For schools
4 min read
Why padel belongs in schools
Padel is a doubles game played on an enclosed, glass-walled court about half the size of a tennis court. It’s often described as a cross between tennis and squash: you serve underarm, play the ball off the walls, and the rallies last longer as a result. It’s easy to learn, hard to master, and genuinely fun from the very first game.
That mix makes it unusually well suited to schools. You don’t need previous racket-sport experience, boys and girls can compete together, and players of different ages and abilities can share a court. It’s active without feeling like a workout, and social by design.
What a school gains
Done well, padel is far more than another sports facility. It can strengthen a school’s sporting offer, its community presence and its sense of place - all at once.
For pupils - a brilliant new sport for PE, enrichment, house matches and inter-school competition.
For the school - a visible investment in sporting innovation, a genuine point of difference, and the potential for additional income.
For the community - a new destination, and a reason for people to spend time at the school beyond the school day.
We’re not simply building courts. We’re helping schools become places where people want to be.
How the partnership works
The model is designed so a school can say “yes” without finding the capital themselves. Hi Padel funds and builds the courts using private investment, then operates them commercially outside agreed school hours - which is what pays for a high-quality, covered facility.
In short
The school agrees a long-term partnership.
Hi Padel funds and builds the courts, with safeguarding the priority.
Pupils get dedicated daytime access.
Hi Padel runs the club commercially outside school-playing hours.
The school shares in the revenue once build costs are recouped.
Hi Padel looks after maintenance throughout.
Our aim is a minimum of three covered courts per site - ideally five, where space allows - plus a welcoming café and social space, so each location feels like a destination rather than just a set of courts.
Pupils come first
A school isn’t a commercial leisure venue, and we never treat it like one. Safeguarding is non-negotiable: clear separation between school and community use where needed, agreed operating hours, proper supervision, and full respect for the school’s own policies. Every decision comes back to one question - is this the right decision for the pupils?
The exact proposition is tailored to each school and site. Lets have a chat and work it out.