The Glasgow School of Sport, based at Bellahouston Academy, stands as Scotland's sole institution dedicated to nurturing sporting excellence. Since its inception in 1998, the school has been a beacon for aspiring athletes, offering specialized training in athletics, badminton, gymnastics, hockey, and swimming to 65 talented pupils selected from across the nation. However, a financial freeze on new admissions since 2024 has cast a shadow over its future, with the school's administration considering a shift to a bursary scheme by June 2026.
This unique model allows pupils to balance academics with rigorous sports coaching during school hours, a formula that has yielded successful athletes such as Olympic and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Michael Jamieson and badminton player Kirsty Gilmour. Despite its storied legacy, the proposal to replace the current model with a bursary scheme has left the school's community reeling. Under this scheme, pupils would transition to "excellence programmes" managed by the governing bodies of each sport, leading many to fear the loss of a crucial developmental environment.
The school's fate hinges on an impending decision by the city administration committee. The potential closure of this institution has sparked concern among pupils and parents alike. Charlie, a current pupil, expressed his distress by stating:
"It would feel like the school was 'abandoning' him if it closed." – Charlie
Charlie further emphasized the significance of the school:
"The school has produced quite good athletes and it's the only one in Scotland." – Charlie
The looming shutdown feels like an avoidable misstep:
"It would be quite stupid to close it down. I think it would affect good junior athletes in the country." – Charlie
For Charlie and others, the uncertainty is unsettling:
"It's in my head that I might not have this next year and it could affect me in my future." – Charlie
Michelle Junnor, whose child benefits from the school's offerings, voiced her frustration over the lack of transparency surrounding these developments:
"It's horrendous because there's been no notice and we've not been consulted on this," – Michelle Junnor
She criticized the communication gap between the school and its community:
"If this is something so significant that it will affect our children's education and their sporting career, they could have at least been open with us." – Michelle Junnor
Michelle fears that the young athletes are being overlooked:
"They're making these kids feel like they don't matter." – Michelle Junnor
Reflecting on her child's predicament, she shared:
"He's in a position now where he contemplating having to leave school at the end of S4," – Michelle Junnor
Lamenting on lost opportunities for future generations, she said:
"It's really sad that kids aren't going to get that same opportunity. I hope there's something that can happen to boost them." – Michelle Junnor
Recalling her personal experience, Michelle underscored the school's impact:
"It was absolutely crucial for me and I don't know if I would have stood in as good stead going into senior badminton without the School of Sport." – Michelle Junnor
A spokesperson from Glasgow Life acknowledged the historic role of the school's model:
"The current School of Sport model was introduced more than 25 years ago and was designed to meet the needs of pupils from across Scotland at the time." – Glasgow Life spokesperson
Kirsty Gilmour also testified to the school's beneficial role in her career development:
"Being able to do sport and school at the same time was so good," – Kirsty Gilmour
