Self-Defence Training for Schools and Colleges
We know that a positive future depends on the well-being of our young people. Their security and knowledge are essential for successfully navigating an increasingly complex world.
At Unleash Self Defence, we believe in empowering young people by teaching them practical skills. We work with many educational institutions including primary and secondary schools, further education colleges, and specialised learning centres, to deliver bespoke training tailored to their students.
We specialise in designing and delivering sessions, whether one-off or courses over several days or weeks. These are tailored towards specific age groups and learning objectives.
We strongly recommend Unleash Self Defence
“We strongly recommend the Personal Safety and Self Defence session not only to all female and male students in sixth form but in lower years as well. Tahir was enthusiastic and motivational, the session was fun, interesting and informative. We are now more prepared to defend ourselves and avoid situations that would bring us in a difficult position. Thank you Tahir!”
Empowering training for our students
“Unleash Self Defence took our Year 13 students for a full morning of self-defence training as part of our University of Life programme. It was hugely enjoyable, informative and confidence-building. Student feedback was uniformly positive.”
Amazing session for building Confidence, Resilience, and Awareness
“The session offered invaluable lessons that went beyond just physical defence; it also focused on building mental resilience and awareness, which we found particularly beneficial. Malik and his daughter shared practical, easy-to-remember tips that made the concepts accessible for everyone, regardless of their fitness level or prior experience.
By the end of the session, everyone left feeling more confident and better equipped to protect themselves. It was a truly empowering experience that has stayed with all of us. I highly recommend this class to anyone looking to boost their physical and mental confidence in self-defence.”
Engaging and confidence boosting classes
“Thank you for all your sessions last week. The boys and staff were all very happy with the variety of activities and now feel much more confident in dealing with potentially dangerous situations. They also had a lot of fun, role-playing scenarios with their peers, and this was also a great fitness training. You and your team all arrived promptly every day and were polite, friendly and helpful. I would be very happy to recommend you.”
Professional, energetic, and enthusiastic instructors.
King’s College is a regular client of ours. Below is a great testimonial :
“To whom it may concern. It gives me great pleasure to write in support of Tahir Ahmad who has worked as a self-defence instructor at King’s College School, Wimbledon.
Tahir was employed at King’s as a self-defence instructor from Unleash Self Defence in 2017 and 2018 to work with our 6th form girl’s as an after-school club. During this time, I found Tahir to be conscientious, well organised, and an excellent instructor. He has a nice friendly manner with all pupils who have benefitted greatly from his tuition.
He has an excellent working relationship with the staff, pupils and parents and made a real impact with the girl’s at King’s in terms of confidence and personal safety.
Tahir is always punctual, energetic and enthusiastic in his work and I can highly recommend him to your Institution.”
Truly an empowering experience, both physically and mentally.
We have the pleasure of working with Grey Court School on a yearly basis for many years now, providing training for both staff member and students. Below is wonderful testimonials:
“Student Training – We booked Tahir to deliver sessions to our Year 10 students as part of an activity day themed around Personal Safety. All communication and organisation prior to the day was swift and effective so we felt confident it would be a success. Unleash Self Defence’s approach and Tahir’s delivery is engaging and thought-provoking and made the students really think about situations they could find themselves in and what their options are. It was also great fun for them and I really enjoyed watching them get involved. I’m sure we will be booking again.
Staff Training- As an Assistant Head, I organised a self-defence class led by Malik and his daughter for our staff, and I can confidently say that it was an incredibly enriching experience. Both Malik and his daughter were not only highly knowledgeable but also exceptionally engaging throughout the session. Their expertise in teaching self-defence techniques, combined with their approachable and supportive demeanour, created a safe and empowering environment for all participants.”
Interactive, fun and very useful sessions
We worked with Old Palace for many years before they closed down. Below is a great testimonial from their Learning for Life Coordinator:
“Dear Tahir, I would like to thank you, on behalf of Old Palace of John Whitgift School, for the time and effort you dedicated to leading our Learning for Life sessions about Personal Safety and Self Defence.
