Sport

Rugby

In the absence of a normal Autumn Term fixture list, an internal BPS Cup competition was run. Boys were split into four teams; the Lions, the Bears, the Panthers and the Tigers. For this competition the ‘Ready for Rugby’ touch rugby rules, set out by the RFU, were used. The boys were taught these rules in training before the competition commenced and had the chance to train as a team. Teams played each other twice throughout the season on their usual Wednesday fixture afternoon.

It was a well fought competition in all age groups, played in excellent spirit. Mixed ability teams allowed leaders to develop and team spirit to shine through. Despite there being no contact involved, the skillset of each player progressed over the tournament and the children enjoyed the chance to play some competitive rugby.

The Year 7 and 8 tournament was a nail-biting contest with three of the teams finishing the league with just 3 points between them. The Tigers took first place with 29 points, with the Lions following hot on their heels with 28 points. The Bears took third spot with 26 points and the Panthers fourth with 15.

In Year 6, the Panthers and the Lions battled out for the top spot with the Panthers just tipping the results in their favour by one point. The Bears came in third and the Tigers fourth. The Year 5 league table saw the Lions leading with the Bears in second place, the Panthers in third and the Tigers in fourth.

JG

Hockey

All girls from Year 3 to 8 competed fiercely in the BPS Hockey Cup matches, a mixed team tournament. Each girl was allocated into either the Bears, Tigers, Lions or Panthers, a team that they would give their utmost commitment to over the course of the term. Paired with some of our top sports coaches, the girls were motivated and prepared during training to face their rivals over a series of weeks.

We saw some fantastic teamwork between year groups, and the girls competed alongside players that they had never worked with before. Players stepped up into all sorts of leadership and motivational roles within their teams, some even becoming the team stylist.

The Year 7 and 8 girls played all of their matches at Stratford Park astro while the Year 5s and 6s played at home on the school astro. We saw skilful play and lots of exciting goals throughout the tournament. The girls worked hard together and produced some lovely play. The results table shifted and changed over the tournament, and the results were very tight. For the Year 5 girls, the Tigers got Gold with a total of 8 points, followed closely by the Lions, then the Panthers and the Bears. Moving on to the Year 6 results, Lions came top, followed by the Tigers, Panthers and Bears.

The senior tournament was won by the Lions with a fantastic total of 77 points, The Tigers followed with 63 points, the Bears and Panthers gaining 3rd and 4th place. At the end of every match, each team nominated a ‘Most Valuable Player’ from the opposite team. We recorded the results and the overall winner for the Year 7 and 8 players was Isla, and the Year 5 and 6 winner was Martha.

FS

Netball

Football

UNDER 13A

UNDER 13B UNDER 12A UNDER 12B

The U13As made significant progress throughout the season and really hit their stride. There was a clear love for cricket from this group and an excellent team spirit shone through, no matter what the result (or the weather).

The team was excellently led by Fred, who was a standout performer with both bat and ball from start to finish. Highlights of the season included an exciting win against Dean Close and the final game victory against a previously unbeaten Cheltenham College U12A team. In this particular game, everything the team had been working on in the field came together, bowling the opposition out for 36.

There was clear progress by the end of the season, both in terms of performance and in general cricket awareness. The wicket keeping of Freddie was key throughout and the boys can move onto their next schools with plenty of confidence in this wonderful summer game.

JG

The joy of playing matches again was evident throughout this excellent season. It was a pleasure to work with the boys who maintained a super attitude throughout. Victories and defeats were celebrated with equal enthusiasm and the taking of catches, scoring of runs and bowling maidens were targets for all. We met some teams who were better than us, and some who were not. The improvement throughout was a joy to behold and there were some stellar performances.

The real joy though was the awareness of their own abilities; in one classic moment as I jokingly warned the boys against copying the opposition who had done a press up every time a run was conceded, a clearly shocked young man who shall remain nameless replied by saying, “Sir, we would never do that – we can’t do press ups!”.

