Sheffield and Greater Sheffield Schools Bouldering Competition 2025

The Sheffield Schools Bouldering Competition 2025 has once again been a fantastic celebration of climbing, teamwork, and determination. This year, we saw an incredible 45 schools and over 600 students take part in the qualification rounds across Sheffield and Greater Sheffield in January and February. Our goal has always been to introduce climbing to as many new participants as possible—especially those who might not typically have access to the sport. To ensure fairness and inclusivity, we asked primary schools teachers to follow our selection criteria, prioritising students who are new to climbing rather than those who already climb regularly.

One of the teachers taking part told us that 'beyond the physical challenge, this experience had a profound impact on the students' confidence and sense of belonging. Being ‘selected’ to represent their school was a first for them, making them feel truly special and valued.'

The qualification rounds featured 15 climbs set specifically for the competition, covering a wide range of difficulties from beginner-friendly climbs, to more challenging problems. One of the most rewarding aspects of this competition is seeing so many young people get their first taste of climbing. Our hope is that, for some, this experience will ignite a passion that lasts a lifetime. To encourage continued participation, every student who took part received a certificate that allows them to return to The Mini Climbing Works at a discounted rate.

The competition finals were held over two days, with Sheffield schools competing on Wednesday, March 12th, and Greater Sheffield schools on Thursday, March 13th. Each day was split into two sessions, with primary schools competing in the morning and secondary schools in the afternoon.

At the heart of the event was a supportive and friendly atmosphere, where competitors not only challenged themselves but also cheered each other on. While everyone was working hard to score as many points as possible, we made sure to emphasise that success wasn’t just about reaching the podium. Each coach was asked to recognize students who demonstrated key Sheffield Games values—determination, passion, teamwork, or self-belief. Those who stood out received special prizes and certificates, celebrating their positive attitude and contribution to their team. All certificates have once again been beautifully designed by the talented Seb Lopez.

A huge thank you goes to our incredible route setters, who designed 12 fantastic climbs exclusively for the finals. Their hard work ensured that the competition was both challenging and accessible, giving every participant a chance to push themselves while having fun.

This event would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, who kindly provided prizes for both podium finishers and special award winners. A huge thank you to CORE for the beautiful medals and trophies, and to Moon, DMM, and Wide Boyz for their fantastic selection of prizes. We are also incredibly grateful to Thornbridge Outdoors and LINKS for their ongoing support, and to ALPKIT Foundation for sponsoring places for two schools, helping to make the competition even more accessible.

We also want to extend our gratitude to our brilliant coaching team, who helped make this event such a success. A special thanks to all the teachers and parents who took the time to bring their students to the competition and support them throughout the event.

As we wrap up another fantastic year of the Sheffield Schools Bouldering Competition, we look forward to seeing even more new faces discover climbing in the future. Whether or not they stood on the podium, we hope every participant left feeling inspired and excited to climb again. See you all next year!

Position	School
1st	Hunters Bar Junior
2nd	Totley Primary
3rd	Walkley Primary
4th	Bethany Primary
5th	Westways Primary
6th	Nether Green Primary
7th	Norton Free C o E
8th	St Thomas of Canterbury
9th	Phillimore Primary
10th	Norfolk Community Primary