Physical Education and Games
All senior school students have one PE lesson a week, in which different sports are taught, and one Games afternoon a week, in which different team and outdoor activities are played. The sports played at Sherfield are detailed below and you can found out how our teams are getting on in the News and Events section of this website.
Football
There are 9 Football teams at Sherfield ranging from U9 level through to U16’s. Football is played in the pupil’s games afternoons in the autumn term from September through to December for the boys and in the spring term for the girls. Within each of the teams the main priority is improvement in skills with more able pupils developing not only their existing skills such as passing, receiving and shooting but also developing their tactical knowledge within a game situation.
The school competes in the Basingstoke and Deane League and Cup, a local Independent Schools League and the ISFA Cup at U13 and U15 level. This ensures that all teams are regularly playing competitive football at senior level. Junior pupils play in local tournaments and friendly matches with the main priority being match experience. We ensure all pupils in the primary school play in a competitive football match during the term and every senior pupil is given the option of competing in one of the teams.
The U15 team are currently Independent School League champions 2011 in Hampshire finishing the season unbeaten.
Netball
Netball is the main focus sport for the girls during the autumn term. The school runs 8 teams from U9 level through to U15’s. Netball is taught during the pupil’s games afternoons in the autumn term. The main focus as with football is to continually develop the basic skills of all pupils and to improve the tactical awareness of the more able.
The senior pupils compete in a Basingstoke and Deane netball league as well as regular friendly matches against local Independent Schools. The juniors play friendly matches with a main focus on participation and the gaining of match experience.
Rugby and Tag Rugby
Rugby is played in the school during the spring term (Jan – Apr). The U9 boys are introduced to rugby in the form of tag rugby. This form of the game encourages support play, running with the ball and tackling without the anxiety of contact for some pupils. The same form of rugby is used for the U11 and U13 girl’s rugby teams.
Contact rugby is introduced to the U11 boys and is played throughout the senior school. The school has 5 rugby teams (9 teams including tag rugby). The school competes against other local Independent Schools in friendly’s which gives pupils a chance to develop their rugby skills in match situations.
The U9 tag rugby and U13 rugby team this year finished the spring term undefeated having played some outstanding rugby improving in every game.
Cricket
Cricket is played at Sherfield during the summer term. Sherfield has 5 cricket teams starting with pairs cricket at U9 level, moving up to U15 senior cricket. Cricket is played during the pupils games afternoons with a focus on technical and tactical knowledge. Pupils are also encouraged to officiate and learn the skill of scoring if unable to participate during lessons.
The school takes part in the Basingstoke and Deane League and Cup, a local Independent School league and the County Cup. Fixtures for all age groups are regular and the majority of pupils in the school experience a competitive cricket match.
The school boasts of numerous pupils with County representation for Hampshire and North Hampshire. The U13 and U15 teams have been finalists of the Basingstoke and Deane Cup for the past two years, with the U15’s also claiming the league title. The U11 team also finished their season last year unbeaten.
Badminton
Badminton is a sport that is being developed very successfully in the school. It is played throughout the school in curriculum PE lessons from year 3 to year 13.
The school competes at a local level against other schools and has shown immediate success. The Key Stage 4 team managed to win the district tournament and were selected to represent the district at the Hampshire tournament. Currently we have one County badminton player in school with more pupils showing the potential to compete at this level.
Tennis
Tennis is played during the summer term at Sherfield. We introduce tennis into curriculum lessons as young as pre reception (3 to 4 year olds) and run straight through to Year 13.
Tennis fixtures are played regularly with the school competing in the Basingstoke and Deane tennis league. The school also has a close link with Totally Tennis which is a tennis centre in the Basingstoke area. Totally Tennis run after school clubs for pupils from reception through to senior school pupils and Sherfield also offers individual lessons to the pupils.
The current U16 tennis team have won the Basingstoke and Deane tennis league for the past 3 years with the U13’s winning twice.