SW

Cricket – Boys

The Year 7 cricket team made steady improvement across the summer with some excellent performances from both the team and individuals alike. With wins against Wycliffe by 109 runs and Cokethorpe by 8 wickets, the team finished with a comprehensive victory against Thomas’s Battersea boys with a win by 10 wickets. This was helped largely by the unbroken opening stand of 142 from Avery and Felix.

Despite some narrow losses against St Hugh’s and Dean Close (where Oscar picked up 7 wickets in his spell!), the team has been one who have started to have real confidence in their ability. Led by Hector and Will, the opening bowling partnership has been particularly impressive. Explosive batting from Wilbur and Algie in the middle order has also seen the batsmen weigh in with some crucial performances too.

All-rounders Charlie, Digby and Lochy have delivered match winning contributions and played the situation well, backed up by Max H who has batted higher up the order and George who has bowled consistently too. This year group will go into Year 8 with plenty of confidence from this season and we all look forward to seeing how they progress. SH This has been a most enjoyable term of cricket with a group of talented and extremely enthusiastic boys. They have shown a tremendous attitude throughout and been keen to hone their skills in our competitive practice sessions.

A difficult start against a strong Cheltenham Prep side was tough, but we battled hard and only just came up short in an entertaining, high-scoring game. Results were a touch up and down but I have been so impressed with how the team never gave up, supported each other excellently in the field and fought right to the end. We finished our season with a return fixture against Cheltenham and it was marvellous to see us coming out on top, performing at a high level in all disciplines.

I must just highlight the contribution of Sid, Hari, Theo, Wolfie and Fred. Always wanting to perform for the side, prepared to take responsibility to do their best for the team, they have been a credit to themselves. After a tough year, it has been a pleasure to coach this group and I very much look forward to seeing their development next year and beyond. Very well done all.

DR

UNDER 12C

A season that was slightly interrupted due to weather conditions and covid regulations meant we were not able to play our full quota of games. Albeit, the games we did play were great fun and resulted in a 50% win-loss ratio. The boys enjoyed playing the softball variant of the pairs game and really applied themselves well to all practice sessions and games. The enjoyment of playing competitive matches against other schools was clear, and the laughter and enjoyment could be heard from a fair distance away. Over the course of the season, some great catches were made, wickets were taken and all in all, progression was made in all areas of the game. It was very encouraging that some of the boys stepped up to play in the B team with a hard ball, which had a positive impact on both teams. The most important thing to take from this season was that every member of the squad played in the spirit of the game and were very encouraging to their teammates, and also to their opponents. Well done.

EC

UNDER 11A

A season of two halves; a very promising start with five straight wins was followed by three defeats. It was so good to get back into playing matches against other schools but it did show up areas where by missing a season of cricket restricted the development of ‘cricketing brains’. Each and every member of the side was keen to bat and bowl. They did so with great enthusiasm, whether it was in a match or during a practice. In hindsight, our bowling was our strength although we either elected to bat or were put in, in each of our matches. Our strength in bowling was highlighted when playing Dean Close. They only needed 5 runs with 5 wickets in hand to win. They lost by 2 runs. Our accurate bowlers hit the stumps 5 times. Herbie showed that he had a touch of class when he hit a comfortable 74 out of a score of 99 against Pinewood. Freddie showed great form with both bat and ball, scoring a very stylish 50 against The Downs Malvern and another against The Downs Wraxall. He showed that he was suspect at the start of his innings. Harry bowled extremely well and often took valuable wickets at important times.

It has been a very enjoyable season and I look forward to seeing how the boys progress next year. Thank you and well done.

UNDER 11B

The Under 11B squad had a successful season playing 20 over pairs hardball cricket. While many started the season focussed on their preferred discipline, they became more confident cricketers by developing their skills in the three key areas of the game.

