New Head of Sport
Ampleforth College is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr David Laventure to the role of Head of Sport as of 1 January 2026. David comes with a background of success and a wealth of experience in both education and sport, particularly in coaching, mentoring and performance management. He graduated from St Mary’s College with a Bachelors degree in Sport Science, whilst also representing London Irish, before falling in love with the teaching profession.
David has successfully undertaken a number of management roles in boarding, staff development and academic subject leadership, but it is in sporting life where he has left his greatest mark. Initially as Head of Rugby and subsequently as Director of Sport, he helped transform Stamford School into one of the country’s leading protagonists in all areas of recreational and competitive sport. By the end of his tenure, the school saw major success at national level across the board, especially in hockey, tennis, and cricket.
He is an advanced level 4 practitioner in rugby union and has worked with the England Age Grade/schools programme, in addition to working for Leicester Tigers in talent identification, coaching, and player development. His interest is much wider than simply rugby and he has worked in a number of different sports as a coach developer and mentor. David has supported an impressive number of young athletes into representative and international honours and careers in a range of professional sports.
On his appointment David reflects; “This is not only an exciting opportunity, but also a privilege to be part of what is clearly a warm and thriving community. It is also evident just how important the role of sport is in both the Headmaster’s vision for the school and the lives of the pupils at Ampleforth. We will continue to work hard to ensure that sport remains central to the holistic development of our girls and boys as we both challenge and support them to do their very best.”
