During their visit in June 2026, detailed in their report released on Tuesday 18th August 2026, ESTYN found:
● “Sporting Chance school uses sport effectively as a tool to improve engagement in learning. The school knows its pupils very well and plans effectively, supporting pupils to actively participate in their learning.”
● “Leaders have developed a secure safeguarding culture where staff have a strong understanding of their role in keeping pupils safe.”
● “Pastoral support is a notable strength of the school. Pupils value this support and the relationships they develop whilst at school.”
● “Leaders have a clear vision for the school, with shared values which are well understood by staff.”
● “Over time, many pupils make secure progress in their attendance, engagement in education and development of physical and social skills.”
Proprietor, and Founder, Paul Parry shared these comments:
“Since our last visit in November 2025, where we were judged to be compliant, we have continued to invest in educational resources, professional staff development and accreditations to improve our learner outcomes. This latest monitoring inspection report identifies the journey we are on and we continue to feel extremely proud of how far the school has come during this time”
Headteacher, Gareth Brenton, shared this statement:
“On joining the school I shared that I was looking forward to the challenges and successes ahead, this is another one of those success moments. On behalf of the school I would like to praise and thank all stakeholders and those who have, and continue to, support us. You are enabling us to change the narrative, leading our learners to succeed within a number of aspects of education. There is no doubt that this successful moment, and hugely positive momentum, is as a result of efforts from our colleagues and more importantly, our learners, who focus on building and maintaining relationships and continue to show resilience as we tackle the challenges of modern life.”
Chair of Management Board, Mark Smith, shared his delight with this message to those working at Sporting Chance:
“I just wanted to say how incredibly proud I am of the whole Sporting Chance team following the positive outcome of our Estyn inspection. The report is a real reflection of the hard work, dedication and commitment you show every day in supporting our learners, building strong relationships and helping our young people re-engage positively with education. To have the strength of our relationships, pastoral support and the positive progress of our young people recognised by Estyn is a fantastic achievement.”
Samantha Parry, Managing Director and D.S.P made these comments when reflecting on the news on the success:
“We are delighted with the outcome from our latest inspection and the publicised report. This will give the team at Sporting Chance the confidence to continue to grow and ultimately enhance the opportunities for the young learners to help them strive for positive outcomes. I’m extremely proud that Estyn noted that pastoral care was a particular strength. From the beginning, this has been at the forefront of everything we do. We have always believed that when our pupils feel safe, valued, supported and understood, they are in the best possible position to thrive
About Sporting Chance
Sporting Chance School, in Newport, opened in summer 2021 as an independent day school providing additional learning provision for pupils with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. Sporting Chance aims to support disadvantaged and marginalised young people to reach their potential using sport as a tool to engage.
Link to full report here…
