Our Key Stage 3 badminton team has made history by winning two national competitions in less than a week, securing their place as one of the country’s top school badminton teams.
On Saturday 29 March, the team triumphed at Badminton England’s National Schools Championships, held at the National Badminton Centre in Milton Keynes. After progressing through county and regional stages, the team, consisting of Bella, Khia, Mutiara and Sofia, emerged as the best team in the country, finishing first out of 400 schools that entered the competition.
The format saw teams competing in pool matches during the morning session, with each match consisting of two singles and two doubles fixtures. The girls dominated the early rounds, securing victories of 5-0, 5-0, and 3-2 and delivered a stellar performance against Nonsuch High School for Girls to claim the national title.
Star player Mutiara, Year 7, played a pivotal role in the team’s success, remaining undefeated in singles matches throughout the tournament. Ranked number one in England for both U13 and U14, she showcased her exceptional talent during the competition by defeating a Year 9 opponent, who is ranked second in England for U15.
Just days earlier, on Monday 24 March, the same girls’ team also claimed victory in the National Cup Final, organised by School Sport Magazine. Competing in this separate nationwide competition, we secured a 5-1 win against Altrincham Grammar School’s U14 team, following an impressive run through five knockout rounds to reach the final.
Mutiara shared her joy: “It was an amazing feeling to win two national champions titles and a great experience to play at the national centre alongside my friends – we weren’t expecting to win all five of our games but were so pleased to make it all the way through to the end.”
This remarkable achievement marks the first time our School has entered either competition, making their double national title win even more extraordinary. The team’s success has been formally marked in the Book of Excellence at a special reception hosted by Dr Miles, Head of Loughborough High School.
Dr Miles said: “This is an outstanding achievement by our girls. To win not just one but two national titles in the space of a week is clear evidence of their dedication, skill, and perseverance. Their success is an inspiration to the entire school community, and we are immensely proud of them.”
Director of Loughborough Schools Foundation (LSF) Sport, Jo Hackett, also shared her pride saying: “This is an incredible achievement for our Key Stage 3 badminton team. To be crowned national champions in two separate competitions within a week is nothing short of extraordinary. Their hard work, determination, and exceptional talent have truly paid off, and we couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Mr Ryan King, Badminton Coach for Loughborough Schools Foundation, was delighted with the girls’ achievement: “The performances from our players have been outstanding. Mutiara’s dominance in singles was incredible, but all players have been instrumental in our success. Winning these national titles in our first year of entering them shows the strength of our badminton programme, and we look forward to building on this success in the future.”
The achievement of the badminton team highlights the School’s commitment to excellence in sport and inspiring young female sporting talent.
Badminton and other sports at LHS
Our high-quality and broad sports curriculum, paired with highly qualified sports staff means that our girls are given a plethora of opportunities in sport. We’re proud to have teams who regularly play and win at a national level. In 2024/2025, we’ve also seen our U18 XI hockey team
. If you’d like to learn more about our excellent sports offer and partnerships with
, we highly recommend exploring our sports page.
