PREP SCHOOL SPORT

It has been wonderful to see our full school fixture list start back up again after being hit so hard during Covid restrictions. Sport and physical activity play an enormous part in Prep School life, with an emphasis on inclusion, participation, support and enjoyment, together with competitive levels of performance. Skill development, progress and opportunity are all central to the pupils’ sports provision.

Timetabled lessons include a wide range of sports: rugby, netball, football, hockey, tennis, cricket, athletics, volleyball, badminton, basketball, handball, gymnastics, health-related fitness, swimming and general ball skills. In addition, opportunities have included cross country events, rowing, a cycle race and swimming lessons and galas. Outdoor Education has also been a very popular addition this year and we look forward to seeing this grow and develop even further next year.

It has been good to restart our interschool sports fixtures, with a full set of matches being played in each term. Following national and regional trends, our girls’ football and cricket really continued to grow. It has been excellent to see the children and staff really embrace normal school life and the return to fixtures has been most welcome, being greeted with enormous enthusiasm. There have been numerous inter-House competitions throughout the year, including all of the major sports, as well as several sports-based challenges and competitions. The House cross-country again showed wonderful support and sportsmanship. Congratulations to Kit, Heidi, Arthur, Marah, Alfie and LilaMai who all won their respective races. A special mention must go to Arlo in Reception, who finished 5th in the U7 race.

Swimming has continued to play an important part in our sports curriculum, with all age-groups having a block of lessons during the year. Our inter-House gala is always an enjoyable event, showcasing the children’s talents, with this year’s being no exception. In addition, the gala against West Buckland and Caen also provided an opportunity for our swimmers to excel. A special mention must go to Alfie in Prep 6, as he was part of the team representing the South West taking part at the ISA National Finals at the London 2012 Olympics Aquatics Centre, achieving a bronze medal in the 200m relay. A talented sportsman, Alfie was awarded a sports scholarship to the Senior School for next year.

Other individuals to note include Ashton in Prep 6 who again took part in the races of the Gliddon and Squire Cross-Country League and Louis who has become the boys’ individual champion at the North Devon Gymnastics Competition in March. Annabelle L and Amilia were both instrumental in the success of the under 11 girls’ football team, both in terms of skill level and determination. Amilia was a goal scoring machine, and they are both exciting prospects for the future. These are all outstanding achievements.

Our Cycle Race and Sports Day towards the end of the academic year, again proved to be very successful events, showcasing the children’s enthusiasm, talent, teamwork and support for their peers. Congratulations to Pollard House who won the Sports Day Cup.

Sport also plays a large role in our Prep School activities programme, for all ages. From golf to cricket and from tennis to netball, the children have really excelled in these activities. Our pupils have also achieved some excellent results in the equestrian world and a special mention to Harry and Annabelle G who have shown talent in this area.

My thanks to the children and staff for their remarkable enthusiasm, commitment and resilience, in what has been an incredibly busy and productive year.

After some rather concerning heavy showers first thing in the morning, we were blessed with warm sunshine for this year’s Prep Sports Day.

This was our first Sports Day with four Houses in the Prep School, with Pollard House now well and truly embedded. Competition was fierce and there were many wonderful performances from the children. In addition, their enthusiasm, sportsmanship and commitment to encouraging their peers was outstanding. A good indication of their enthusiasm was the number of children who stepped forward to take part in the distance races, including the 1000m for Prep 5 and 6.

Thanks go to the staff for their hard work, to parents for their wonderful support (and competitive racing in the egg and spoon race!), and of course, to the children who made the day such a success. And finally, well done to Pollard for winning the House competition!