From the feedback received, the students found the interactive sessions fun and very useful. They mostly enjoyed practising their newly learned techniques using the equipment that you provided.
We very much appreciate your support and look forward to working with you again.”
Well constructed sessions
“Tahir and Tehseen provided our pupils with common sense, but well-constructed reminders of how to stay safe. Their relaxed and friendly style was appreciated by the pupils as they discussed simple scenarios and emphasised the importance of staying aware and alert.
The practical sessions on self-defence were much noisier! Again, while the pupils delighted in the novelty to begin with, the graduated approach of building on techniques across the course of the session saw pupils improve step by step. Across all cohorts, the pair commanded respect and attention, indicating how much the pupils valued Tahir and Tehseen’s input.”
Interactive sessions that boost our students’ confidence
“Unleash Self Defence came in to our school to deliver sessions on Self-Defence for Year 13 as they prepare to leave school and many will enter university life.
The sessions were thoroughly enjoyed by all the students, giving them practical and safe techniques on how to defend themselves. The sessions were fully interactive with the students able to practise the techniques, making the advice given all the more useful. Tahir and his instructors are professional and well-qualified, giving confidence to our students and delivering high quality training. We are delighted to work with them now and in the future.”
A successful workshop gave the girls a real boost in self confidence.
Each year we provide training for Rowan Preparatory School. Below is a great testimonial from a staff organiser:
“Year 6 took part in three amazing sessions with Unleash Self Defence Instructor Tahir Ahmad, learning about the importance of personal safety and self-defence. The training has given the girls essential safety skills to help them prepare for being more independent for the next stage of their lives.
Thank you so much for such a successful workshop. It was perfect for our needs and gave the girls a real boost of self-confidence and self-empowerment as well as common sense street safety knowledge.”
We left feeling better equipped to defend ourselves if needed
Another regular client of ours, we have the pleasure of providing training sessions for the Holy Cross School on a yearly basis, for both their staff and students. Below is a great testimonials:
“We recently had Tahir and his son in from Unleash Self Defence to do two staff self defense sessions. The sessions were extremely engaging, informative and empowering. Every single one of us left feeling better equipped to defend ourselves should the occasion ever arise.
Following the fantastically successful staff sessions, we decided to have Tahir in to do a couple of sessions with our Year 13 cohort. Just as we did, our students found these sessions practical and an essential tool in preparing themselves to face the world. Feedback from staff, students and parents has been really positive and we are looking forward to having Tahir in again to run future sessions with other year groups!”
A highly informative and engaging session with practical aspects
Trinity School is a regular client of ours, where we have been providing them with yearly training sessions for their students. Below is a great testimonial from a staff organiser:
“During our lesson series that prepares Upper Sixth students for life after school and further education we had Unleash Self Defence, specifically Tahir Ahmad, in to lead a session on self-defence for the whole year group, in two afternoons. The session was very informative, and the students liked the practical aspects of session. Tahir kept the attention of a large group of students and had them actively engaged.”
The girls enjoyed the session and left feeling more confident.
We have built a great working relationship with St Catherine’s School over the years and provide training for their pupils on a regular basis. Below is a wonderful testimonial from the staff organiser:
“Thanks so much for all the sessions you did – they were very well-received, and the girls really enjoyed themselves and felt more confident by the end.”
Students remained engaged throughout the entire session.
Unleash Self Defence had the pleasure of adding another wonderful school to our portfolio of clients, this time being Ibstock Palace School. We work with them now on a regular basis.
As so many other schools are now offering Self Defence, so Ibstock Palace thought that they should also do the same. And it was one of their staff members who recommended us since we held Self Defence sessions at another school which their child attends.
It was the first time that the school was looking to have Self Defence sessions and so we made sure to give them as much information and guidance as needed, based on our own extensive experience.
In the first year alone, the school invited us to hold Personal Safety & Self Defence sessions for all of their Year 8, Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12 students which totalled 568 students, with the sessions lasting over 3 days.
