Lawn Tennis Association
Who we are
LTA Youth Schools has been designed by teachers, for teachers, and it’s all free. The LTA are an afPE Professional Development Board Approved Provider, recognising the high standard of both the resources and the teacher training we provide.
The LTA is the national governing body of tennis and padel in Great Britain, governing and growing the sport from grassroots participation through to the professional game. Our vision is to open up tennis and padel, harnessing them and working with schools, volunteers, coaches and venues across the whole country to transform communities. The LTA runs and supports approved tournaments for players of all ages, the main cornerstones of which are the LTA’s premier grass-court tennis events at The Queen’s Club, Nottingham and Eastbourne, leading up to The Championships, Wimbledon. Schools can access discounted tickets to the LTA events as well as the schools ballot for The Championships, Wimbledon.
What we do
Professional Development
We offer free online and face-to-face training, and upon completion a school will receive a £250 reward voucher. The voucher can be spent on school tennis equipment or team teaching with an LTA Accredited Coach to support both teachers CPD as well as build community links.
Primary Resources
The Primary programme includes detailed inclusive flexible PE lesson plans focused on developing fundamental movement skills, and accompanying videos showing the activities in action. Our primary school teacher training includes personal development assemblies and challenges, cross-curricular STEM resources, as well as intra and inter school competitions, including skills festivals.
Secondary Resources
The Secondary school programme includes detailed inclusive flexible PE lesson plans, GCSE PE assessment drills, and accompanying videos. There are modified formats of the game: the high-energy fitness-based Cardio Tennis, and the fun games within sports hall Red Ball tennis, meaning tennis is accessible and engaging for everyone. There are also a variety of employability materials including the Tennis Leaders Award, and mental health and wellbeing resources, plus intra and inter school competitions for all abilities.
How we help
99% of teachers tell us that their teaching has improved as a result of completing a free LTA Youth Schools teacher training course. With only 56% of primary school teachers feeling confident teaching PE (Youth Sport Trust, 2024) and a decline in PE hours in schools, our programme empowers teachers to deliver high-quality, inclusive PE lessons confidently. Alongside this, teachers tell us that they believe tennis improves pupils’ confidence (90%), pupils’ aspirations (79%) and academic achievement (63%).
Designed by teachers, our resources provide practical strategies for delivering tennis, adapting lessons for all abilities including specific adaptations for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Detailed lesson plans are provided to reduce teachers’ workload yet are flexible allowing adjustment based on the learners. The programme supports wider school outcomes through building broader character skills, leadership and employability skills, and mental health and wellbeing resources.
Working in collaboration with school trusts we can provide free in-person training courses for schools and trusts. We can assist in building links with community tennis venues to support school delivery and sustained exit routes for pupils and staff. For schools who open their facilities to the community the LTA has a range of resources to help manage, operate and promote use for tennis for income generation. With thanks to the LTA Tennis Foundation we are able to invest £250 per school through the voucher scheme.
Schools are kept updated on new offers, such as the Wimbledon ballot opt-in, and receive regular updates through our half-termly newsletters.
