Games
Lower School Curriculum
Autumn Term
- Rugby
- the RFU continuum is followed. Year 3 games begin with touch rugby. Tackling, scrums, line-outs, rucks and mauls are introduced in Year 4 and developed further in Year 5.
- Netball
- emphasis is on basic ball handling skills e.g. passing and catching, developing spatial awareness and cooperating as a team.
Spring Term
- Football
- passing, control, support play, dribbling, heading and shooting. Small-sided games for all age groups building up to larger numbers for House matches.
- Hockey
- techniques involved in using the stick to pass and control the ball. Shooting and goal-keeping skills are introduced.
Summer Term
- Cricket
- skills for batting, bowling and fielding are introduced and developed. Tennis balls, 'kwik Cricket' balls, windballs and Slazballs are used in Years 3 and 4. Cricket balls are introduced in Year 5. The basic skills are introduced for all these games and there is a structured progression towards match play throughout the three years.
- Rounders
- batting, bowling, throwing, catching and fielding skills are all introduced progressively. An 'incrediball' is used in Year 3, moving to a harder rounders ball by Year 4. The rules are presented in a gradual manner leading towards full-match play.
All the pupils take part in House matches. Girls and boys are integrated for P.E. but are taught separately in Games. There are no school matches for Year 3, where the emphasis is on learning, fun and practice. Year 4 has a few matches in the major sports, while Year 5 (Junior Colts) have about six matches in a term.
Upper School Curriculum
Autumn Term
- Rugby
- Year 6 play 12-a-side. Year 7 and 8 play 15-a-side. Running, passing, catching and tackling are the basic skills and by Year 6 the boys are used to scrums (5-man), line-outs, rucks and mauls. In years 7 and 8 the scrums and line-outs become 8-man.
The R.F.U. continuum is followed. - Netball
- Passing, catching, moving into space, marking and shooting, are taught to a high standard so that pupils are ready to play for their House and the School.
Spring Term
- Football
- Much practice with a ball each or in small groups as boys work on their passing, control, support play, dribbling, heading and shooting. Team play, positional play and the laws are taught as the pupils are introduced to the 11-a-side game.
- Hockey
- The basic skills needed for hitting, pushing, flicking, stopping, dribbling, passing and goalkeeping are practised.
Matches are usually restricted to 7-a-side on the Astroturf but on some afternoons the girls are able to benefit with the use of the Mill Hill School Astroturf.
Summer Term
- Cricket
- Batting, bowling, fielding and wicket keeping are taught and practised on the fields, the tennis courts and the astro turf. With a cricket square and two artificial strips we are able to host three matches at a time. There are 5 artificial nets for practice.
- Rounders
- The girls are taught the skills for batting, bowling, throwing, catching, fielding and running. We practise in lessons and play House and inter-school matches.
Inter-School Matches
The boys and girls play matches against other schools in all year groups. We have 5 teams in Year 7 and 8 for rugby, football, netball and hockey and 4 teams for cricket. There are also matches in basketball, tennis, cross-country, swimming and fives.
- Year 6
- 1 PE period and one period of swimming, 2 games afternoons per week
- Year 7 and 8
- 50 minute session of gym/dance or swimming, 2 games afternoons per week
Boys and girls are integrated during PE lessons and segregated during Games lessons.
