Games Information
Facilities
The School site is 250 acres, of which 55 acres are of a magnificent, flat, well -drained field are devoted to sport. During the autumn term there are sixteen rugby pitches, four hockey and three soccer pitches, there is an all-weather hockey pitch with floodlights and a floodlit training pitch for rugby.
During the summer there are nine cricket match squares and numerous cricket nets, including two indoors. For tennis there are six match courts and twelve other courts.There is a full sized athletic track available throughout the year. The school uses Sandy Lodge golf course, which is adjacent to the school field.
The School has a 25x16 metre indoor swimming pool, a sports hall and weights suite , both have been upgraded recently. Sailing and windsurfing take place on one of the lakes just behind the School, the School has its own boat shed and boats. Other facilities include: a shooting range, squash and fives courts, a snooker table and table tennis tables.
The Games Programme
All 3rd to 5th Form boys (Years 7-11) have games after School on Mondays. The whole School has games on Wednesday afternoons. During the autumn term, rugby teams practice on Thursdays after School.
For the 3rd and U3rd Forms (Years 7-8)
The major sports in each term are as follows: hockey in the autumn, rugby in the spring, and cricket during the summer.
For 4th – U6th Forms (Years 9-13)
The major sports in each term are as follows: rugby in the autumn, hockey in the spring, cricket and athletics during the summer.
Autumn Term
For boys in the Lower and Upper 6th Form (Years 12 and 13) who do not play rugby there is a choice from the following: badminton, fencing, fives, table tennis, shooting , soccer, squash, swimming, weight training.
Spring Term
For boys in the Divisions, Fifth Form and Sixth Form (Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 ) who do not play hockey, there is a choice from the following: badminton, basketball , cricket nets, cross country, fencing, fives, golf, judo, soccer (Years 12 and 13 only), shooting, squash, swimming, weight training.
All Fourth Form boys play hockey.
Summer Term
For boys in the Divisions, Fifth and Sixth Form (Years 10, 11, 12 and 13) who do not play cricket, there is a choice of the following: athletics, badminton, basketball , croquet, fencing, golf, sailing, swimming, tennis, volleyball and windsurfing.
Fourth Form boys take part in either cricket or athletics. In exceptional cases boys may apply to do alternative sports to the major games.
Fixtures with other schools
The School has an impressive fixture list in all sports. Some of the schools that we play are as follows: Aldenham, Bedford, Berkhamsted, Dulwich, Epsom, Eton, Haberdashers', Harrow, St Albans, St Paul’s, Mill Hill and U.C.S.
Specialist Coaches
The School employs a variety of outside coaches to improve the standard of sport within the School. We have professional coaches in athletics, cricket, fencing, golf , hockey, judo, rugby, squash and tennis.
House Sport
The School has a long tradition of House competition; Inter House sport is played at both junior and senior levels. The main competitions are in rugby, hockey, cricket , athletics and swimming.
Tours and Festivals
Both tours and festivals are an established part of sport at the School. The 1st and 2nd XV’s have a pre- season training camp in the North of England to prepare for the season. Senior tours include France in 1998 and Italy in 2000 and 2002, Australia in 2003. The Under 14 rugby team has a tour to Lancashire at the end of the spring term. The 1st XI hockey boys toured Spain in 2002. In cricket, the 1st XI plays in a festival of six schools at the end of the summer term. The Under 14’s play in the Ardingly festival. In 1999 the 1st XI toured Barbados and in 2004 the West Indies.
Parents Support Groups
In all the major sports and some of the minor sports there are parent support groups. The groups are very active and well supported, they organise social events and fund raising activities. Functions include dinner dances, wine tasting, quiz evenings and racing evenings. Monies raised go towards sport and tours, which are enjoyed by the boys.
