A Scottish First, at ISA in Aberdeen
We are delighted to announce that ISA is set to launch Scotland’s first school-based competitive swim club programme. Launching in August 2026, this pioneering initiative is designed to develop the next generation of home-grown athletes right here on our state-of-the-art campus.
ISA Aberdeen Swimming will provide a unique ‘wrap-around’ programme that combines performance-level swim coaching with land-based strength and conditioning training, all alongside our internationally recognised education. The goal is simple: to retain and develop Scottish performance swimmers within Scotland, allowing them to become the best versions of themselves both in the pool and on their educational journey, without the need to travel hundreds of miles from home.
Award-winning Coaching & Support
We are thrilled to announce the appointment of award-winning swim coach Laura Bowie as our new ISA Head Coach.
Laura, who was recently named Scottish Swimming’s Performance Development Coach of the Year and received the 2025 Coaching Award of Excellence from the British Swimming Coaches Association, will lead this exciting new programme. Laura shares our excitement about the possibilities this programme opens up.
“I’ve seen how competitive school swim programmes down south are able to support their swimmers, and I am excited to join ISA to bring that level of integrated support to Scotland. Having attended an international school in Thailand growing up, I also know first-hand the value of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum. It teaches resilience, discipline and a global outlook – attributes that are as vital in the pool as they are in the classroom. We have a unique opportunity here to create an environment where academic and athletic ambition feed into one another.”
Laura Bowie, ISA Swimming Head Coach
State-of-the-Art Facilities & Global Pathways
We are fortunate to have the North East’s most comprehensive on-site school sports facilities, including a 25m competition pool, high-performance gym, and climbing wall. This infrastructure positions us perfectly to support students’ swim aspirations alongside their studies.
The programme is designed to offer diverse futures for our student-athletes. As an IB World School offering the American High School Diploma alongside our IB qualifications, ISA provides a range of potential pathways. Whether a swimmer is aiming to join a national training centre, seeking scholarships at US universities, or looking for entry to universities in Scotland, the UK or other international universities, the school is equipped to support those ambitions.
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National Support
We are incredibly proud to have the support of Ian Wright, National Coach for Scottish Swimming, who views the programme as a significant step forward for the sport in this country. He recently visited ISA and met with Laura and the team involved in setting up ISA Swimming Club.
We are excited to become the school of choice for the North East’s aspiring swimmers and look forward to welcoming new students to our vibrant community.
“I am delighted ISA is establishing Scotland’s first school competitive swim club programme and am incredibly impressed by the quality of the school facilities and the passion and expertise of the staff who will facilitate the programme.
“I have been advocating for this approach for some time as I strongly believe it will complement our local swim club structure and help retain ‘age group’ and ‘junior performance’ talent in Scotland. ISA has my full support.”
Ian Wright, National Coach, Scottish Swimming
