Sport

St. Mary’s PE Department offer pupils a broad and balanced curriculum throughout all key stages. An extensive extra curricular programme is in place for all pupils including a key stage 3 club and master class sessions for gifted and talent pupils. The department are extremely proud of their new sports facilities that have been completed and will be in use from September 2006. This includes a four badminton court sized sports hall with a wooden sprung floor and two new outside netball courts.

The department’s aims are to promote the growth and development of pupils within a Christian ethos and to equip all students for an adult life. It strives to contribute towards the creation of a valued school community by recognising the teachings and values of the church and incorporating them into its programme.

The department have eminent links with other local businesses as well as clubs and schools. St. Mary’s host the Primary Catholic schools netball and football tournament and have done so for the past several years. Due to the development of the department we have also built a strong relationship with Bishops Stortford College, Bishops Stortford Rugby Club, district football and development teams, local netball and athletics clubs, Bishops Stortford Hockey Club and Grange Paddocks. This has lead to creating an opportunity for pupils to extend their skills and ability further by attending outside clubs. The department have arranged for many external coaches to lead training session for both boys and girls in all sports including rugby and hockey.

St. Mary’s have pupils that are competing regularly at district, regional and national events. We currently have girls attending East England Netball training sessions and East England Women’s Rugby development training. We also have boys on a regular basis competing for County in X-Country and we also have boys competing at a national standard within Athletics. Each term the department celebrate sporting success at district tournaments especially within netball and football.

The department is currently organising their third sports tour abroad for rugby and netball to provide new cultural and sporting experiences. This year the department also introduced a football tour weekend for year sevens.

The department are also looking forward to their yearly sports presentation evening to celebrate the achievements and progress of pupils relating to both teams and lessons.