Sports Update
As we move towards the end of the term, it has been fantastic to see the continued enthusiasm and commitment from our students in a range of sporting activities. From football and cross country to hockey, rugby, and netball, our teams and individuals have represented the school with dedication and determination.
The U15 girls had an exciting moment playing their first Football County Cup game against St Bernard’s in their brand-new kit. They got off to a fantastic start, taking an early lead, but despite their efforts, St Bernard’s played around them and secured a 7-2 victory. Although the result didn’t go their way, the team showed great teamwork and sportsmanship, setting a strong foundation for future matches.
On 7th March, over 100 girls participated in the FA’s Let Girls Play campaign during their PE lessons. This initiative, part of a national movement to encourage girls to take up football, was a resounding success, with many students enjoying the opportunity to develop their skills and confidence on the pitch. It was inspiring to see so many young athletes embrace the sport and celebrate the growing opportunities for girls in football.
The cross-country event at Mary Hare saw a number of our students taking on the challenge across different year groups. It was a fantastic day in the sunshine, with some outstanding performances. Special recognition goes to Ant, who placed 5th, Florence, who secured 11th, Sam, who finished 4th, Rohan, who came in 10th, and Oskar, who took 6th place in their respective categories. Well done to all our runners for their effort and determination!
Development days with local schools continued, providing opportunities for students to enhance their skills in different sports. Year 7-9 students had a fantastic turnout for hockey, with Newbury & Thatcham Hockey Club delivering excellent sessions to support their growth in the sport. Meanwhile, the Year 8 girls travelled to Thatcham Rugby Club for their rugby development day, where they gained valuable experience and had the chance to develop their teamwork and gameplay.
Some individual successes include Dylan in Year 8 who came second in a table tennis U15 newbury district tournament, Aanya Year 7 who came 2nd in a County tennis tournament and Sophie Year 11 who travelled to America and became a National Cheerleading Champion with an impressive score of 98.1!
Netball
The netball teams have been incredibly busy as the league matches came to a close. The Year 8's showed great perseverance but ultimately lost their final game to a well-drilled St Bart’s team. The Sixth Form team, however, finished on a high, securing an impressive 19-5 victory against Downs. The Year 9 teams demonstrated grit and resilience, braving the cold and rain to compete in their rounds of matches. Both the A and B teams secured two wins and one loss. The Year 7A team continued their fantastic performances with a 21-10 win, while the B team narrowly lost out 4-3. The Year 10's, despite their commitment and hard work, were unable to secure a final victory, losing 18-4. The Year 11's have had an incredible season, training consistently since the summer, and their passion for netball has been evident throughout. Their A team narrowly lost to Kennet 15-17, while the B team secured a thrilling 18-17 victory against the same opposition.
Overall, the netball league results were outstanding: the Year 7A team finished 1st, the 7B team came 3rd, the Year 8's placed 2nd, both the 9A and 9B teams secured 2nd place, the 11A team finished 3rd, the 11B team placed 2nd, and the Sixth Form team also finished 2nd. A huge congratulations to all players for their dedication and teamwork throughout the season!
Netball fixtures didn’t end there, with additional friendly matches against Leighton Park. The Year 8's dominated their game, winning 38-5, while the Year 7's put up a strong fight but narrowly lost 22-19. On another evening, the Year 9's came away with a strong 21-12 victory, while the Year 10's faced Leighton Park’s best team and put in a determined effort, though they were defeated 33-6. The U18’s also take on Leighton Park in a Netball Under Lights fixture in the last week of term.
Football
The Year 7 football team played fantastically well this season, coming in at 2nd in the district. Unfortunately the first game we played where we conceded a lucky goal determined the final outcome of the league. The growth that this team has made over the season has been fantastic. We have had so many boys turning up to training, which has resulted in the squad being rotated from week to week. This is a real positive as it shows that we have true depth in the squad, and can call upon lots of the Year 7's to step up and play in competitive games.
We ended the season with games against Trinity and St Barts. In both games the boys played extremely well, looking to create space and open up our opponents. A real highlight was the transition from defence to attack, moving the ball around at a quick pace. This has set such a good foundation for the coming years. Things look really positive.
A 4-1 win against Trinity and a 3-2 win against St Barts.
Well done to all that have contributed to a successful season.
The Year 10 Football Team had success again in the District league, winning it for the 4th year in a row. Dominant performances against Trinity, JOG & Mary Hare gave their goal difference a major boost running out comfortable winners. Tighter games against Barts and Kennet posed a bit more of a test but a win against Barts and draw against Kennet meant they took the top spot locally. The County Cup and National Cup was a little disappointing for the players this year with early exits from both after previously doing so well in both but the players will be raring to go in Year 11 to have their last crack at both cups.
The Year 11 Football Team have done well in the District League this term remaining unbeaten in the process with a draw vs St Barts and then wins over Downs and Kennet. There is one more fixture remaining to see if they can stay unbeaten and take the district title against Trinity. The boys have been excellent and it has been lovely to see some new faces this year and many boys playing in the A team. The school football tour also showcased the ability of this year's group with winning both games 4-1 and 9-0. It was an excellent weekend in Torquay and the boys were fantastic. This group will move to senior sport next year where they will thrive.
Senior sport has been great this term with the Sixth Form Football Team having 3 fixtures. These boys don’t all play football outside of school with only a handful actually playing. The boys have been superb with great camaraderie and with the assistance of Year 11 boys stepping up, it has been a really enjoyable term for them. Unfortunately, with two losses and one draw out of the 3 games is what will be shown in the stats but what won’t be shown is their attitude, determination and team spirit to just enjoy themselves and that has been really pleasing to see.
Looking ahead
A massive well done to all students who have participated in sports this term. Your hard work, dedication, and team spirit have been truly commendable. We look forward to seeing what the next term brings in relation to cricket, rounders, athletics and tennis. We hope to build on these fantastic achievements!