Sports

‘Uniting the Movement’ is an integral part of Sport England’s 10-year strategy, and there is no better example of the principles that underpin this than in the ethos for Physical Education (PE) and Sport at NLCS, which places physical activity as a key contributor in the School’s mental health and well-being strategy. The Physical Education and Sport vision mimics the three pillars of the NLCS education and focuses on challenging and stretching our elite athletes, inspiring those athletes who represent the ‘future potentials’ on the pathway to elite sport, and enabling choice for those students who wish to engage in a more recreational pathway of physical activity.

Our PE curriculum continues to offer a wide range of sports uniquely nestled alongside the traditional staples of lacrosse, netball, tennis, and athletics. Badminton, basketball, bouldering, water polo, dance, gymnastics, yoga, HIIT, touch rugby, football, dance and ultimate frisbee are just some of the 23 sports and physical activities available to our students. Encouraging sport for all aims to counter the trend, identified by a recent Sport England research project, of girls becoming less engaged in sports as they go through their teens. At NLCS, whilst the students compete inwardly to be the best version of themselves, it is a non-judgmental environment and students are encouraged to try new activities and find those at which they can excel and derive enjoyment with a clear focus on fun.

We have been working with pioneering and innovative organisations, including Future Action, the Youth Sport Trust, the Well HQ and the Research in PE and Sport groups, to develop programmes that put mental health and well-being at the heart of Physical Education. Similarly, at NLCS, we focus on a ‘handsoff approach to coaching’ that takes the view that young people thrive on the competition of sports, so coaching concentrates on teaching decision-making skills, alongside encouraging the benefits of physical activity and embedding positive habits for a lifetime of exercising. The Middle School Sports afternoon continues to be a highlight of the sports calendar, with multi-sport House events held at the end of each term, and the Winter and Spring Festivals of Sport, enable students to compete in Super6 Lacrosse and Fast5 Netball competitions. All students can engage in enjoyable, competitive physical activities, whilst our older students take on leadership opportunities organising activities for PE Week and supporting Year 7 in their annual Dance Display. Our Sports Captain, Chair of the Sports Committee, Individual Sports Captains, and Sports Committee lead activities encouraging students to try something new.

Sports

Our students continue to excel in all areas, whether individually or as part of a team, with successes in gymnastics, netball, and lacrosse, to name but a few.

TEAM ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2021-2022:

• Our Athletic team qualified for the Track & Field “B” final, and NLCS represented Harrow Borough at the Middlesex Schools Athletic (SAAM) finals.

• In the Herts & Middlesex County Badminton

League our U13 were Gold Medalists and U18

Silver Medalists.

• In the Harrow Borough Cross-Country we were awarded 3 x Gold, 3 x Silver, and 2 x Bronze

Medalists. 15 students from Years 7 to 13 were selected to represent Harrow at the Middlesex

Championships, and 1 student qualified for the

English Schools Competition.

• Our U11 team came 1st place in the ISGA

Regional Qualifier; 5th place in the ISGA

National Finals for Gymnastics

• We were awarded National Schools Lacrosse

U19 Division II Champions; U13 reached the

Quarterfinals in the U13 National Schools

Tournament, finishing in the top 16 out of 72 schools in the country.

• U16 Middlesex County Netball Champions; U13 Bronze Medalists at the London Youth Games.

• Quarterfinalists in National Schools Tennis

Doubles

ELITE SUCCESSES:

• Elite Athlete Mentoring Programme worked with 90 identified high-level and Future Potential students on an all-around holistic programme of support focusing on cutting-edge athlete support.

• 1 student finished in the top 5 in the Public Schools Fencing competition

• 40 students are trialing or currently on the National Lacrosse Talent

Identification pathway and programs, 2 were selected for the U21

Home Nations Championship, 1 first draft for the Senior (Over 18)

Elite “Fly” National competition

• 20 students are involved in the Franchise and National talent pathway for Netball

• 2 students qualified for the British Nationals Ski Championship, 1

Bronze Medal at English Alpine Ski Championships

• In Watersports, 1 swimmer is ranked third in her age category in GB

• In tennis, 1 student is ranked top in GB’s U14 category.