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Windermere School > Beyond the Classroom > Watersports Centre
Windermere School > Beyond the Classroom > Watersports Centre

The School has been operating for a number of years as a Royal Yachting Associating (RYA) Training Centre and, in 2018, we were delighted to become an RYA British Youth Sailing Recognised Club, one of only 15 clubs nationwide and one of only two schools in the UK to hold this accreditation.

This new initiative will see the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) work alongside sailing clubs across the country, as it bids to promote grassroots sailing and support junior and youth sailors develop their racing skills. In 2014, Windermere School became the first school in the UK to achieve RYA Champion Club status. RYA Champion Clubs are recognised as being ‘Centres of Excellence’ for junior racing and race training, many forming the very foundation of the British Sailing Teams. 

This status sets apart those sailing clubs, such as Windermere School, which demonstrate a commitment to the development of junior and youth racing and race training, delivered in a safe and fun environment. Several Windermere School pupils have won major championships in various classes. Graeme Rowe is the RYA Principal and Chief Sailing Instructor at Windermere School and has been race coaching for almost twenty years. 

 

“British Youth Sailing status demonstrates our continued commitment to bringing through talented race sailors. Several pupils and teams have won national titles over the last few years and I have every confidence that more will follow.” – Chris Brooks, Director of Performance Sailing

Adventure Programme

'Nature breeds curiosity; it helps to grow explorers rather than robots' - Ben Palmer Fry

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RYA BRITISH YOUTH SAILING CLUBS

The School has been operating for a number of years as a Royal Yachting Associating (RYA) Training Centre and, in 2018, we were delighted to become an RYA British Youth Sailing Recognised Club, one of only 15 clubs nationwide and the only school in the UK to hold this accreditation.

 

EXPLORE

CANOEING & KAYAKING

In the warmer months, we run a variety of different sessions coaching complete beginners through to more experienced paddlers. During the winter months, the more experienced pupils can attend the night sea kayaking activity on Windermere, and our kayak Eskimo rolling sessions take place in a local swimming pool. There are day trips on local rivers and lakes, and two-day expeditions to Scotland or Wales for larger bodies of water and expeditions on the sea. 

Pupils in Year 12 and 13 can enrol for the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and paddling expeditions with training  taking place during the Sixth Form’s weekly CAS sessions. Expeditions are tailored to meet the needs and interests of the group and in the last few years, our pupils have completed their qualifying expeditions by paddling the Rivers Spey, Derwent, and Wye. There was a trip to Loch Lomond and Loch Long and the pupils who enjoy sea kayaking completed their expedition around Arisaig, off the West Coast of Scotland.

 

SAILING

Pupils may join us as experienced sailors or arrive as novices, and they will receive equally dedicated support to allow them to reach their potential.

We encourage pupils to join as early as possible as many of our highest achieving sailors joined us at the beginning of their school life, at the Junior School.

We have a number of boats used for sail training to suit experience and size, while our mixed team of boys and girls race in Tera and Feva dinghies.

 

EXPLORE

WINDSURFING

Pupils in Year 7 to 9 enjoy windsurfing as a part of their timetabled Adventure Programme. Those in Year 10 to 13 who wish to windsurf, can take it as an after-school activity and advance to the higher stages of the RYA syllabus.

Windermere School’s highly motivated team of RYA Senior Windsurf Coaches have experience coaching the very latest beginner techniques to the more advanced racing moves. All instruction follows the RYA Youth Windsurfing syllabus with students learning the basics of how to get up and go, through to hooking in, and the very latest freestyle moves.