to the programme getting more children engaged in tennis, however, is giving teachers the confidence to deliver PE in school. Recent research from the Youth Sport Trust found that only 56% of primary school teachers felt confident teaching PE, and according to Teacher Tapp, almost half of teachers feel they lack sufficient training to teach subjects outside of their areas of expertise, such as PE.
A comprehensive training programme
The impact of the LTA Youth Schools programme is already evident. With over half of all schools in Britain signed up and more than 26,000 teachers having completed the free training course, the initiative is making a tangible difference.
For teachers, lesson plans for pupils throughout Key Stages 1 to 5 are detailed and written as progressive schemes of work. For teachers of Key Stage 3 and above, LTA Youth Schools also provides a suite of drills and activities to help teachers and coaches assess tennis as part of GCSE PE practical assessment, with supporting film clips showing students of different levels performing the drills. All teachers who register with the programme are able to take part in free in-person or online CPD, to help boost their confidence delivering high-quality PE lessons.
The LTA’s impact survey revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback from teachers who have completed the course, with 99% of teachers believing their teaching has improved or will improve as a result of the training. Additionally, 90% of teachers believe that tennis boosts pupils’ confidence, 79% see it enhancing aspirations, and 63% recognise its impact on academic achievement.
British women's wheelchair number one and three-time Paralympic medallist Lucy Shuker praised the programme, highlighting its role in making tennis accessible to children of all ages and abilities.
"The work of the LTA Youth Schools programme to improve teachers' tennis delivery in schools is making a real impact. It's brilliant that kids of all ages, disabled and non-disabled, and from all over the country are getting the chance to try tennis where they might not have been able to before through their PE lessons. Hopefully, even more teachers can sign up and give even more kids the chance to give tennis a go," Shuker said.
Beyond the training itself, the LTA offers several unique benefits to teachers who complete the course. These include a £250 voucher for their school to spend on tennis equipment or 10 hours of team teaching with an LTA Accredited Coach, thanks to the LTA Tennis Foundation, and for primary schools, resource packs including activity books and pupil rewards.
The need for professional development in teaching is pressing. In 2024, only 56% of teachers participated in training provided by external organisations, according to a Department for Education report. Initiatives like the LTA Youth Schools Teacher Training Course are crucial in addressing this gap, aligning with the LTA’s mission to inspire a new generation of players while enhancing teachers’ skills and confidence in the classroom.
Jak Martin, Head of Foundation of GLF Schools a multi-academy trust in the south of England, believes the impact of the Youth Schools programme has been hugely positive. “We are immensely grateful for the invaluable contribution of the LTA Youth Programmes to several schools within GLF Schools. These initiatives… have proven to be an outstanding resource for our educational community.
“The LTA Youth Programme goes beyond traditional coaching, offering inclusive PE lesson plans, personal development resources, and teacher training. The impact of these resources has been truly remarkable, enhancing not only our curriculum but also broader school outcomes. In particular, the teacher training CPD has been met with universal acclaim across all our schools. This training not only elevates the quality of tennis instruction but also ensures the sustainability of tennis within our schools for years to come.”
Scott Lloyd, Chief Executive of the LTA, said, "It is great to see the impact the LTA Youth Schools programme is making. The fact that more than 26,000 teachers have received training through the programme and over half the schools in Britain have signed up means that millions of children have the chance to receive a great introduction to tennis in their PE lessons or as part of extracurricular provision. We want to continue to train more teachers, so that even greater numbers of children can experience the educational, mental, and physical benefits of tennis at school through the programme."
LTA Youth Schools
For more information and to register for the Teacher Training Course, visit the LTA Youth Schools pages and discover how to bring tennis into the heart of school life.
