Schools we work with

Long Road Sixth Form College is a college of around 2,600 students on the south of Cambridge and one of two Sixth Form Colleges in the city. The average GCSE score on entry is lower than average for the sector, and around 200 students start on a 1-year access course, completing Level 2 courses, before starting the two-year Level 3 programme. We started our sessions with Long Road in the Summer of 2024, and we recieved 21 students of which 19 were female. This school year we are hoping to run sessions that have three levels of ability to offer the most to the sixth form pupils - a mixed quad made up of those who have a strong rowing ability, an 8+ of intermediate rowers and finally a novice 8+ who started with us this year in September.

North Cambridge Academy is a secondary school that has a capacity for up to 700 students aged 11-16, in which 50% of it's students are eligable for free school meals and 70% of it's pupils are eligable for pupil premuim. North Cambridge Academy is the first school that we partnered with, our programm has now seen 12 out of 16 students joining the City of Cambridge Rowing Club junior sqaud. Their teacher Adam Carter stated that "We have seen notable increases in confidence from some of the students, and an increased personal maturity in others that already had the confidence!" since starting rowing with EAYR. Young people who were genuinely scared of being close to the river are now able to take out one person rowing boats and row competently over distances of 5km - 10km with little assistance.

Coleridge Community College is a school located in south Cambridge with around 500 students, in which 36% of it's students are eligible for free school meals. Students from coleridge who join us at City of Cambridge rowing club have cycled from school so alongside the rowing skills and confidence that students have gained from weekly water sessions, cycling to the boathouse has allowed students to developed skills around independence and independent travel, bike maintenance and cycle safety with the aim of being accountable in attending sessions on a regular basis and putting effort in to developing skill over time.

Parkside Community College is a school located in the centre of Cambridge, with around 700 pupils. The students we have joining our rowing program walk from school to our boathouse where we split groups of 30 in half, where half is doing water trainign and the other is doing indoor training. We hold 3 sessions a week with parkside college, the pupils from this school have picked up the sport very quickly from being complete beginners to moving as crews together in just the first few weeks of the Septemeber half term.

East Point Academy is located in Lowestoft in which 42.6% of it's pupils are eligible for free school meals. Our partnership with this school has meant that we were ale to offer; and introduction to rowing day for their Year 8 students, a workshop lead by British Rowing for 8 PE teachers at the school to help increase the usage of rowing machines in lessons, as well as a schoolwide rowing competition in which the 2 fastest boys and girls from each year group had their times submitted to National Juniors Indoor Rowing Competition and an after school rowing club that provided water sessions. Partnering with Lowestoft Rowing Club, the aim will be for students of East Point Academy to join Lowestoft Rowing Club and build their junior programme over time.

Ormiston Denes Academy High School is located in Lowestoft in which 55.6% of it's pupils are eligible for free school meals. Our partnership with this school has meant that we have offered them; a rowing introduction day for their whole year 8 cohort, a teachers workshop provided by British Rowing for 4 of their PE teachers, the aim is to row through Oulton Broad Water Sports Centre and build their junior rowing programme over time.

We have partnered Farlingaye Highschool with Deben Rowing Club and through this we provide the school with lunchtime and curriculum indoor rowing programs across the school. Pupils from this school have since finished top 10 at the National Junior Indoor Rowing Competition, there were 47 pupils from the school competing in this event.

Malcolm Arnold Academy is a mixed-gender school in Northampton with approximately 1300 students aged 11-18 across it’s secondary school and 6th form. With a predominantly female uptake in rowing, the school runs a PE Teacher led weekly erg session, with EAYR coaches providing erg session plans and videos of how to complete movements correctly. With the school taking part in the EAYR erg competition as well as having been successful in their own trust erg competition several times in the past, rowing is becoming a priority at the school that will hopefully continue to grow. Partnered with Northampton Rowing Club, the aim is to support the growth of the club through student membership is the end goal.

Champion School is a mixed-gender secondary school and 6th form (ages 11–19) with approximately 1,397 students, and is known for academic achievement. While academic achievement is high, there appears to be a growing interest in extracurricular activity and to have a sports offering as part of that. EAYR has started to work with Champion School in a similar way as with Malcolm Arnold Academy in providing remote support to PE staff so that they are able to provide erg sessions, allowing students to develop their rowing skills while being supported by video footage provided by EAYR coaches. The aim is to improve skill, knowledge and understanding of rowing instructions, so when appropriate the kids can go to Northampton Rowing Club (the school’s partner club set up by EAYR) on a regular basis and enjoy outdoor sessions.

In Ely, the current school that works directly with EAYR is Ely College. As a Secondary School and 6th form with approximately 1650 students, Ely College had begun to develop a relationship with the Isle of Ely Rowing Club through one of the school teachers being a member of the club. EAYR was originally asked to be involved in a supportive capacity for an annual multi-school regatta held in Ely, and became aware of multiple schools having an interest in providing rowing on a regular basis in a similar format to Ely College, and as a result EAYR has come in to support the college by developing a specialist program that has made the experience of engaging kids a more successful weekly session, with 25 students taking part in weekly after school water sessions, even in winter.

Given the success of this program, EAYR is now beginning to build programs with Highfield Ely Academy, Soham Village College and Witchford Village College and linking each school with Isle of Ely Rowing Club. The aim of each program is slightly different, as the needs of each school are different, but with the aim of developing a lasting indoor program for each school and strong relationship with EAYR and the Isle of Ely Boat Club to increase the number of students actively engaging with rowing and joining their local club to develop the junior program.