Curriculum sport

Team Sport

We believe in the value of sport in a balanced life and we strive for all pupils to gain the maximum benefit from their sporting experience at Plymouth College. We recognise the role that playing sport and taking part in physical activities plays in improving personal wellbeing and we structure our school timetable to allow all pupils to be active every single day, whether it be a games lesson, team practice, fun swim or a strength and conditioning session.

Our ambition is to nurture sporting culture where all have fun, strive industriously and all excel at whatever level to which they aspire; where individuals can pursue their own sporting interests alongside representing the College in mainstream competition and where the most talented are challenged to reach their potential. We want our pupils to take from school the attitudes, knowledge and enthusiasm that will support a happy, productive adult life and this is as true of sport as it is of other aspects of their education. For some, this will be the experience of being part of a team and representing the College in a sport that really matters to them. For others, it will be in reaching an elite level of competition, representing school, club, region and country before moving onto a career in sport. We also have a responsibility to ensure that all pupils leave school with a positive experience of exercise and of one or more sports or activities which they will pursue into adulthood. The link between good physical and mental health is well established yet very few health conscious graduates play rugby, hockey or netball in their spare time. Many more play squash, badminton, tennis, row, sail, cycle, run, dance, practise yoga or go to the gym. Facilities and a sports offering that support the physical education and mental fitness of pupils beyond the confines of team competitions will ensure that sport is part of an education that will enhance pupils’ lives long after they have left school.

CRICKET

Cricket is played by both girls and boys and and follows a year-round programme built on high quality coaching. A strong fixture card and clear provision of pathways to the professional game via district, county, university centres of excellence and first class cricket. The school has toured both South Africa and Sri Lanka in recent years. Specialist coaching covers all three disciplines – batting, wicket keeping and bowling. Our winter programme includes strength and conditioning support combined with tactical and technical input.

FOOTBALL

Football runs as a recreational club in the autumn term and as the main sport for boys in the spring term. Regular fixtures are played against local schools, with a mid-week programme enabling students to participate in both Football and Rugby Sevens should they so wish. Close links with Plymouth Argyle ensure that talented pupils are able to access their development programmes in and around the City and that the most able can fulfil their dreams of making a career out of the game.

GIRLS’ HOCKEY

Our hockey squads have seen considerable success in recent times with a number of players gaining representative County honours. The U14 team were crowned England Hockey Tier 2 National Champions in 2019. Hockey is played in the autumn term with Saturday and midweek fixtures. College teams are regular participants in County and Regional competitions. A regular tour for keen players is available, with South Africa the most recent destination.

NETBALL

Netball is played during the autumn and spring terms. Each year group has its own squad, training regularly throughout both terms. Our netball squads have grown in numbers over the past couple of years, giving the girls more competition and therefore increasing their motivation and progress. Player development is enhanced by the strength and conditioning coaches who work with our players each week as well as a balanced and bust fixture list which provides opportunities for all. Touring forms part of the provision of opportunities for keen players, with venues as diverse as Cape Town, Paris and Bath being recent examples of planned trips.

RUGBY UNION

Over the last twenty years, our teams (both 15s and 7s) have become recognised as being among the most consistent performers in the country and a significant force in the South West. We have enjoyed eight U18 representations at international level and five at U16 level. Numerous ‘old boys’ play National League rugby both locally and around the country. Each team, throughout the school, from U12 to the 1st XV, has experienced coaches. We field six teams involving a high percentage of boys in the school. At senior level, there is a full programme involving strength and conditioning, skills training, matchplay and nutrition.