English Schools' Athletics Championships


The English Schools' Athletics Championships are annual national athletics competitions organised by the English Schools' Athletic Association ESAA for students in England aged 12–18 for track and field, cross country and race walking.
The events are used to select the English team for the Schools International Athletics Board competitions and the ISF World Schools' Cross Country Championships and World Schools Track & Field Championships.

Age groups

Age groups for the championships are defined based on a student's age on 31 August of the school year in which the competition is held as follows:
Group Age at 31 AugustAge at EventSchool Year
Junior 13–1412–148–9
Intermediate 15–1614–1610–11
Senior 17–1816–1812–13

Track and field championships

The track and field championships have been held every year since 1925, are the 4th largest athletics event in the world and since 2003 have been held at the major athletics venues of Birmingham Alexander Stadium, Gateshead International Stadium and former Sheffield Don Valley Stadium.
To be eligible to compete students must attain an . Each county selects a team for the championships from the eligible students attending schools in their area subject to various constraints including maximum team sizes and students only being allowed to participate in a single individual event at the championships. Teams earn points based on the finishing position of their students in each event and their performances levels. The teams compete for various trophies based on their points earned. Since 1951 Essex have attained the overall highest points total the most times.
#YearVenueWinning Team
11925Crystal Palacemultiple
21926Stamford Bridgemultiple
31927Stamford Bridgemultiple
41928Stamford Bridgemultiple
51929Stamford Bridgemultiple
61930Stamford Bridgemultiple
71931Readingmultiple
81932Guildfordmultiple
91933Southend-on-Seamultiple
101934Blackpoolmultiple
111935Ketteringmultiple
121936Margatemultiple
131937Brightonmultiple
141938Derbymultiple
151939Loughboroughmultiple
161946Etonmultiple
171947Hullmultiple
181948Bathmultiple
191949Carshaltonmultiple
201950Port Sunlightmultiple
211951SouthamptonMiddlesex
221952BradfordYorkshire
231953UxbridgeMiddlesex
241954AshingtonYorkshire
251955ManchesterSurrey
261956PlymouthYorkshire
271957SouthamptonEssex
281958Houghton-le-SpringLancashire
291959NorthwichEssex
301960ShrewsburyMiddlesex
311961ChesterfieldMiddlesex/Yorkshire
321962HullYorkshire
331963ChelmsfordYorkshire
341964HendonYorkshire
351965WatfordLancashire
361966BlackburnEssex
371967PeterboroughLancashire
381968PortsmouthLancashire
391969Motspur ParkEssex
401970SolihullLancashire
411971Crystal PalaceLancashire
421972Usworth WashingtonWarwickshire
431973BebingtonWarwickshire
441974ShrewsburyMiddlesex
451975DurhamMiddlesex
461976CannockMiddlesex
471977HendonEssex
481978ChesterfieldEssex
491979NottinghamWest Midlands
501980KnowsleyEssex
511981YeovilWest Midlands
521982BirminghamWest Midlands
531983PlymouthWest Midlands
541984ThurrockWest Midlands
551985HullWest Midlands
561986PortsmouthWest Midlands
571987BirminghamWest Midlands
581988YeovilWest Midlands
591989WiganKent
601990DerbyWest Midlands
611991StokeWest Midlands
621992HullEssex
631993BlackpoolWest Midlands
641994TelfordEssex
651995NottinghamEssex
661996SheffieldEssex
671997SheffieldEssex
681998ExeterEssex
691999Bury St. EdmundsEssex
702000SheffieldEssex
712001ExeterEssex
722002NottinghamSurrey
732003SheffieldEssex
742004GatesheadEssex
752005BirminghamEssex
762006GatesheadKent
772007BirminghamEssex
782008GatesheadEssex
792009SheffieldEssex
802010BirminghamSurrey
812011GatesheadEssex
822012GatesheadSurrey
832013BirminghamSurrey
842014BirminghamSurrey
852015GatesheadEssex
862016GatesheadEssex
872017BirminghamSurrey
882018BirminghamEssex
892019BirminghamEssex

Cross country championships

The cross country championships have been held every year since 1960 for boys and 1968 for girls. Originally separate events were held for boys and girls but since 1989 they have always been combined.

Combined events and race walking championships

A separate championships is held each year for combined events and race walking. For combined events students compete in the track and field pentathlon, heptathlon, octathlon and decathlon events. For race walking students compete over 3000 metres and 5000 metres.

Notable competitors

Many competitors at the English Schools' Athletics Championships have gone on to win individual Olympic and World Championship medals including multiple gold medallists Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, Kelly Holmes and Greg Rutherford.