Everyone’s effort and attitude in both training and matches was excellent, and so many members of the squad contributed to the successes of the season. Bowling was particularly strong within the team. Wylder and Agastyan led the way with some superb bowling figures. Sam and Max also had important spells in matches, taking some key wickets and making it difficult for teams to score. When batting, Jean Christian, Rex and Cecil all showed some flare with the bat and played key innings in run chases or setting a target.

However, when fielding it was a real team effort. With some impressive catches, key runouts and support for the bowler, many close matches went in our favour. Otto deserves a special mention as wicket keeper. It was great to see how they developed over the term and I was very proud of their achievements. Well done.

UNDER 11C

Despite limited opportunities to test their skills against other schools, owing to the everdependable English weather, the boys in the U11C team can look back on their cricket season with immense pride. For many, it was a journey from reluctant novice to accomplished cricketer.

There were several obstacles to overcome, including getting used to cricket’s unique rules and terminology, the ever-present threat of the rock-like ball and an ever-changing squad as boys earned their chance to move up to the B team. The team coped admirably with each of these challenges, and a good-humoured competitiveness and collective desire to improve our game was established. With James leading from the front and captaining superbly, the boys swept aside all competition they faced, much as they became accustomed to sweeping balls to the boundary.

Every player made great strides with their individual game and all should be applauded for their efforts. Special mention must go to Naoise who, having never played cricket before joining Beaudesert Park, worked through some early season difficulties with his bowling to play his final match without conceding a single extra. The highlight of the season goes to Henry, whose catlike reflexes in the field led to the dismissal of Dean Close’s most dangerous batsmen and earning his team a vital five runs. A fabulous effort by all with just a hint of regret that the boys did not get to show their talents more regularly. I look forward to seeing them continue to enjoy their cricket next year.

TC

UNDER 10A

It was great getting the boys over to the Playing Fields for games this term, and to get a few fixtures in was such a treat! These boys can only be described as incredibly enthusiastic, keen to learn and improve, and an all-round cheerful bunch. Although they only played in 6 matches, their progress as a team was outstanding. By our final couple of matches, they were a serious force to be reckoned with, putting runs on the board, which were backed up with some outstanding bowling and fielding. Well done team and best of luck next season!

JLB

UNDER 10B

A gutsy team put out some fine performances over the course of the term. Despite the weather’s best efforts, we completed most of our matches with a winning season and a final match against Cheltenham that ended in a tie, something rarely seen in cricket. Rufus and Isaac were the backbone of our batting, with Rufus in particular scoring many of our runs with some powerful strokes to the boundary. Charlie came in at number three and was adept at finding runs where others couldn’t while Cassius, Freddie and Sebby provided dead eye, end to end bowling. George and Patrick evolved into fine bowlers and equally plucky batsmen working well together in a solid last pair. It was an enjoyable season with boundless team spirit, hard won victories and a camaraderie that burst forth at crucial moments to seal the win.

BC

YEAR 4

Having missed out on their normal cricket term in Year 3, this group of boys were eager to both learn and demonstrate their skills. They showed huge enthusiasm throughout the term and enjoyed both their training sessions and matches alike. We concentrated on bowling with a straight arm and the mantra of ‘line and length’. With batting, we encouraged them to ‘grip it and rip it’ but with a straight bat and steady head. The boys learnt largely through

UNDER 10C

The U10C’s cricket season has been far from boring with every member of the team showing a desire to improve with every game played. Throughout the season every member has come on in leaps and bounds in all areas of their cricket and have been rewarded with a number of victories against opposing schools. The most notable success was against Bromsgrove where Griff managed to score a 4 on the last ball of the game to give the victory to Beaudesert. Another outstanding moment of the season came from Roman with his superb one-handed catch against Tockington, which both teams applauded him for. It was really refreshing to see every member of the squad put 100% at every opportunity, and try their upmost to improve as a team rather than a group of individuals. It has been a pleasure to coach the U10Cs this season and I wish them all the very best in the future. Well done.

small sided games, with a particular focus on being as active and engaged as possible.

The boys had some real success on the field of play, recording a number of victories across the three teams. Players regularly rotated amongst the different teams and the progress from start to finish was evident for all to see. This is a group with plenty of potential moving forwards.

