Sport Handbook
Pre-Prep
The beginning of a child’s sporting career at Barrow Hills School is an exciting time. Our children will start to discover many new and exciting sports; sports that they may carry on playing for the rest of their lives. The Barrow Hills sports department is dedicated to nurturing a love of physical activity in all of our children, allowing them to try new sports and skills in a safe and enjoyable environment.
Lessons
From Nursery to Year 2, a sports specialist takes the children for a weekly PE lesson. PE lessons are dedicated to helping your child achieve their physical developmental milestones.
From Reception, swimming takes place each week during the summer term and the first half of the autumn term.
From as early as Nursery, children are working towards their early learning moving and handling goals. We work with children so that by the end of Reception, they show good control and coordination in large and small movements, move confidently in a range of ways, safely negotiating space and handle equipment and tools effectively.
Years 1 and 2
In Years 1 and 2 our children have an additional games lesson per week. In games lessons we still work on our physical development milestones but also develop the basic skills for netball, football, tag rugby, cricket, hockey, athletics and swimming.
Will my child play in any fixtures? If so, can I come and watch?
Yes! However, fixtures are for Year 2 children only. We aim to have one sports fixture per term. You are more than welcome to come and watch any of the fixtures. Please remember, positive support breeds positive play.
Uniform
Please see the full uniform list here.
All your child’s sports items are kept in their sporty bags. These are kept on their individual pegs during the week and should be taken home each Friday to be washed. From Reception, swimming kit should be kept in a separate bag and a towel is needed.
What extra equipment does my child need in Year 1 and 2?
Alongside their PE kit the children must have a gum shield and shin pads. A gum shield is needed for the rugby and hockey seasons. Cheap, ‘remouldable’ gum shields are best, as your child’s mouth will be changing. Shin pads are also a must for the football and hockey seasons (Autumn and Spring terms). It is also advised that the children have football boots for the football and rugby seasons. However, they are not essential. Other equipment such as tennis rackets and hockey sticks are optional.
All children from Reception to Year 8 need a named water bottle in school.
Sports Day (Morning)
Pre-Prep children take part in their own sports morning towards the end of the summer term. Parents are invited to attend and participate in an event.
Off Games Notes
If your child has been ill or has an injury and needs to be excused from games, please either send a note to the school office, email or ring the school office and the information will be forwarded to the PE Department. Please indicate when you would expect them to be back on games.
Will joining a sports club be worthwhile?
Joining a sports club outside school, no matter the sport, will most certainly help your child to develop physically and improve their social skills and teamwork. Creating new social circles outside school will help increase their confidence when presented with new challenges.
Prep
The main sports played are:
- Autumn term – Girls: netball, hockey. Boys: football, tag rugby (Year 3), rugby (Years 4-8)
- Spring term – Girls: netball, hockey, football. Boys: hockey
- Summer term – Girls and Boys: cricket, athletics, tennis
In addition, from Year 3 to Year 8, there is swimming all year round.
Uniform
Please see the full uniform list here.
Please note the extra equipment required for specific sports. Pegs / lockers will be allocated to all boys and girls (Years 3 – 8) on their first morning. From Year 3 there are separate boys and girls changing rooms. All kit should be brought in on Monday morning and kept on the peg/in the locker for the week. Please ensure all items are clearly labelled. Swimming kit should be kept in a separate bag and a towel is needed.
The policies of many governing bodies state that no jewellery is to be worn during sport. To avoid any grey areas we have placed a ban on the wearing of any jewellery during all sport. This includes; watches, bracelets, rings, necklaces and earrings. Please note, earrings too must be removed and cannot be taped.
These measures may appear strict, but we want to ensure the safest and most enjoyable environment possible for your children and your support in this matter is appreciated.
Match days
Fixtures
All fixtures can be viewed on the school calendar. The school calendar is constantly updated and can be found on the website:
However, please be aware that fixtures are subject to change. Short notice changes will be broadcast via the portal and/or SMS.
Team sheets
The team sheets can be found in the following places;
Under the Arch on the sports boards
Parent portal
School Chromebooks (Drive>PE>Team sheets) or (Drive>Sport>Team sheets)
The team sheets contain all the information you and your children will need.
Match venues
Home matches – all fixtures marked ‘home’ will be played on site at Barrow Hills School unless specifically stipulated. Due to pitch space and number of teams, the school may use external venues to host home matches, for example, King Edward’s School.
Away matches – away matches are played at the opposition’s school unless specified. Like us, other schools may use external venues to accommodate extra matches. We use the school minibuses to travel to and from away matches.
After matches – match teas are used by the home team to thank the away team for coming to their school to play. Therefore children are required to attend match tea after matches, unless prior arrangements have been made to accommodate exceptional circumstances.
Return to school – return times can be found on the team sheets. If these change by (+/-) 20mins you will be informed via SMS. Children may be collected from away venues after match tea. Please let the accompanying member of staff know before taking your child.
Sports Day
Sports Day for Years 3 – 8 is held on an afternoon towards the end of the summer term. All the children take part in the Sports Day events, which may also include races for mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters – so come prepared in casual clothes and trainers. Folding chairs or a rug may come in handy. Light refreshments are on sale provided by the BHCC.
Leavers Matches
During the summer term the Year 8 children play their parents at cricket. We welcome your support for these events.
Off games notes
If your child has been ill or has an injury and needs to be excused from games, please either send a note to the school office, email or ring the school office and the information will be forwarded to the PE Department. Please indicate when you would expect them to be back on games.
Will joining a sports club be worthwhile?
Joining a sports club outside of school, no matter the sport, will most certainly help your child to develop physically but also improve their social skills and teamwork. Creating new social circles outside of school will help increase their confidence when presented with new challenges.
Team Selection Policy
All children at Barrow Hills have an equal right to experience and enjoy sport. This is the main goal for our timetabled match afternoons. To best aid their personal development all children are placed into teams with players of a similar ability. This means that children will play ‘out of age’ with pupils from other year groups. These teams are not fixed but fluid, providing an opportunity for the children to match their changes in ability, commitment and attitude in sport.
At the beginning of each major sport season the children are given a chance to show their ability during trials held in games lessons. It is on this basis teams are initially selected. Once teams have been selected the children and parents are expected to honour the professional decisions made by sports staff and uphold the school’s high expectations of work rate, commitment and sportsmanship. If you feel your child has been placed into the wrong team, please encourage the above expectations to enable them to demonstrate their ability. Those aspiring to play in other teams have access to coaches who, with the children, create a development plan detailing how they can achieve their goals. Barrow Hills children develop a strong sporting ethos and learn valuable life skills through their sporting experiences: building relationships with other children and coaches, planning and working towards set goals. All skills our children need to be well rounded sports players.
Timetabled match afternoons provide an opportunity for all the children to play in fixtures or attend events to best aid their personal development and build upon their enjoyment of sport. These afternoons are catered to the children’s ability and provide an environment for the children to progress and enjoy themselves. On occasions, substitutes or replacements will be selected for sports squads. No player on a timetabled match afternoon will play less than 75% of a match/es (whenever possible). Children will be rotated to accommodate this.
Extra curricular tournaments are also entered on non match days and weekends. Teams representing the school are selected to be as competitive as possible in these tournaments. All players selected will play at least 50% of total playing time, unless specific arrangements have been made with both parents and child.
Illness or injury will not affect team selections. Some players may be asked to temporarily cover for illness or injury in other teams.
If you have any queries, please contact Mrs Burnett, Director of Sport mkb@barrowhills.org.