Both the students and the staff thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and found them to be very useful and informative. Most importantly, all the students felt so much more empowered and confident. And the staff were also very impressed by our delivery, saying that it was amazing how we were able to capture the attention of all the students in such a large number at a time.
Another great success to add to our portfolio, with the school now inviting us to come back every year!
Well done to Ibstock Palace for doing such a wonderful thing for their students which I am sure both the children and the parents will greatly appreciate!
Students left the session truly inspired and confident, having mastered a vital life skill.
We have the pleasure of working with Surbiton High School on a regular basis for many years now. Below is a great testimonial:
“I simply cannot recommend the Unleash Self Defence training course highly enough.
We invited them in to do an all-day carousel workshop so that the whole of Year 10 could benefit from the self-defence training techniques which were taught. The session was fast-paced, highly interactive, thoroughly engaging, and extremely empowering for our young people. They came away with fewer inhibitions, more confidence and a feeling of increased self-worth.
Clear explanations for each self-defence move were given and each one taught, built on the previous one, which gave the students a thorough and graduated understanding of the reasons for the efficacy of each move.
Our students (and supervising teachers!) threw themselves into the session, as many a life-protecting technique was demonstrated by the extremely professional instructors, which were then practised by the students.
Powerful testimonies were used to demonstrate the relevance of the techniques taught and the question-and-answer session at the end allowed students to ask about knife-crime, the importance of looking out for each other in a group, and when to fight for your life.
Students left the session, truly inspired, having mastered one of the most important life-skills they have ever learnt at school.”
A highly insightful session empowering our girls to feel safer on the streets
We have the pleasure of working with Cranleigh School on a regular basis also. Below is a great testimonial from the in charge of Sixth Form PSHE:
“Tahir was great at empowering our pupils to face difficult and dangerous situations with confidence and skill. Tahir provided a range of defence techniques for them to practise, giving them a handy, safety toolkit should they ever need it. Thank you so much for helping our girls feel safer on the streets.”
As soon as the Sixth Form boys found out that the girls had a Self Defence session, they too requested to have some training with us, specifically on Knife Defence, which we provided.
Enjoyable, informative and confidence building training
We have had the pleasure of working with Hurstpierpoint College on a regular basis. Below is a great testimonial:
“Tahir and his team were brilliant. Regular communication with me before, during and after the event enabled the students to have a tailored programme that was well thought through. The students were put through their paces with warm up exercises, self defence blocks and punches, as well as understanding/applying psychological methods to stay safe. A very professional service.”
Our pupils enjoyed the sessions and felt more confident afterward.
Pyrford Primary School contacted us to better prepare their Year 5 and Year 6 pupils with greater understanding and confidence, especially for when moving to Secondary School. Below is a lovely testimonial:
“Thank you to Tahir and his trainers for coming out to Pyrford Primary School to run self defence workshops for our Year 5 and 6 pupils. They really enjoyed the sessions and are saying they feel more confident as they get closer to moving on to secondary school.
The sessions were fun for them and the feedback from the pupils has been really positive.”
The philosophy of Unleash Self Defence
Unlike many self-defence systems rooted in competitive sport or following outdated methodologies, our framework is designed to meet real-world scenarios. Our techniques are rigorously tested and engineered to address the unpredictable nature of street encounters and the complexities of modern aggression.
Our comprehensive approach looks at the dynamics of conflict and gives individuals strategies to navigate every stage of a potentially threatening interaction.
This includes:
- De-escalating verbal aggression
- Responding to physical aggression
- Conquering ones fear and not freezing
At Unleash Self Defence, our training includes mental and psychological conditioning alongside practical techniques. We deliver our highly effective curriculum through structured and engaging courses..
Educators consistently remark on the remarkable speed and depth of student engagement in our sessions. This is a testament to our ability to connect with young people, address real-world concerns, and present information in a manner that is both accessible and meaningful.
