Harris Academy Clapham pupils join sports stars for school tournament

Year 7 pupils at Harris Academy Clapham took part in a football and netball tournament with guidance from Harry Cain and Beth Durant, aimed at showing how sport builds confidence, teamwork and activity habits. The event also ties into MandM’s push with The Harris Federation to ease kit costs and keep more young people in sport.

Why it matters: - The tournament put school sport in the spotlight at a time when kit costs and low activity levels are both acting as barriers for young people. - MandM’s wider partnership with The Harris Federation is aimed at making uniforms and PE kit more affordable for pupils across London. - The event was designed to show how sport can build confidence, teamwork and long-term participation from an early age.

What happened: - Year 7 pupils at Harris Academy Clapham took part in a football and netball tournament in London on September 17, 2026. - Football creator and UEFA B coach Harry Cain and former England netball international Beth Durant guided the sessions. - Pupils competed in football and netball fixtures, then joined skills demonstrations, Q&A sessions and talks about the guests’ sporting journeys. - The tournament was part of MandM’s partnership with The Harris Federation, which includes 55 schools across London.

The details: - New Department for Education research found that required school uniform and PE kit costs average £442.25 for a secondary school pupil. - The same research found costs rise to £454.31 for girls. - PE kit alone accounts for about £170 of that spend. - Costs are 55% higher when all items must be bought from a school or designated supplier. - London Sport estimates that 594,600 young Londoners, or 53%, are not meeting recommended activity levels. - MandM has already provided more than 6,000 personalised football kits worth £250,000 to children across London. - MandM launched its biggest football offer ever after the tournament, with boots, kits and equipment from leading brands at affordable prices. - Harry Cain said sport teaches teamwork and leadership, and that access to the right kit and equipment helps more young people benefit from those lessons. - Mike Tomkins, chairman of MandM, said cost should not be a barrier to playing sport and linked the retailer’s offer to its partnership with the Harris Federation. - Jenny Rose, head of academy at Harris Academy Clapham, said sport gives young people a platform to thrive and can support physical, emotional and mental wellbeing. - Jenny Rose said the day marked a milestone for Year 7 students and thanked Brandnation and MandM Direct for their support. - Beth Durant said girls can miss out on sport if access to facilities or kit makes them uncomfortable, and said young girls should see women in sport and feel there is a place for them too. - Beth Durant said the pupils’ energy showed the value of giving girls more positive sporting experiences.

Between the lines: - The event paired a feel-good school visit with a broader affordability message. - MandM is using school sport to connect its retail offer with a public-interest issue: access to kit. - The focus on girls reflects a wider participation gap, especially where equipment, facilities or kit expectations create barriers.

What's next: - MandM is expanding its football promotion after the tournament. - The Harris Federation partnership is likely to continue using school-based events and kit support to widen access to sport. - The core challenge remains the same: lower costs do not automatically solve low participation, but they can remove one major barrier.