Beyond the game – Reimagining student safety in school sport

At St George’s, we see student safety not as a compliance requirement, but as a fundamental way of thinking. It shapes our decisions, structures our investments, and challenges us to lead in safeguarding best practice.

From protocol to culture: The real purpose of safety policies

Safety in sport often rightly begins with equipment with policies on mouthguards, shinpads, or jewellery removal. These policies go beyond mere compliance; they are critical in reducing the risk of injury and in fostering a culture of safety and responsibility among both students and staff.

At St George’s, every student knows that wearing the correct kit, whether that’s a face mask during a hockey short corner or a full hardball cricket helmet, isn’t optional. When players protects themselves, they protect their team. When coaches enforce safety protocols, they model leadership. And when schools uphold these standards, they foster a community where wellbeing is everyone’s business.

Professional development as a safety strategy

Too often, conversations about sport safety miss the most important variable: people. A coach’s knowledge, confidence, and judgment in real-time matters far more than a checklist pinned to a noticeboard.

That’s why we treat ongoing professional development as a strategic pillar of our programme. We ensure our staff — from referees to team managers — are not only qualified, but continuously supported in their learning. Injury recognition, safeguarding updates, conflict resolution aren’t side topics, they are the heart of effective coaching.

Importantly, we empower our staff to prioritise student health above results. This is not always an easy stance in a competitive environment, however the role of school sport must be broader than winning. It must be about enabling young people to thrive — physically, emotionally, and developmentally. Sometimes that means pulling a player early and sometimes it means postponing a return, but it always means putting the student first.

Concussion management: From awareness to action

Few topics have transformed the conversation around youth sport more profoundly than concussion. It’s no longer enough to raise awareness — schools must demonstrate capability. The risks are real, the science is evolving, and the consequences of mismanagement are too serious to ignore.

At St George’s, we adopted formal concussion protocols well before the UK Government published its grassroots guidelines in April 2023. Our partnership with Return2Play gives us access to a structured, clinically-led system that tracks each case from incident to return. Students are not cleared to resume activity until they’ve followed a graduated recovery pathway, overseen by trained professionals.

We believe every school should adopt the guiding principle “If in doubt, sit them out” which builds trust as much as manages risk. Students trust that they’ll be looked after, parents trust that we take injuries seriously and staff are confident knowing they have clear backing when making the cautious call.

Recovery and resilience: A holistic model of care

Sport injuries can damage confidence, friendships, and motivation, as well as interrupt seasons. That’s why our focus extends well beyond the moment of injury. Through Return2Play’s physiotherapy service and our partnership with Locker 27, a specialist strength and conditioning centre, students receive high-quality, individualised support throughout their recovery.

We offer in-school triage clinics twice a week, providing timely assessment and early intervention. Our on-site physiotherapy suite enables regular treatment without the logistical burden of external appointments. Meanwhile, Locker 27 helps students rebuild strength and confidence, guiding them back to their sport with intelligent load management and age-appropriate conditioning.

The message is clear: injury is not a setback, but part of the journey. With the right support, students return stronger, both physically and mentally.

Shaping the future of school sport

We see our approach as an evolving standard. Student safety is not static — it demands continuous reflection, investment, and collaboration. As data improves, and as youth sport becomes ever more visible, schools will be held to higher standards. That’s a good thing, which we welcome.

We also believe schools can be the pioneers. By embedding safety into culture and not just policy, we shape athletes who value wellbeing as much as winning. We create environments where care is active, not passive and we remind everyone involved in school sport that success, at its most meaningful, is measured not in medals — but in moments of courage, connection, and compassion.