The focus of RGSHW Sport is to produce all-inclusive programmes and develop our facilities. This will provide the most inspiring learning environment possible and support our intention to become the highest ranking state school in Buckinghamshire in the Top 200 Schools for Sporting Excellence.

Why does physical activity matter? 
Sport England, formerly known as the Sports Council, is a body of government responsible for developing grassroots sport and getting more people active across England.  In November 2021, Sport England published the results of their national research which confirmed that on average, 55% of those aged 7-18 are not meeting the Chief Medical Officer’s guideline of an average of 60+ minutes of physical activity a day. In addition, the proportion of those surveyed continued to report decreasing levels of enjoyment, confidence, physical ability, knowledge and understanding of sport and physical activity. At RGS High Wycombe, we are committed to achieving the highest standards of Physical Education and the positive attitudinal development of our students towards Sport and Physical Activity. We believe that these aims are extremely important to the physical and emotional wellbeing of all our students. 

The purpose of Physical Education, Sport and Physical Activity at RGS High Wycombe is to create an environment that: 

• Supports and nurtures all students to develop a high sense of self-worth, and the character to contribute positively to society.  
• Supports and nurtures all students to develop the motivation, confidence, and competence to thrive through a healthy and physically active lifestyle.  

This purpose has created a vision that enables all students to experience joy in physical movement; to create opportunities for social connection and interaction; to support personal wellbeing and encompasses careful consideration to physical literacy.  

Physical literacy is at the heart of RGS High Wycombe’s Physical Education and Games curriculums. It embraces the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life as articulated by the International Physical Literacy Association in 2017.

We work hard to guarantee that this vision for Physical Education is lived out in every lesson and throughout everything we do. As such, our subject is about far more than a rotation of different sports or activities and assessment of each one as an isolated skill. 

Given the strong evidence of the benefits of maintaining a physically active lifestyle, educating all of our students in healthy active lifestyle habits is our priority. We must ensure all students have a positive experience in and around sport, physical activity and movement.  

Co – Curricular Timetable
With the re-opening of our Sports Hall, we are excited to be launching our new SOCS Co-Curricular platform which will allow your son to sign up for different sports and physical activity clubs each half term. Sign up details and further information will be sent directly to your son’s school email address.  All Physical Education staff will be encouraging their students to attend at least one co-curricular sport or activity of their choice each week every half term.  

We hope this will be achieved through our inclusive and varied Co-Curricular timetable carefully planned in line with our 3 tiers of Sport and Physical Activity: Core Sport, Representational Sport, Recreational Sport and Physical Activity.  

How does this approach support my child’s ambition and aspiration for competitive sport? 
Many of our students have a passion to compete in one or more sports. We will continue to offer excellent opportunities to all students to participate in a range of sports and to compete against students from other aspirational schools. Our ambition is to enable every student to represent RGS and for those students who are not already participating in sport outside of school, to support their introduction into a community sports club setting.

Here is an insight into what has occurred during Term 1 in addition to our Rugby, Hockey, Cricket, and Rowing programmes.  

Swimming
It has been another action-packed term for Swimming. Our Inter and Senior team competed in the Hertfordshire and Wycombe Abbey leagues. Our Junior team competed in the opening gala at Wycombe Abbey on 30 November, representing RGS with pride for the first time.

Our Inter and Senior squad also competed at the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) regional round at Amersham Leisure Centre. After some excellent performances, they qualified for the national finals in both the 4X50m freestyle and medley relay held at the London 2012 Olympic Aquatic Centre. After some excellent team performances in both races, the squad were placed 21st nationally in both events.  

Well done to all involved this term. We look forward to another exciting round of swimming in the new year; with the Inter and Seniors looking to regain their Hertfordshire League titles! 

If your son would like the opportunity to attend a free taster session at Wycombe District Swimming Club, please see more information in the flyer below.

 

Fencing
The RGS Fencing squad travelled to compete in away fixtures at St Benedict’s, Eton, Wellington, Winchester, Harrow, Marlborough and Bradfield. We competed well and pushed all the opposition hard particularly in individual weapons. Our Year 9 Fencers also showed great promise in their first term of school fixtures. The final results tally this term was three draws and four defeats.  

Of the three weapons, the sabre proved our most successful this term. The sabre team, lead by the senior Fencing captains, were unbeaten in the competition, often sweeping aside their opposition who had beaten us in the other weapons. The highlight was a swashbuckling comeback from a sluggish start to dispatch Eton’s sabreurs 45-37.  

