Glasgow School of Sport model 'no longer appropriate' for young athletes

The closure of Glasgow’s School of Sport has moved a step closer, as councillors heard the model is no longer “the appropriate way” to support young athletes.

Glasgow Life, which runs culture, leisure and sport services for the council, is proposing to shut the Glasgow School of Sport (GSOS), at Bellahouston Academy, in 2029, once all current pupils have completed their education.

Initially, it had planned to close the school, which opened in 1998, in June this year, but the move was met with anger from parents and pupils and concerns were raised over a lack of consultation.

Following a consultation process, a June 2029 closure date has been proposed. Glasgow Life has said it will work with national governing bodies (NGBS) on the future delivery of high-performance programmes.

Councillors on the Wellbeing, Equalities, Communities, Culture and Engagement City Policy Committee agreed that the recommendations should be referred to the City Administration Committee for approval at a meeting on Thursday.

At the school – Scotland’s only facility that allows young people to develop their sporting talents as part of their education – students specialise in athletics, badminton, gymnastics, hockey or swimming.

Former pupils include swimmer Michael Jamieson, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and badminton player Kirsty Gilmour, who has also won a Commonwealth Games silver medal.

A report to councillors stated there are currently 38 pupils in S3 to S6, down from 60 in April last year. A pause on new students was introduced in 2024 as the council and Glasgow Life looked for funding support.

At the meeting, a Glasgow Life official said: “Since probably 2008/9, when governing bodies became much more established, the Institute of Sport was established, they are now in a much stronger position to be able to support athletes at the appropriate stage in their development.

“There is a general view that athletes are better developed and supported when they are slightly older. That’s certainly the support we got from each of the governing bodies that we met with, and sportscotland, and the institute, feel that they are better placed to support that.”

Glasgow Life had wanted financial help to reflect the school’s “national catchment”, but requests were unsuccessful. Currently, 13 students are from Glasgow and 25 from other council areas. It has been reported that the outturn costs for GSOS are £730,000 for 2025/26, with Glasgow pupils accounting for around £248,000.

Independent consultancy firm Kinharvie was appointed to gather views from students, families, sports clubs and national governing bodies (NGBs). It found 82% of parents and pupils who took part in a survey believed the closure would have a “very negative impact” on students’ sporting development.

The company reported the “prolonged uncertainty” over the future of the school had “disrupted pupils’ exams, competitions, and subject choices, leaving many unable to plan for the future”.

The report to councillors stated that a talented sports performer scheme will be reviewed if the plan to close the school goes ahead. It could be tailored to “better support the evolving needs of talented sports performers in Glasgow”.

The Glasgow Life official said a working group will “look at ways that we can support athletes financially or in other ways to ensure they are able to do what they need to do in terms of training and performance”.

“We are not divorcing ourselves from that conversation, clearly from a Glasgow perspective, we have a responsibility to look after the athletes that are within the city,” he added.

“There is no indication in terms of what that will look like just now, but the general consensus is the model that we currently have at the school of sport is not the appropriate way going forward.”

A final decision on the future of the school will be taken at a future meeting of the city administration committee.