JG

Cricket – Girls

GIRLS SENIOR HARD BALL (U12 AND U13)

In the third season of cricket as the summer sport for girls, we introduced the hard ball game for those players in Years 7 and 8 who were keen to get involved. After the first all soft ball block fixture with Cheltenham Prep, every subsequent match day had a mix of both soft and hard ball games. Our preparations were supported by the cricket activity on Tuesday afternoons, as well as the usual games session practices.

From the beginning there was a pleasing level of enthusiasm for hard ball from both year groups. The quality of bowling was particularly good throughout the summer with all players getting the ball down the track with some pace and good levels of accuracy. This was necessary as our batting was weak by comparison, and we relied heavily on the pairings of Poppy and Lili, and Katie and Jemima. Overall we tended to miss the bad balls, losing the opportunity to score easy runs, and sometimes the straight ones as well. Ouch. The missed summer of 2020 meant that running between the wickets was not as slick as it should have been. It wasn’t until our last game that the side displayed strength in depth on the batting front.

After an opening soft ball loss to Cheltenham Prep, we had Beaudesert’s first ever hard ball match for girls at The Downs, Wraxall. A pairs game with twenty overs for each side on a beautiful day after weeks of rain, it came down to the penultimate ball, with a win for us by the narrowest of margins. Rosie saved the day by being the player who could keep out the straight balls! In our next match away at Pinewood it was decided they would play “proper cricket”, also known as “when you’re out, you’re out” cricket. Our problems with straight bowling and running between the wickets caught up with us, and it required a high score from extras to give us a defendable total. Our bowling was, again, much better than our batting, but after a flurry of wickets, a pair of skilled and determined batters got stuck in and stayed in, both eventually retiring on 25. With Pinewood’s fielding being superior to ours as well, all in all it was a sobering afternoon of sport.

After a long break for half term, exams and Cornwall, we played our final match against a Year 7A side from Cheltenham as their Year 8s were on a trip. It was by no means a simple win, as Cheltenham have several very talented players, but we finally began putting away the bad balls, keeping out the good ones, and calling more effectively. Our ground fielding was much sharper, with good backing up saving several runs. As for our bowling, well it was just wonderful to watch. Almost no extras, straight, quick and pitched up - we would have been a match for any side. To end the season, and the Year 8s’ Beaudesert Park sporting careers, Poppy took a wicket with the last ball! It was a memorable season, and my thanks go out to all the girls who took part so cheerfully and who made such improvements to their skills. There are many Year 7s who have taken part with great potential, and I am already looking forward to next summer’s action.

KDB

SENIOR 2ND TEAM

The Second team have had an enjoyable and successful term of cricket. They started with a loss against Cheltenham which really motivated them to do better in training. Great progress was made especially with bowling and fielding skills. Their confidence grew match by match as did their understanding of tactics and teamwork, winning all but one of the remaining matches. The highlight of the season came in the last match against Cheltenham where the girls had a big win, gaining fifteen wickets. The bowling was great from all the girls, especially Isla R, scoring five wickets, and Indi who also made a fantastic one-handed catch. It was great to see Amelia and Esme deep in the field, diving to stop fours from being scored. The batting was good all round, finishing with a score of 323.

I hope next year the girls will continue to work hard improving their skills and have a chance to play more hard ball matches.

