BACA Junior Cricket Academy

Building on the success of our sixth form Aldridge Cricket Academy, we are now extending our partnership with Sussex Cricket to launch the BACA Junior Cricket Academy for Year 7 male and female cricketers. 

In addition to enjoying a full GCSE academic curriculum and enrichment programme at our Ofsted “GOOD” rated academy Year 7 students on the Junior Cricket pathway benefit from:

• Over 4 hours of Specialist Cricket Coaching each week (both in curriculum PE lessons and after-school sessions)
• Up to three 1:1 sessions every half term
• Strength & Conditioning Sessions specific to the needs of cricketers
• Competitive indoor and outdoor playing programmes.

BACA has been voted into the Top 100 schools for cricket in the country 2020 and 2021 by the Cricketer Magazine, one of only four state secondary schools to achieve that status. You can read more about this in our news pages.

"Amazing Aldridge Academy Sets State School Benchmark" - read the Cricketer Magazine's article about BACA.

"The state school that every county needs for a brighter future". Read ex-England skipper Mike Atherton's article in the Times describing BACA as "a beacon for the sport in the state sector".

The Aldridge Cricket Academy provides exceptional state-school facilities and coaching for young cricketers who have a dream to become high level players.  Graduates from our sixth form programme include Will Sheffield, who was named in Sussex 1^st XI squads last season while still at BACA;  Sussex Women’s player Tara Norris; and Liam O’Brien, whose England debut came in last season’s Vitality IT20 Physical Disability Tri-Series campaign.

Our young cricketers have unique access to:

• The £1.8m Sir Rod Aldridge Cricket Centre outdoor and indoor facilities, home to Sussex Women’s Cricket and used for winter training by the Sussex Men’s squad
• Our ECB Level 3 and 4 coaching team:
  • Alexia Walker: Director of Cricket and Sussex Women’s Head Coach
  • Jack Baldwin: ACA and Sussex Cricket Strength & Conditioning Coach
  • Georgia Adams: Assistant ACA Coach, Sussex Women’s Captain, Sussex EPP Coach, and
  • Adrian Wright: Sussex Junior Cricket Pathway Lead Coach 

Our mission is to ensure all BACA students benefit from an excellent education, secure great qualifications and develop into young adults who are the first choice recruits for universities and employers. We inspire each of our students to take control of their education as they develop the knowledge and skills they need to follow their passions into a successful future.

We are accepting applications in Years 7 - 11 to start in September 2023.  To submit an application for 2023 entry please click here.

If you have any questions about the application or the Junior Cricket Pathway please email Alexia Walker, Director of Cricket at awalker@baca-uk.co.uk or Communications Manager, Hannah Irving at hirving@baca-uk.co.uk