Barton Peveril Student Selected for National Talent Development Programme

@bartonpeveril student Aimee Bancroft has been selected for the National School of Racing’s (NSR) Talent Development Programme for the third consecutive year, in her bid to become a professional BMX cyclist.

The NSR Talent Development Programme is coordinated in association with British Cycling, helping to nurture 30 of the country’s most talented cyclists (15 male and 15 female) across the BMX, Mountain Biking, Circuit and Track (females only), and Track and Sprint disciplines.

Bancroft, who was formerly a pupil at Thornden School, would previously attend monthly training sessions at the British Cycling hub in Manchester as part of the programme. Instead, due to the impact of the pandemic, Bancroft and her fellow talented young cyclists have monthly online training sessions where they hone their skills.

Headed by Talent Development Coach Dylan Clayton, the programme looks to support cyclists like Bancroft in their ambitions to represent the Great Britain Cycling Team at events worldwide. This is something Bancroft is already looking to achieve, having qualified for last year’s World BMX Championships in the United States of America (this event was cancelled due to the pandemic). This year, the Barton Peveril student has already qualified for the South Regional BMX Championships – a title Bancroft is looking to defend.

At Barton Peveril, Bancroft is part of the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS). TASS equips elite athletes with the opportunity to study and compete at the highest level, with educational opportunities focused on preparing athletes for dual careers in the future.

Speaking on Aimee and her success, Barton Peveril Teacher of Sport, Simon Woodley, said:

“All of us at Barton Peveril are so proud of Aimee’s continued success on the national stage. We cannot wait to see where programmes like TASS and the NSR Talent Development Programme help Aimee to progress to, both at home and abroad, in the future!”