TP

UNDER 11A UNDER 10B SENIOR 3RD TEAM

It has been a great term of cricket for the Third team, with lots of great training sessions, matches and team work. I have been really impressed with how much progress all the players have made, across all aspects of the game. I loved how we started the term off playing Cheltenham College, and finished the term playing them again in our last match. It was a real indication of just how much the girls have improved over the season and how much they have achieved. Lots of great bowling, batting and fielding from all the girls involved. Well done. PS

The U11A’s had a brilliant comeback season and dominated the majority of their matches. They thrived in both batting and bowling, regularly taking wickets and hitting boundaries. Bromsgrove was a particular highlight. Denying Bromsgrove runs, the team won on the final over by just 2 runs. The girls grew in confidence and performance as the season went on and I look forward to watching them grow in the senior teams. Congratulations to Darcey was took on captaincy and Charlotte who was awarded the most improved player of the season. A great season, well done. EH

UNDER 11B

It has been fantastic to finally have some fixtures this term. The girls have made great progress in cricket and have had an unbeaten season playing some very close and competitive matches. It has been a difficult term with matches having to be cancelled, but the girls haven’t let this affect their confidence and I have been impressed with their attitude in both matches and games lessons. The highlight was playing against a very strong Bromsgrove team which saw us scoring lots of runs and in a good position. In the second innings, Bromsgrove bowled and fielded very well and it was a very close end to the match with us winning by one run. The girls have improved a lot over the term. They have been a pleasure to teach. Well done.

GBW

UNDER 10A

Our U10A team had a brilliant season and have worked so well together as a team. While a number of matches were rained off during a particularly wet May, the team won all of the matches they played. Particular highlights were matches against Bromsgrove and a close game with Wycliffe. The Bromsgrove team stood unbeaten but our girls sailed through the match, clocking up 326 runs to Bromsgrove’s 147, a win of 179 runs. They have impressed me so much with their team spirit and I have really enjoyed coaching the girls. Special mentions go to Capi for her accurate bowling and Chloe for her excellent effort throughout the season. They are a talented team and I look forward to seeing their cricket skills develop as they progress up the school. FS The cricket season was brief for the U10Bs but this didn’t take away from the team’s strength of spirit. There were some positive results and the hard work the girls have put in this term is clear for all to see. During training sessions the girls worked hard on their batting, bowling and fielding skills which helped them secure wins against St Hugh’s and Bromsgrove. A tough match led to an exciting draw at Dean Close. Savannah and Ella were crucial to this team’s success throughout the term. All the girls did a brilliant job and I am grateful to their parents for supporting the team this term. PH

UNDER 10C

The U10C team had a great season together. Despite many fixtures getting rained out they persevered at practices and ensured the games they did play were worthwhile. With three wins under their belt this season it was a pleasure to see them consistently improve. There was an especially big love for fielding this season with some spectacular catches. Overall a great season and the girls are already looking forward to the next one. KT

YEAR 4

The rain that seemed to descend on Beaudesert on match days didn’t dampen our spirits. We took these opportunities to work on all the cricket skills and knowledge we would need for the forthcoming matches. We managed to get a good match in against Wycliffe and were delighted with a win. With the next match against The Downs cancelled we were overly excited to be travelling to play Dean Close. The minibus was filled with singing and very enthusiastic girls ready to play cricket on a beautiful sunny afternoon. They played fantastically and were rewarded with two wins and a close match in the C team. We had another great game against Pinewood and enjoyed playing a home fixture with the parents watching. Unfortunately, covid crept back and saw the Clifton match cancelled. Our last game was away at Cheltenham Prep. It was lovely to see the girls so confident, demonstrating their accurate bowling and great fielding skills. With a well-deserved win they should all be proud of how much they have achieved this term. Well done!

Sports Day

Towards the end of the Summer Term we were fortunate enough to be able to host a number of Sports Days at School, the first of which was the Pre-Prep Sports Day on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Children participated in a variety of events within their classes. There were eight events overall (an ‘Octathlon’!), and stickers were handed out to children for their skills and endeavour. The sack race was, as ever, a very popular event and it was great to see smiles and laughter from both children and parents.

The following Friday saw Years 3 and 4 have their own Sports Day over at the Playing Fields with full use of the track. We were blessed with excellent weather and there were some fine performances throughout the afternoon, announced over the loud speaker by the one and only, impeccably dressed as ever, Mr Tiley. Children were pleased to receive an ice cream at the conclusion and awards were given in assembly for the boy and girl ‘athletes of the day’ in each form, as voted for by their Form Teacher.