We also enjoyed success in the Epee. Some excellent performances were observed by team members who often stepped up to face older and more experienced opponents, and who beat the epeeists of Marlborough, St Benedict’s and Winchester.    

The foil was a key development area for the squad but even here, there were positive signs that the team are very much up for the challenge with a narrow defeat at Harrow.

Thank you to Mr Eve, Jenny Douglas, and Jacky Faulkner for their continued excellent support in leading and coaching our Fencing Teams. 

Cross Country
It has been a busy first term for the Cross-Country team and it has been great to see so many regularly attending the Thursday lunchtime Cross Country Club.

Most notably this season, our Junior, Inter and Senior teams competed in the English Schools Athletics Association (ESAA) Cross Country Cup. With some stellar performances, our Junior and Inter Boys were able to progress from the County Round to the Regional Final, finishing a respectable 7th and 6th. We have also taken part in several friendly races, most recently hosted by Harrow School and Hampton School.

These opportunities have allowed a record number of students to try something new whilst also representing the School. The Thursday lunchtime Cross Country Club will continue into term two, it is open to all so please feel free to join us! In addition, if there are any students who would like to take up Cross-Country and Athletics outside of school, please do get in touch. 

Thank you to Miss Caesar for her hard work and dedication to progressing Cross-Country and Athletics at RGS.  

Squash
Our Inter and Senior Squash teams have played three fixtures against five schools this term. The Senior team visited Abingdon at the beginning of November and lost a hard-fought fixture. Our Inters had their first outing at Eton in the first round of the National cup, losing both legs to more experienced teams from Eton and Dr Challenor’s. More recently, our Senior team were hosted by JHGS at Wycombe Squash and Racketball Club, beating a JHGS team 143-99 and narrowly losing to Stowe 93-151.

Thank you to Mr Glendining for his commitment and support to the Representative Squash Programme at RGS. 

Eight of our Year 7 students had a great experience participating in the Wycombe and Marlow School Games event in November. This event provided many students with their first opportunity to represent RGS, all of whom did a terrific job! We hope this event is a springboard to more representative squash fixtures in the future.

Having recently established a partnership with Wycombe Squash and Racketball Club, we are incredibly excited about the future of squash at RGS. This year, all Year 7 students will experience a half term of the sport in the Physical Education lessons and some of our Year 8 and Year 9 students will have the opportunity to learn the Sport in Term 2 of their Games sessions. 

If you would like the opportunity to join Wycombe Squash and Racketball Club, please see more information in the flyer below. 

 

 

Karate
The DART Karate club has had an active term despite the challenges raised by the temporary loss of the Sports Hall. The students have worked hard with about half the club supplementing their Wednesday classes with other evenings at the Leisure Centre. We’ve had RGS Old Boy Instructors drop in as well to give a helping hand.

This autumn the theory exams for gradings went digital for the first time and the students have done really well with the new system as they prepare for the challenges of 2 and 4.5-hour physical exams in December. Pad work and sparring have been strong this term and the students look forward to resuming groundwork with gusto when back in the Sports Hall. New students from all year groups will be welcome in January! 

Thank you to John Titchen for his continued delivery of an excellent and incredibly valuable club.

If you would like the opportunity to join the DART Karate club, please see more information in the flyer below.

 

Table Tennis
Sixteen Year 7 students have enjoyed attending the table tennis club after school on Tuesdays. The club is open to all levels of experience, with some students learning the game for the first time and others who attend weekly coaching sessions at Cippenham Table Tennis Club in Slough. It’s always a friendly yet competitive atmosphere, with fast-paced action and lots of learning and enjoyment taking place. I am sure those attending have taken a lot from the sessions.

Thank you to Mrs Morsing for organising the club and all her work with Table Tennis at RGS. 

Fives
Our Fives players continued working hard throughout the term. A huge thank you to Marc our external Fives coach for the planning and delivery of excellent sessions to students in Years 7-11 on Thursday afternoons. These students put in some outstanding performances in their end-of-term fixtures against Berkhamsted. We look forward to more fixtures featuring on the Fives calendar in Term 2.  

Next Term, each year group will have the opportunity to play Fives at breaktime and lunchtime on our two Fives courts. We hope this will continue to promote the sport and provide opportunities for students to try something new.  

Many thanks to Mr Fletcher, for leading the Fives program again this year and to Mr Sarsons for his support. 

On behalf of all members of staff who contribute to RGS Physical Education and Sport, thank you for your continued support.

Luke Huelin
Head of Physical Education