Team sport is also considered to be a vital part of the educational process and the School is lucky to have such excellent fields both on the campus or so close at hand. These have been complemented by the provision of the artificial surface at McAllester Field, the new sports hall and the refurbishment of the original gymnasium for the Preparatory School.
Main Sports
The main winter game is rugby but hockey, cross-country and golf are also offered: likewise, in summer, tennis and athletics are offered in addition to cricket. All these sports have most competitive fixture lists, and in recent years Prep soccer and Senior hockey and cricket have achieved outstanding successes. In the Preparatory School, there are also openings for short tennis and swimming as a club activity from the Fourth Form upwards and within the timetable in the Upper Sixth year.
Teams
Matches are played every Saturday throughout the School year and there is an automatic assumption that those selected for School teams will honour these commitments. The School has three specialist P.E. staff but a large proportion of the academic staff also helps with the coaching and running of teams. This contact outside the classroom is considered to be a vital component in engendering harmonious and positive pupil-teacher relationships. The same is also true of the supportive parents and of the Ladies' Committee who provide all the post-match catering.
Sport-for-All
As well as competitive team sport, the P.E. department is concerned to commend an awareness of general fitness and healthy living. This involves not only extensive weight-training in the new sports hall area but also the promotion of a Sport-for-All policy. Even those pupils who consider themselves to be unathletic can find a niche for themselves in a variety of sports, ranging from badminton, squash or basketball to table-tennis.
Sport in the Community
The School is also conscious of the contribution it can make to the local sporting community. This partnership is seen most obviously in the shared use with Oxton Hockey Club of the all-weather surface and the large number of pupils who play cricket and hockey for Oxton.
