BrainWaves Living Well 2026 Speaker: SPORT, WELLBEING AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND WELLBEING: BEYOND SIMPLE ASSUMPTIONS

Is competitive sport a good or bad thing for mental wellbeing? Most schools use sport for fitness and competition, but in this session, Gavin with Professor Camilla Knight discuss the power of sport as a powerful mental health intervention. 

Key takeaways:

• How sport can be a platform for promoting belonging and agency (both strong predictors of mental wellbeing)
• How to shift the emphasis on sport away from performance and towards connection and relationships
• What the purpose of sport is and what the goals for sport in your school should be

About Gavin

Gavin English is Deputy Head of Alleyn’s School, having initially joined as a teacher of PE and games, before working his way up to head of Football and then Director of Sport.

In November 2021, Gavin founded and launched The Alleyn’s Academy; an ambitious outreach programme which aims to provide opportunities to break down barriers to access and enable social mobility through sport. This initiative continues to welcome over 100 pupils and their parents to Alleyn’s each week for a fun-filled evening of sporting action.

Outside of Alleyn’s Gavin works closely with the Independent Schools FA. He is also the Chair of Governors for a large state secondary school which is part of one of the UK’s largest Multi Academy Trusts and is a Chairman of a non-league football club.