St George’s Ascot is celebrating an exceptional first six months of its Performance Swimming Programme, launched in September 2025.
Beginning with a deliberately selective squad of eight competitive swimmers, the programme is led by Director of Sport Sophie Appleby and Head Performance Coach Nicky Matthews. Early competitive results at the January County Championships have already highlighted the rapid progression of the all-girls team.
Across two championship weekends, the squad achieved:
- 57 individual swims
- 41 lifetime best performances
- 20 finals appearances
- 4 Gold, 5 Silver and 4 Bronze medals
Five of the eight swimmers have already secured qualifying times for the South East Regional Championships taking place this spring which is a remarkable milestone in the programme’s inaugural year.
A Fully Integrated Performance Pathway
The Performance Swimming Programme combines high-level training with academic ambition. On-site pool sessions are embedded within the school day, supported by strength and conditioning training, race-skills work and athlete development workshops in sports psychology and nutrition.
Crucially, academic timetables are carefully structured to protect curriculum depth while accommodating training demands. Small class sizes, structured study support and close communication between teachers and coaches ensure that performance development never comes at the expense of academic progress.
The discipline required for high-performance sport translates directly into the classroom. Swimmers learn to manage time, focus under pressure and build resilience. All of which are qualities that support success well beyond the pool.
As a selective squad, each swimmer is known and supported as both an athlete and a learner.
Our aim is not only to develop faster competitive swimmers, but young women who discover the rewards and friendship of being part of a team, alongside the joy of pushing their boundaries and believing in what they can achieve. From there, they carry the focus and ambition learned in the water into every part of their learning, and into the future.
Head Hannah Fox reflects on the programme’s wider ambition.
With scholarships offering fee remission of up to 70% and Swim England club affiliation, the programme provides a distinctive pathway for ambitious female swimmers seeking competitive progression within a nurturing and academically ambitious school environment.
Several Performance Swimming Scholarships have already been awarded for 2026 entry. Applications remain open for 2026 and beyond.