PE and Games taught within the curriculum are great strengths of the school. All pupils in the Prep School have a weekly PE lesson taught by Mr Price. The areas covered in PE throughout the school are as follows: Fitness; Basketball; Hockey; Gymnastics and Athletics.
There are two double Games lessons in the week and all pupils are given the opportunity to develop and implement a range of important skills and attributes across the ability spectrum. Taught by specialist coaches, the boys play football until November, followed by rugby and cricket in the Summer term. The girls start with hockey before moving to netball in the Spring term and rounders in the Summer term. In addition, girls and boys undertake cross-country and swimming.
The school year culminates in a fantastic prep school sports day, with pupils taking part in the rotation of events before the excitement of the inter-house relay and tug of war.
Inter-school Fixtures
Our pupils play competitive fixtures against other schools, usually on a Wednesday afternoon and we field teams at U13, U11 and U9 levels, with some U10 and U12 teams, for example in rugby, as well. First team fixtures are competitive and team selections have to be made in the best interests of all pupils and of the team overall. We know that parents appreciate that there is healthy competition for places and respect the decisions of the coaches. Wherever possible, we field B teams, and sometimes more, and hope that all pupils who wish to do so will have an opportunity to represent the school at some stage during the school year. A high standard of conduct and sportsmanship is expected from competitors and spectators alike, and, as an IAPS school, all are bound by a strict code of conduct. Pupils and parents enjoy socialising with their opponents at the conclusion of a fixture over a match tea.
Tournaments and competitions
Pupils competes in events at various levels in football, hockey, cricket, rugby, rounders, swimming, cross country, squash and skiing. Our U11 boys were triple winners in 2016-2017, winning won the Brighton & Hove small schools football league, Oakwood 7s rugby tournament and our cricketers won the Lancing College U11 cricket plate tournament. Our girls’ ski team took part in the SATIPSKI competition and gained a superb second place in the U14 category.
Co-curricular
Sport doesn’t have to be competitive to be enjoyable or beneficial. Climbing and sailing are available as clubs during the year. The popular ski trip has become an annual event that we share with our sister prep school at Worthing. Dance continues to be popular with boys and girls. What’s important is that our pupils are given opportunities to try new things and discover an activity of one kind or another that they enjoy.
Outside school
The successes of our pupils in a range of individual sports outside school are too numerous to mention but include a world class golfer, a top-ranking UK squash player and many County level tennis players and swimmers. We are immensely proud of all they achieve and their successes are regularly celebrated in school.