Aldridge Academies in both Darwen and Brighton offer Sport as their second specialism, and development work on this is currently underway, to ensure that the best provision can be offered both to the students of the Academies and to the wider community. 

The specialism caters for all abilities and the varying ages of our students.  At our Academy in Darwen, we have a number of gifted and talented athletes and ice-skaters who compete both regionally and nationally, with personalised learning plans developed to ensure that students competing at an elite level have the support they need to continue their education whilst balancing this with the need for training.  The Academy has worked in partnership to develop specialist sports academies in boys ad girls football, cricket, golf, table tennis and netball. 

In Brighton, close links are being forged with major local sports providers to ensure that the students of the Academy and the wider community can benefit from improved access and coaching. Brighton and Portslade Academies have launched the Aldridge Cricket Academy in partnership with the Sussex Cricket Board and Sussex County Criclet Club.

At both Academies, the offer provides opportunities for participation through to excellence.  This includes promoting dance, which in Darwen remains the favourite physical activity for girls.  Student consultation and a student-led sports council ensures that the student voice is represented and listened to.

In addition, a strong leadership, volunteering and vocational emphasis is being embedded.  Students will be encouraged to take part in mentoring activities within feeder primaries, and the Aspire 2 B careers model will also look at vocational sports related careers advice to feed into this specialism.