Cross Country
Cross Country takes place in the spring term and is included in every pupil’s curriculum PE lessons. At Sherfield we benefit from a natural course through the school grounds and wooded area which is seen as one of the best courses in Hampshire.
Sherfield host the ISA Cross Country London West Championships every February which acts as a qualifying competition for the National Championships in March. This event sees over 500 competitors descend on the school from 20 different schools in the London West region. The London West region has a proud tradition of producing some outstanding cross country runners and has won the ISA National Cross Country Championships for the past two years.
Athletics
Athletics is another summer term activity at Sherfield. It is an area of focus in curriculum PE lessons from pre reception to Year 11. At a young age the pupils are introduced to basic running, throwing and jumping techniques. In the upper junior and senior school the focus of the lessons turn to refining existing skills and ensuring all pupils come away with a good knowledge of every event.
The summer term culminates in Sports Day which sees the schools 4 Houses of Buckfield, Loddon, Lydney and Wynstow battling it out for the overall house crown. Our main priority here is participation with every single pupil in the school taking part in an event and contributing to their house total.
Pupils also compete in District Trials in the summer term to gain opportunity to represent their County as well as the ISA Athletics Championships at Thames Valley Athletics Stadium. With the Olympics having been on our doorstep the enthusiasm for sport and athletics in particular is as great as ever and we have achieved success already in district selection.
Basketball
Basketball is an emerging sport within Sherfield School. We currently have two teams in the senior school who play in local competitions. It is taught in the school PE curriculum in the autumn term. Basketball is taught throughout the school from pre reception to year 11. The main focus in the lower school is on technique of dribbling, passing, shooting and lay ups and developing the pupils knowledge of rules. In the upper school the focus turns to tactical knowledge such as defensive and offensive strategies.
Hockey
Hockey is a sport that is increasing in popularity through the school. It is a sport that is taught as part of the PE curriculum. Hockey is introduced to pre reception and gems plus in the form of uni-hoc with lightweight sticks where the main focus is on the basics such as grip and passing. Through the junior and senior school skills move in to field hockey where rules, tactics and more advanced techniques are developed.
Judo
Judo is available at Sherfield in the form of an after school club. It is taught by a specialist Judo instructor Alex Farbon (Total Judo) who won the Wokingham Sports Award for Top Man 2011. Judo is becoming hugely popular and successful with a few pupils winning medals in local competitions. Lessons in judo are available to pupils as young as 5 years old (Reception) and are available throughout the school.
Golf and Tri Golf
Sherfield School benefits by being situated next to Sherfield Oaks which boasts two 18 hole golf courses, a practice putting green, driving range and professional tuition. During the summer term golf is an option for junior and senior pupils in the form of curriculum games lessons or an after school club. In both instances the pupils are treated to professional tuition from club professional Richard Lewington.
Golf is also introduced lower down in the school in the form of tri golf. Tri golf has been introduced to pupils as young as in Reception and it is taught in curriculum lessons throughout the primary school. This is a great chance for the pupils to develop a brand new sport at a young age and develop the basics of rules, etiquette and techniques involved in golf.
Competitive opportunities in golf are also available to pupils in school in the form of the Basingstoke and Deane golf tournament and the ISA golf tournament in the summer term.
Outdoor Adventure Activities (OAA)
Outdoor adventure activities has been recently introduced as part of the PE curriculum and is becoming very popular. The main focus in this unit of work is to develop pupils teamwork, communication, leadership and problem solving skills. Activities such as problem solving, orienteering and caving are covered. OAA is taught to the pupils from year 2 to 11.
OAA is also available at Sherfield School in the form of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. The school runs the bronze award which is available to pupils in years 9, 10 and 11. It is run as an after school club and involves an expedition to the New Forest to test the pupils orienteering and survival skills.
An annual adventure day in the summer term has also been organised for pupils in year 10 to develop their team work skills in activities such as raft building, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing.
