A FORMER top ranking tennis player who runs a specialist sports school in Chingford has blasted the education system for dedicating too much time to academic subjects.

Helen Crook, who competed at Wimbledon eight times, believes the lack of time dedicated to sport in schools could harm Britain's ability to compete on the world stage.

To combat this, she has opened a school for students aged 14 and over called the Freedom School.

Ms Crook, 37, of Brentwood, is currently using a room to teach six students at the Royal Forest Hotel in Rangers Road, but she is hoping to move to a premises in Station Road.

At the Freedom School pupils will only concentrate on three subjects per year so they can focus on achieving sporting excellence.

They will take GCSE exams over two years, enabling to achieve the minimum requirement for university entry.

She said: "The UK education system is failing those with a talent outside academia. The US and European system, which has proved itself to be hugely successful, is based around an intensive morning of academic studies with the afternoon free to train.

"Over here, by the time a child finishes school, there really isn't the time to cram in training, unless of course that child has no life outside school and sport."

Freedom School students work in small groups and guidance is available out of hours to those who need it.

Families wishing to send their children to the school will have to pay a flat fee of £1,000 per year and an additional £2,000 for four hours tuition per week for A-levels.

Ms Crook experienced the American educational system first-hand while studying at the University of South Carolina during a tennis scholarship and now believes Britain can learn from across the Atlantic.

"What we're still failing to do is strike that all important balance, and until we get it right, we'll never be able to emulate the success of our counterparts in Europe and America," she said.

During her tennis career, Ms Crook competed against the likes of Martina Navratilova and Nathalie Tuaziat.

She was at one stage ranked number one for UK ladies doubles.