Sport and Physical Education

Physical Education is compulsory for all year groups and plays a major part in the life of College. Our programme gives every pupil an understanding and value of the importance of physical activity in her daily life. At the heart of what we do is creating confident and competent learners through excellent teaching.

We are only a part of each girl’s journey, whether she is a regular gym user, recreational jogger or international athlete. We aim for all pupils to be consistently active for their own reasons and we support them to flourish in their chosen sports or activities.  

As part of a multi-million pound redevelopment, College’s Health and Fitness Centre opened in 2018. Our sports facilities include:

- Two sports halls
- Climbing wall
- 25-metre swimming pool
- Dance studio
- Multi-purpose studio
- Five squash courts (which transform into two multi-purpose rooms)
- State-of-the-art fitness suite
- Large playing fields 
- Two all-weather pitches 
- Specialist hard court netball and tennis centre

We provide a wide range of co-curricular activities both on and off site. We also have an extensive fixture list and pupils who are not regularly competing for College are encouraged to enjoy an enriched ‘Saturday Active’ programme of sporting activities. 

Our approach to fixtures is to focus on the process and not the outcome. Each fixture is an extension of the learning that has taken place in PE lessons and clubs. Girls enter a fixture with the knowledge of what they are working on that day and what success looks like for them. That doesn’t mean we aren’t competitive and don’t celebrate successes, it means that competitive sport for young people must be focussed on learning first and results second in order to continue growth and progress.

Supporting Student Aspirations

Physical Education at CLC is based around the long-term outcomes of the physically literate individual. We desire to build confidence and competence in each girl so they feel empowered to stay engaged with sport and physical activity for the rest of their life. Part of this process means Lower College pupils play lots of different sports and are offered the chance to be involved in a wide range of competitive opportunities. As they progress through College, they may choose to start to specialise in a smaller range of sports. This enables us to offer rounded support to the student athlete whatever their aspirations become.

Those girls aspiring to perform at a high level in their chosen sports will have access to sports specialists, supplementary workshops, strength and conditioning expertise, and mentoring with experienced staff. We aim to help students balance the demands of their academic and sporting programmes, placing the pupil at the centre of the process. Students are supported to perform in external contexts, working with the many organisations with whom we partner, and we are fortunate to be able to nominate girls to governing body pathways throughout the year.

CURRICULUM PROGRAMME

The girls follow a diverse curriculum whereby pupils focus on concepts and competencies across a number of sports, games and physical pursuits. Each week they have the opportunity to explore their learning further in club contexts and through fixtures.

All lessons incorporate a programme of physical literacy aimed at developing the individual performer. Physical literacy is an important part of early development in sport and physical activity and we ensure the pupils continue to develop fundamental movements throughout. Parallel to the physical goals, we know that As part of our learning programme, we also seek to embed psychological, social and emotional development.

Pupils can start to specialise in a smaller number of sports aligned with their personal interests as they progress through College. We acknowledge the importance of a healthy lifestyle for those less interested in the competitive side of sport, and we work hard to promote an awareness of health, fitness and wellbeing in everyday life.

Pupils have an opportunity to develop their leadership skills, which supports the development of character, citizenship, and spiritual, moral, social, and cultural values through PE and school sport.

STAFF LIST

Director of Sport and Physical Activity: Mr Will Parker

Mr Simon Padley (Assistant Director of Sport - Performance and Head of Hockey)
Miss Claire Johnson (Assistant Director of Sport - Participation)
Miss Penny Thomas (Assistant Director of Sport - Curriculum PE)
Ms Julianne Clark (Head of Netball)
Miss Hannah Clarke (Head of Strength and Conditioning)
Miss Martha Cornbrooks (Head of Lacrosse)
Mr Nick Davidson (Table Tennis Coach)
Mr Conor Dockery
Mr Samuel Edwards (Tennis Co-ordinator)
Mrs Rachel Guest
Miss Olivia Hayler (Dance Teacher)
Mrs Jo Hucker (Sports Coach)
Miss Felicity Jowett (Dance Teacher)
Mrs Nicola Keller (Head of Rackets)
Miss Lorian Kurzweil (Dance Teacher)
Miss Bethan Long (Graduate Teacher)
Mrs Fiona Najim (Head of Cricket)
Miss Kate Nimmo (Head of Athletics and Swimming)
Miss Holly Powell-Main (Dance Teacher)
Miss Caroline Ralph
Miss Eve Samardzija (Head of Football)
Miss Natasha Scott (Head of Dance)
Ms Kate Scott-Wilding (Head of Equestrian)
Miss Emma Tattersall (Sport and Activity Coach)
Miss Lucy Walton (Graduate Teacher and Head of Golf)
Miss Briana Williams (Head of Rowing)
Miss Olivia Willoughby (Dance Coordinator and Teacher)

OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Head of Outdoor Education: Mrs Faye Newman BSc ML SPA UKCCL2

Mr James Allison BA CWI BCU Level III ML(T)
Mr Henry Crosby
Mr Rhydian Evans
Miss Emma Marlow
Mr John Newman