Gymnastics and Trampolining
Gymnastics is an important part of our PE curriculum. It is taught throughout the school in the autumn term from pre reception through to year 9. At an early age the main focus for gymnastics is developing the pupil’s basic coordination and balance into set movements such as forward and backward rolls, cartwheels, headstands and handstands. As we move through the school the pupils continue to work on basic skills alongside skills such as vaulting and sports acrobatics.
Competitive gymnastics is also available at Sherfield School with the school entering local gymnastic competitions in the senior school and also the Hampshire Games in the junior school. The school also currently has a pupil in the Great Britain Gymnastic development squad
Trampolining is also available at Sherfield with fully qualified staff allowing pupils to develop basic bouncing techniques and skills such as seat drops, front drops and somersaults.
Swimming
Swimming is offered to all pupils in the junior school from reception through to year 6. These pupils have one swimming lesson a week for the entirety of the academic year. The pupils receive the benefit of being taught by specialist swimming instructors. Pupils who find swimming a challenge are helped by the instructors to develop basic stroke technique to ensure they can achieve certain swimming distances. The more advanced swimmers are taught separately with a focus on swimming technique to develop speed and efficiency through the water.
Sherfield compete strongly through the junior and senior school in the ISA Swimming Championships each year with the success this year of two pupils qualifying for the National ISA Swimming Finals in Birmingham.
Health Related Fitness (HRF)
Health Related Fitness is taught throughout the school as part of the PE curriculum. It is started with pupils in year 1 and carried through to pupils in year 11. The main focus of this unit of work for the junior school is to develop the pupil’s knowledge of how their body works during exercise with the use of heart rate monitors and specialised exercise equipment. The senior school focus changes to differing types of training, dietary requirements and how the pupils can continue staying fit outside of school.
Rounders
The main sport for the girls in the summer term is Rounders. This is taught in their games afternoons as well as senior and junior lunchtime clubs. There is also a junior Rounders club available for the boys to take part in afterschool.
We have 8 Rounders teams at present in the school ranging from Year 3 to Year 10, and they play regular matches against other state and Independent schools. The seniors are involved in the Basingstoke and Deane Sport Partnership and compete in the Rounders league.
At Sherfield we believe that is it good to start the pupils playing Rounders at an early age, therefore in Pre Reception to Year 2 the pupils begin understand basic rules and concepts within Rounders and also start to develop their hand eye co-ordination with the use of batting and bowling activities.
In the senior school the Rounders teams are encouraged to develop more of a tactical understanding of the rules and we look to encourage the pupils to use dynamic fielding strategies.
Skiing and Snowboarding
Each year the PE department organise a ski trip for pupils in the senior school. For the past two years we have been to Courchevel in France. The school has also enjoyed trips to Switzerland, Austria and Italy over the last five years. In 2013 the school are going to a different resort in France called Serre Chevalier. This trip caters for skiers of all standards ranging from absolute beginners (first time skiers) to advanced group skiing.
We have also used this trip in the past to moderate GCSE PE pupils who have a particular skill in skiing or snowboarding and who use it as one of their four or eight sporting activities.
Dance – Ballet
Dance is an activity that is taught in the pupils curriculum PE lessons. We currently teach our Gems Plus pupils (Pre Reception – Year 2) different areas of dance. We cover contemporary movement, ballroom, hip hop and ballet within school. The main focus is understanding the origins of the dance and basic movements in time to music.
Free Running (Parkour)
Alongside our traditional sports and activities at Sherfield School we have modern activities too, notably free running (parkour). Parkour is a physical discipline which focuses on efficient movement around obstacles. It is organised as an after school activity and delivered by a specialist Parkour company and is slowly being introduce in to the PE curriculum alongside gymnastics.
The main purpose of free running is for the pupils to navigate their environment with the use of rolling, vaulting, jumping, climbing and running. Movements begin very basic and are advanced as soon as the pupils feel suitably comfortable.
