Athletics

Athletics takes place throughout the Summer Term as a morning break activity. Pupils develop their skills and performance in a variety of track and field events. Coaching is in small groups where each pupil can receive the advice and help needed to develop.

Athletics takes place throughout the Summer Term as a morning break activity. Pupils develop their skills and performance in a variety of track and field events. Coaching is in small groups where each pupil can receive the advice and help needed to develop.

Track events include 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres and Hurdles. Field events include High Jump, LongJump, Triple Jump, Shot Put, Javelin and Ball Throw. Pupils develop their skills in this range of events as they move through the school. Sessions have a typical structure of a warm up, skills development and measurement of performance. A supportive, competitive atmosphere is fostered.

Pupils are split into 3 age ranges:

Over 13 and Under 13 (Seniors)
Under 12 and Under 11(Juniors)
Under 10 and Under 9 (Minimus)

Each group has two break time sessions a week.

The Pre-Prep have their own athletics sessions within their timetable.

Break-time sessions lead to ‘Heats’ in late May. The top performers in Heats either win medals on the day (as some events do not take place on Sports Day) or they qualify for Finals on Sports Day. Every pupil will be in an event on Sports Day as there are some whole-school races, such as 400m Handicap and Set Dash.

Sports Day

This is one of the big event days of the school calendar. On Sports Day the finals of various track and field events take place. It is a day when all the family come along to enjoy elite sport, to have a picnic in the grounds and to join in with the family fun races. The top performers in each age group win individual cups and the Set Cup is awarded to the Set that has accumulated the most points in competition throughout the season. 

Athletics Meetings

After Sports Day the training continues for those elite athletes entered for Area Championships. Boys and girls compete in separate events and top placed athletes from these will qualify for the National Championships held in Birmingham each year.

As the season draws to a close all the athletes have their performances for the events analysed and they can gain a certificate in the school’s 5-Star Award Scheme.

Cross Country

All pupils take part in ‘runs’, in various break-time and games sessions throughout the year. An annual cross-country competition is held in March each year. This is the Carson Cup and it has been running for nearly 100 years.

Pupils are grouped into two age groups, Over 11 and Under 11 on the day of the race. The winners of each age group, together with the first girl home, receive handsome cups. The overall top Set receives the Set Cup. Pupils can then have a sip of juice (or in fact a sip of cider) from the cups.