Physical Education

Introduction

The PE department is a thriving and successful department that not only excels in a wide range of sports but also caters for the demands of all standards of ability.  The intention is to maintain and stimulate pupil interest and enjoyment in sports and to promote health and fitness for current and future lifestyles.  It is also a major aim to develop a range of desirable personal qualities such as politeness, perseverance, initiative and independence via the establishment of pupil self esteem through the development of physical confidence.

The Sports Curriculum

The Department follows guidelines as laid out in the National Curriculum with students taking part in both mixed and single-sex lessons following a four-year progressive modular programme. Four full-time PE Teachers and a professional Rugby Coach are responsible for the teaching of the curriculum. In addition to this outside coaching specialists are used in activities such as basketball, squash and tennis. This enables the Department to operate with an excellent teacher-to-pupil ratio, sometimes as low as 1:15 in P.E. and Games lessons.

Extra Curricular

A wide range of extra-curricular sports and activities is offered throughout the year during lunch break, after School hours and in the evening.  These activities are very varied and include, for example, athletics, basketball, football, hockey, netball, rounders, rugby, squash, swimming and tennis.

Sport Scholarship Programme

Sport scholarships are available to students on entry into Year 7 and the Sixth Form.  Scholarships are awarded on merit and represent a real accolade to successful candidates who must not only demonstrate a high level of ability but also future potential. For further information on this matter contact Mr. Andrew Thomas, Director of Sport.

Competitive Sport

In addition to the curriculum-taught sports and the extra-curricular activities coaching programme, the PE Department runs an extremely comprehensive and challenging competitive fixture programme.  During the academic year 2008-2009 we competed in well over 400 fixtures.  All teams play on a friendly traditional fixture list as well as competing in National Championships and the Calderdale Schools’ league.  Both individually and collectively our successes are many and varied as demonstrated by the résumé for the year 2008-09.

Basketball - The  U12s, 15s and 16s all won their respective Calderdale Tournaments, the U12s for the fifth year running.
Cycling - Scott Woodhead continues on his Olympic Talent Pathway, based in and around the Manchester Velodrome.
Football -  Issac Baldwin and James Pollard (Year 7) both trained and played for Huddersfield Town FC as did Sean Collins in Year 9.  Jack Poxon, also in Year 9, is learning his trade at Oldham Athletic whilst  Year 10 student Emyr Hughes has captained Wales at U16 level and played for the U17s whilst combining  academic study with training commitments at Manchester City FC.  Alex Nicholl continued to be part of Rochdale Town’s U15 side.
Golf - Helen Searle’s star continues to shine brightly in the world of golf where she is now an established member of the Yorkshire Ladies side as well as the England U18 squad.
Hockey - Regan Green was selected to play for the Lancashire U14 squad whilst Sophie Sismanovic, Caroline Newby; Annalea Staples and Charlotte Rowbotham all played for West Yorkshire.  Tom White continues to represent Lancashire. The U13s and 16s finished the season as Calderdale Champions with the U14s and U15s missing out on penalty flicks.   
Netball - Amy Hunt-Brown was selected for the West Yorkshire Satellite Academy, as was Nancy Moore who was also awarded their ‘Player of the Season’ title. The U14s and U16s emerged victorious from their Calderdale Tournaments and the U13s managed to secure the League Play-off final.
Pentathlon - Joelle O’Neill continues to be part the Great Britain Olympic Development Programme.  Sadie Greetham meanwhile has developed her talents in shooting to such an extent that she is now on target with the GB National Squad for this particular Olympic discipline.
Rugby Union - In Senior Rugby the mood was upbeat after a very successful summer tour to Australia. Andrew Curwell was part of the Leeds Rhino’s Academy and Year 9 student William Milner was one of only forty students to be invited to Rugby League National Camp.  As if this were not impressive enough he came home with the Player of the Week award.  George Ford had to decline his tour invite from School to tour Australia, as England U18s made him a better offer.  He impressed so much that he was promoted to that squad for the 08/09 season to play in the Six Nations, and such is his talent that he is now being lined up to play for the U20s next season at a mere 16 years old!!!!!!! 
Swimming- Scarlett Wilson was selected for the European Youth Olympic Festival as a result of coming first in the 200m breaststroke at the British Swimming Championships.   Anna Sutcliffe is also well-deserving of a special mention as she is now an established member of the Great Britain water polo squad, and younger sister Emily appears to be following in her footsteps as she has been invited to train with the GB development squad.

Touring abroad

In 1996 the rugby team toured South Africa, in 1997 the girls toured Ireland, in 1998 thirty four boys toured the Southern Hemisphere and 2000 saw a three-week visit to Canada.  2001 saw both hockey and netball teams travel to Barbados and in the summer of 2002 the boys toured Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.  In 2004 we visited South Africa on our first overseas combined tour winning all but one of 16 hockey and rugby matches. In 2006 over 80 students toured South America playing in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.   2008 saw four teams going to Australia where they played 20 games and lost only 3.