Highlights from this Week in Sport

This term has been a fantastic and action-packed period of sport, with pupils across the school making excellent progress and embracing every opportunity to compete. From fixtures to festivals, it has been wonderful to see such enthusiasm, commitment and teamwork on display, with all pupils playing an active part in representing the school. Please see below for this week’s sporting highlights.

Tuesday 24th March 

U9/8 Football v RGS, KH and Winterfold 

The U8 boys travelled to RGS for their final set of football fixtures of the term, taking on Winterfold, King’s Hawford and RGS, and showed clear evidence of the progress they have made over recent weeks. 

We started slowly in the opening game and found ourselves behind after conceding two excellent goals. Despite creating several good chances, we were unable to find the back of the net. This theme continued into our second game against RGS, where the boys produced some very positive attacking play and created numerous opportunities, but were ultimately unable to score, with the match finishing 0–0. 

In the next fixture against a strong Winterfold side, the boys delivered their best performance of the afternoon. We enjoyed a lot of possession and again created several chances but narrowly lost out to a superb individual goal. It was a performance full of effort, teamwork and growing confidence on the ball. 

The boys must remember that, regardless of the scoreline, the focus is always on progress and development. Just as importantly, they must represent the school well and show good attitude, sportsmanship, resilience and respect. 

Well done to all the boys on a positive end to the term. I look forward to seeing you all out on the cricket pitch next term. 

 

U9/8 Football v RGS the Grange

The U8/9 B team put in a spirited performance against RGS The Grange, showing great effort, determination, and teamwork throughout the match despite not coming away with the win.

From the first whistle, the lads worked tirelessly, pressing the ball and supporting one another across the pitch. Their energy and commitment never dropped, and they continued to battle right until the final moments.

A standout performance came from Milan in goal, who was excellent throughout. He made a number of impressive saves and showed great bravery and focus, keeping the team in the game with his shot-stopping and positioning.

Out on the pitch, Ben and Edward covered an incredible amount of ground. Both players were constantly on the move, contributing in attack and tracking back to help defensively. Their work rate and determination were clear for all to see, and they played a key role in keeping the team competitive.

Although the result didn’t go their way, the performance was full of positives. The effort, teamwork, and attitude shown by the whole squad were fantastic, and there is plenty to build on going forward.

 

U9/8 Netball v Winterfold 

The U8/U9 teams enjoyed a fantastic afternoon of netball against Winterfold. With our opponents bringing two teams, we played three quarters against each, meaning the girls competed across six high‑energy quarters in total. 

Our players rose to the challenge brilliantly, demonstrating the skills they have developed throughout the term. Their passing was crisp, and they moved into space intelligently. They also defended with determination and showed real confidence in their shooting. 

We came away with two good wins, 4–0 and 2–1. 

A special well done goes to Tiegan and Alice, who were both awarded Players of the Match for their outstanding all‑round performances. Hibah also impressed with her excellent shooting, Molly stood out for her strong defending, and Olivia contributed superbly with her composed and effective mid‑court play. 

It was an excellent showcase of all the netball the girls have learnt this term—well done to everyone involved!

 

Wednesday 25th March 

U11 Football at King’s Hawford 

After two late nights performing at Creative Connections, the team arrived at King’s Hawford looking understandably tired, and this showed in a slow start to the tournament.

Our opening match was against a very strong RGS side. The game plan was to stay compact defensively and look to break on the counter. Despite a disciplined effort, RGS managed to score a well-worked goal, and we found it difficult to regain momentum and get back into the game.

In the second match against Hereford, the team responded well with a much-improved performance. We controlled large periods of the game and played some excellent football, earning a deserved 0–0 draw. This positive display carried into the next game against Blue Coat, where again we saw plenty of possession and attacking intent. Unfortunately, an isolated mistake at the back led to a 1–0 defeat, which was tough to take given the balance of play.

With the group stage complete, we found ourselves tied for third place, with all separating factors identical. This led to a penalty shootout to determine final standings. Despite a brave effort, we were unlucky to come out on the losing side.

This result placed us in the Plate Final against The Elms. The team produced one of their best performances of the day, dominating possession and creating several chances. However, we were unable to find the finishing touch. The Elms capitalised on a counter-attack to score, and in the short format of tournament football, it proved difficult to recover.

Overall, it has been a long and busy term filled with football, and the players should be proud of their efforts. They have shown clear progress, resilience, and a strong commitment to improving, which bodes very well for the future.

U10/11 Football at King’s Hawford 

The U10/11 B team put in a spirited performance despite a heavy defeat to Kings Hawford.

From the start, Kings Hawford showed their quality, moving the ball well and taking their chances to build a strong lead. Our team found it tough to contain them at times, but continued to work hard and stayed committed defensively.

There were still positives going forward. Jacob pushed well up the pitch and showed great energy throughout, constantly looking to support the attack. Jeremiah also impressed, getting himself into some really good positions and offering a threat when opportunities arose.

The most encouraging aspect was the attitude, heads never dropped, and the players kept battling right until the final whistle. A tough result, but plenty of character shown and lessons to take into the next game.

 

U11 Netball v Winterfold 

The U11s played their final match of the season against Winterfold, and despite being two players down, they produced a determined and competitive performance. Winterfold were also fielding several Year 7 players, as their Year 6 team was unavailable, which made the challenge even tougher for our girls. 

We started strongly, moving the ball well and showing real composure under pressure. After the first quarter the score was evenly matched at 2–2. Winterfold then found their rhythm and responded with some excellent shooting. Their accuracy continued throughout the game, and they eventually secured a 16–8 win. 

Even so, it was an impressive display from KSA, particularly given the older opposition and the difficult weather conditions. At various points it was extremely windy, there was even a burst of hail, and then—true to form—the sun came out. The girls coped brilliantly with the changing elements. 

As this was the final game of the season, we played five quarters and allowed the girls to swap and choose their positions. This gave everyone the chance to enjoy a different role on court and created a positive, enjoyable end to the season. 

There were some lovely passages of play, and when we moved forward to the ball and placed our passes accurately, we created strong attacking opportunities. With a bit more consistency in coming towards the ball and improving ball placement, the scoreline would have been even closer. 

A huge well done to Hannah, who was deservedly awarded Player of the Match for her excellent contribution. 

A great effort from the U11s—well done on a fantastic season! 

U11/10 Netball v Winterfold 

KSA U10s put in a determined performance against Winterfold in what proved to be a challenging final match of the season. With strong winds throughout and even a sudden hail shower, conditions were far from easy, but the girls showed great resilience and focus. 

There has been clear improvement, particularly in their defensive work, with much tighter marking making it difficult for Winterfold to find space. Passing was also noticeably sharper and more confident, allowing the team to move the ball effectively down the court. Encouragingly, many players are now beginning to create space for themselves and others, using changes of direction to great effect. 

It was a positive way to finish the netball season, with all the girls demonstrating how much they have developed their netball skills this term.