Below you will find a list of some of the schools that we have worked with and continue to do so within the UK:
- Hurstpierpoint College (Hassocks)
- Radnor House (Sevenoaks)
- ACS Cobham International School (Cobham)
- King’s College (Wimbledon)
- Cranleigh School (Cranleigh)
- Surbiton High School (Surbiton)
- Non Such High School for Girls (Cheam)
- Broadwater School (Godalming)
- Old Palace of Whitgift School (Croydon)
- St Catherine’s School (Bramley)
- Rowan Preparatory School (Esher)
- Grey Court School (Richmond)
- Putney High School (Putney)
- Pennthorpe School (Ridgwick)
- Southborough High School (Surbiton)
- Moonhall School (Dorking)
- Penwortham Primary School (Streatham)
- Pyrford Primary School (Woking)
The Advantages of Self-Defence Training in Schools
The school and college environment provides a supportive and secure platform for young people to learn essential self-defence skills alongside their peer group.
Our school-based self-defence programmes offer many advantages that will contribute to the well-being of young people:
- Boosted self-confidence: Children and young adults experience a boost in their self-esteem through active participation in our workshops. This empowerment gives them the psychological tools to navigate bullying with greater resilience. It also improves their ability to be assertive and manage challenging relationships effectively.
Cultivating mental resilience: When mental health and well-being are rightfully prioritised within educational frameworks, our training plays a role in improving mental resilience. We give students practical strategies to navigate stressful encounters and potentially dangerous situations, and coping mechanisms that help them deal with everyday pressures and anxieties.
- Instilling self-discipline: The principles inherent in self-defence and traditional martial arts – discipline, self-control, and the cultivation of willpower—are woven into our training. Educators frequently say they are surprised by the positive behavioural changes they see in students, even within the initial sessions.
- Enhancing physical well-being: Our training naturally contributes to improved physical conditioning. Students experience gains in strength and fitness levels and have better mobility, sharper reflexes, and improved coordination.
- Providing a healthy stress-buster: The evidence from our students suggests that our self-defence sessions are a powerful stress-reliever. This effect produces significant benefits for mental health and contributes to improved sleep patterns, cognitive function, and learning capacity. Our training has consistently demonstrated that it can be an effective complementary tool in addressing mental health concerns like anxiety and depression.
Empowering young lives
Unleash Self Defence operates on the principle of combining the values of traditional martial arts – honour, respect, and unwavering discipline – with a contemporary self-defence system that remains responsive to the evolving challenges of the modern world.
Our training sessions are designed to teach practical skills that empower individuals to stay safe when faced with a potential threat or confrontational scenario.
Our curriculum extends beyond physical techniques to encompass critical preventative and reactive strategies, including:
- Sharpening situational awareness
- Understanding stranger danger
Implementing anti-bullying strategies
- Mastering avoidance techniques
- Developing safe disengagement skills
At Unleash Self Defence, safety and professionalism are paramount. All our specialist martial arts and self-defence instructors undergo rigorous DBS checks (or the equivalent in another country where applicable), are fully first aid-trained, and adhere strictly to a comprehensive Child Protection Policy.
Our instructors are highly skilled practitioners and deeply passionate educators dedicated to imparting these invaluable life skills to young people in a supportive and empowering manner.
Tailored training solutions
Our self-defence training programmes are designed to be flexible and this makes them ideally suited for young people across different educational stages.
We work with primary schools to give their Year 6 students the skills and confidence to make a smooth and safe transition to secondary school.
We also specialise in bespoke women-only self-defence programmes for girls' schools. These sessions address the specific safety concerns and empowerment needs of young women. Similarly, we offer tailored training for boys' schools, focusing on the unique challenges and potential threats young men may encounter.
Sixth-form students frequently ask for our specialised training as they prepare to navigate the increased independence of university life and living away from home.
Unleash Self Defence delivers high-quality, tailor-made training to align perfectly with the requirements and ethos of each educational institution we partner with.
We encourage you to explore our case studies for examples of our work within schools and to review the testimonials from our satisfied clients.
Unleash Self Defence also helps children with regular weekly Kids Classes aged 4 to 12 and Warriors Classes for teenagers and young adults aged 13 and above. Additionally, we provide personalised private classes, both on an individual and small-group basis, and other bespoke training plans designed to meet specific individual needs.