Senior Sports

Sport that shapes lives

We are blessed to have 110 acres of land at Langley Senior School, and we make use of every corner of our site.

One of our themes at Langley is ‘space to explore’, and our approach to sport encapsulates that theme. Our facilities are first class, and the variety of options on offer allows our pupils the opportunity to explore a range of sports. Our core sports at the Senior School site are football, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, and athletics. Led by our Director of Football – Grant Holt, The Langley Football Academy is also based at our Senior School, offering first class football progression alongside an outstanding academic curriculum.

Celebrating Performance, Progress & Perseverance

The multi-sport experience at Langley is for all ages and levels, from aspiring professionals to recreational players. At every level, we celebrate performance, progress and perseverance because we know that training, fixtures and competition are mentally and physically enriching for all. Through the wide and varied sporting offering at Langley, we want pupils to gain experience, feel satisfaction, contribute to society and reach their full potential.

We have a number of full-sized pitches for rugby, cricket and football. As hosts of the annual National U15 Rugby Festival, we are fortunate to be able to use multiple pitches at any one time, extending our ability to provide coaching and lessons to many year groups simultaneously.

Our indoor facilities include a full-sized sports hall with multi-sport capabilities. There are changing rooms, toilets and shower facilities. We have a well-equipped gym to complement the training process.

Outdoors, as well as our pitches, we have a full-sized Astroturf suitable for hockey and tennis. It benefits from floodlights, extending the usable hours of the facility.

We are proud owners of a Teqball table, blending table tennis with football, delivering a challenging extension of on-pitch skills for our football enthusiasts.

There are also two outdoor table tennis tables: one in the main campus area and one outside the Alston Centre for our Sixth Formers.

We are incredibly proud of our facilities, but the most important factor in our sporting success is the team that delivers our Sports programme.

“My commitment is to ensure that every pupil has the opportunity to thrive, grow in confidence, and discover what they are capable of. Sport is about far more than fixtures; it is about character, belonging, and representing Langley’s values with pride both on and off the field. My vision is to build a sporting culture where every pupil is supported to reach their potential and where excellence is celebrated.”

Jonny Wheeler, Head of Sports

Meet the Team

Level 3 Rugby Coach and qualified Strength & Conditioning coach, Jonny has extensive experience working in talent development for Yorkshire Rugby Academy and Leicester Tigers, where he still coaches in the Junior Academy in Norfolk. Jonny has also worked in professional rugby in France and is close to completing a PhD in talent development in rugby union.
Grant’s early career took him across the world, including playing in the likes of Australia and Singapore. Returning to the UK, he played for Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale and Nottingham Forest, where he became the club’s top scorer and was awarded Player of the Season. After a loan period at Blackpool and a move to Shrewsbury Town, in 2009 Grant joined Norwich City and for three years in a row was awarded the Player of the Year and went down in City’s history as one of the top goal scorers. In 2013, Grant moved to Wigan Athletic, was then loaned to Aston Villa, before stints at Huddersfield, Wolverhampton, Rochdale and time up in Scotland playing for Hibernian. He also had spells at King’s Lynn Town, Barrow – where he was player-coach – and Wroxham.
From league to FA Cup, Grant made 586 appearances during his playing career and scored an incredible 193 goals. Today, he leads the Langley Football Academy and is also a scout for West Ham.
I spent six years at the Community Sports Foundation working my way up from part-time Coach to Sport Development Officer. The following six years after that I spent at Norwich City Football Club, working initially as Operations Manager/Academy Coach, and then moving to a position as Foundation Phase Lead Coach before joining the Langley Football Academy (LFA).
My proudest sporting moments include seeing players that I’ve coached go on to make their first team debut for Norwich City, along with players I have coached representing their youth international teams, and, of course, Matt Ward coming into the LFA from China and leaving us as a professional footballer with Ipswich Town.
My football journey started at a young age, progressing through the Norwich City Football Club pathway, representing Norfolk U18s and playing Step 4/5 senior football. Immediately after leaving school I went into a football coaching apprenticeship at Norwich City Community Sports Foundation, where I built around 12 years of coaching experience, working with elite football players and taking various job roles to support young players with their football development.

Coaching is a strong passion of mine and I enjoy seeing young players progress and helping them meet their individual goals. During my time with the football club, I experienced a number of players who have progressed into academy football and careers in the sporting industry.

In 2018, I completed my FA UEFA B Licence football qualification and this has allowed me to develop within my coaching career, enhancing my personal development and experiences. I am always looking to grow in all areas as a coach and a person, benefiting the players who I work with.

At Langley, I am looking forward to continuing to support and further develop the pupils at the school, both on and off the pitch, with their future exit routes and pathways. I am aware of some of the previous success stories from the LFA and the most recent being Matty Ward, playing with him at Wroxham FC throughout his transition into senior football.
I am Head of Girls’ Games at Langley Senior School, where I lead the planning and delivery of girls’ sport across the school. My role includes organising fixtures and extracurricular activities, coaching netball, hockey, rugby and cricket, and giving pupils a voice through our This Girl Can group.

I also teach GCSE PE and BTEC Sport, helping students connect the theory behind sport with practical performance. I hold a BSc in Sports Coaching and Physical Education, an MSc in Sports Science, and a PGCE with Qualified Teacher Status.

Career highlights include our U14 girls becoming County Champions in Rugby Sevens, with two Langley teams taking part in the competition, and the U15 boys’ Handball team reaching the regional stage in 2024.

I love seeing pupils discover what they are capable of – whether that is learning a new skill, working as part of a team or realising they can achieve more than thought.
Growing up in a hockey family, I started playing at just 4 years old and I very quickly developed a deep love for the sport. I pursued the game passionately and progressed through the levels, having the privilege of representing England at both U16 and U18 level.
I knew I wanted to channel my passion for hockey into a career focused on coaching and working with young people. I went on to study Sports Coaching at Loughborough, where I played for the university’s 1st team and gained valuable National League experience. I’ve accumulated nearly a decade of National League playing experience, and I currently captain the Ladies 1st team at Harleston Magpies Hockey Club.
Today, I lead the Junior Coaching Programme at Magpies alongside my role at Langley, drawing on my extensive experience both as a player and a coach. My aim at Langley is to inspire pupils to enjoy playing hockey, foster a lasting connection with sport, and build the skills and confidence that will serve them both on and off the pitch.