SPORTS
Amidst a busy and stretching academic curriculum, sport brings an essential, invigorating balance and variety to daily school life. Our guiding principle is to create healthy minds and healthy bodies. Enjoyment of sport and an active outdoor lifestyle is encouraged at all skill levels. Every day we see the positive benefit of this approach, not least in how playing with and against other children fosters teamwork, confidence, and competitiveness.
Sport is timetabled for most days and is taught in groups of Years 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8. We arrange a comprehensive fixture list, either against other private schools or for inter-house competitions, and each week Walhampton fields up to 24 teams. Our sports include football, hockey, rugby, netball, cross country, cricket, athletics, rounders and swimming. As well as these more traditional sports, our pupils also compete in riding and sailing competitions.
Best You Can Be
In recent years, the senior girls have requested to play solely cricket in the Summer Term, rather than rounders as well. This move to cricket was driven by the pupils, who wanted to devote more time to this challenging game. This seems to have paid off: very successful seasons have followed as a result.
As in any subject, sport needs expert tuition if we are to bring out the best in people. That’s why Walhampton invests in a team of specialist coaches to help children develop the skills needed to participate effectively in their chosen sport. And although we all love to win, not everyone can be brilliant, not all teams will be successful, so along the way coaches also help every child to cope with Kipling’s two impostors, Triumph and Disaster. What matters is doing your very best.
RUN TO PERFORM
Most sports need space, and our 100-acre grounds are put to good use. We have ample room on-site to accommodate a wide range of facilities including three purpose-built netball courts, a full-size Astroturf pitch, an outdoor heated pool, a purpose-built sports hall, riding stables, a sailing lake, games pitches for rugby, football and cricket and an athletics track (that hosts the Junior Wessex Athletics Championships, with 26 leading schools from across the Wessex region).
Unsurprisingly, we also have numerous cross-country routes, offering different types of challenge and conditions, around our three lakes and well-stocked woods. We recently celebrated 42 years of our annual Perry Dalziell cross country race when we hosted 15 local primary schools in a great competition.
RUGBY AND NETBALL ACADEMIES
Walhampton’s Sports Academies offer an additional high level of coaching for promising pupils in the Seniors. As an extension to the core sports for all programme, children with sporting potential and a particular interest in Netball and Rugby can accelerate their learning and understanding of the game.
In addition to the weekly Academy training sessions with qualified and experienced coaches, dedicated pupils take part in half termly matches; enjoy an annual trip to watch and learn from a professional game; and benefit from a sport specific strength & conditioning sessions.
Do you know what my favourite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.
— MIKE SINGLETARY
Prep School 7-13 Years
