The Physical Education program at Stormont supports girls’ physical health and mental wellbeing. Pupils of all ages are transformed by the variety of sport and physical education (PE) on offer into the most competent games players, graceful gymnasts and powerful athletes. The PE department encourages girls to work to the best of their ability, no matter their level, across a variety of sporting disciplines. We have enjoyed success at regional level with our cross-country and hockey and at a National Level with our athletics, gymnastics and netball.
In our Pre-Prep, we want our girls to be competent, confident and healthy movers with our curriculum focussed on physical literacy. This helps to build their motivation, confidence, physical competence and understanding of movement. The children develop their physical literacy through dance, gymnastics, using equipment and partner/group work. Swimming begins in Year 2, with the girls swimming all year at Queenswood in their beautiful swimming pool.
In Prep, we offer a balanced curriculum of athletics, gymnastics, invasion games and net/wall games. Swimming continues for the full academic year in Year 3 ahead of Squad training for our most able Year 4, 5 and 6 girls. At Stormont, specialist PE teaching begins from Reception (EYFS) with three lessons per week, increasing to four lessons when the girls move into Prep. Across the year, girls in Prep will enjoy football, netball, unihoc/hockey, pop lacrosse, cross-country, gymnastics, dance, cricket, athletics, tennis and outdoor and adventurous activities (OAA). Lessons are carefully differentiated to ensure all girls are working comfortably at their own level and achieving their individual potential. The facilities include a sports hall, two outdoor netball courts/tennis courts, a field with a 200m athletics track and three cricket pitches. The school hall is used for dance activities, ball skills and fitness.
Competitive team fixtures begin in Year 3. Where possible, friendly fixtures are arranged to enable a whole class to participate. Throughout the year, Stormont teams are invited to participate in a variety of invitation events/tournaments. We take part in U8/U9/U10 & U11 local netball tournaments, IAPS regional netball, athletics and swimming, National gymnastics, athletics, cross-country, swimming, tennis and skiing.
A variety of clubs occur before, during and after school, at which specialist coaches run sessions in tennis, gymnastics, football, dance and taekwondo. Stormont pupils are also invited to attend masterclass coaching sessions in netball, lacrosse, hockey, cricket and gymnastics.
Our top performers are encouraged to apply for Sports Scholarships to a variety of senior schools. In the last 10 years, Stormont pupils have been offered sports scholarships to schools such as Queenswood, Haileybury, St Edmund’s College and Prep School in Ware, St Albans High School for Girls (STAHS), The Royal Masonic School for Girls, Mount House and Berkhamsted.