Despite the bumper Year 5-8 Saturday Sports Day being lost to the weather, we were able to rearrange the event for the last Thursday of term. Pupils represented their Forms and themselves with pride, and displayed excellent athletic prowess. The boys and girls participated in at least three events and there was a lovely buzz across the fields. Winners of each event were announced by Mr Tiley and were awarded with their certificates in the End of Term assembly, expertly written as always by Mr Burns.

We are very much looking forward to the launch of the House Sports Day next year.

JG

Athletics

It is wonderful to see athletics continue to flourish at Beaudesert. Even without school fixtures to focus on, we saw plenty of superb performances across the board.

I am always incredibly impressed with the effort and enthusiasm of the children, whether trying to gain those extra centimetres in the shot put or attempting to knock precious seconds from their 800m time!

With our school Sports Days the primary target for our athletes, competition was fierce in practice sessions. Though we have been slightly restricted for time this term, the standards have remained pleasingly high. A number of long standing school records were in serious danger, but were just out of reach - for now! Athletics is a tough, mainly individual sport and it is so important for children in their sporting development. They have to learn to prepare in the right way, learn to peak and to perform at their best.

It was fantastic to see such a successful Sports Day and a fitting way to end a most enjoyable term of athletics.

DR

Sports Day Results 2021

U14 Boys

100m W. Gemmill 300m C. Burns 800m T. Eugster Hurdles W. Gemmill Long M. Thomson High M. Thomson Discus J. Bostock Shot R. Edmonds Javelin A.Roche 14.00s 44.67s 2m44s

4.15m 1.35m 19.70m 8.80m 21.07m

U13 Boys

100m W. Hunter

14.09s 200m W. Hunter 30.77s 800m W. Mordaunt-Hoon 2m36s Hurdles T. Maculan Long W. Hunter 4.42m High L. Hazell 1.28m Discus M. Hargitay 19.45m Shot C. Chadwick 8.11m Javelin O. Sánchez-Farmar 20.23m

U12 Boys

100m S. Casey 200m H. Ahearne 800m S. Casey Hurdles C. Gifford Long O. Bullock High O. Bullock Discus R. Rowland Shot H. Ahearne Javelin H. Ahearne 15.59s 32.45s 2m56s

3.46m 1.30m 16.70m 7.50m 31.20m

U11 Boys

100m S. Morris 200m I. Stringer 800m I. Stringer Hurdles G. Evans Long S. Fitzpatrick High R. Spooner Discus W. Edmunds Shot M. Hargitay Vortex W. Edmunds 16.35s 32.5s 2m57s

3.48m 1.15m 17.5m 6.00m 35.50m

U14 Girls

100m S. Thompson 300m S. Thompson 800m L. Evans 15.34s 48.70s 3m08s

Hurdles E. Fleming Long E. Fleming and V.G. Halard 2.98m High F. Frost 1.25m Discus F. Frost 16.20m Shot L. Hargitay 6.71m Javelin E. Fleming 18.25m

U13 Girls

100m A. Oldman 200m K. Johnston 800m K. Johnston 15.90s 31.88s 2m51s

Hurdles T. Walker Long E. Hodson 3.31m High Z. Halpern-Lande 1.19m Discus A. Oldman 17.52m Shot K. Johnston 7.25m Javelin A. Oldman 13.41m

U12 Girls

100m L. Walker 200m L. Walker 800m R. Gifford Hurdles R. Sturgis Long R. Sturgis High S. Trehearne Discus L. Fleming Shot I. Adams Javelin L. Walker 15.74s 32.10s 3m20s

3.35m 1.30m 14.00m 6.20m 14.50m

U11 Girls

100m C. Bostock 200m S. Robinson 800m C. Bostock Hurdles S. Phillips Long T. Gordon High C. Bostock Discus C. Peppiatt Shot A. Gibbs Vortex S. Robinson 16.58s 35.89s 3m07s

3.43m 1.15m 11.20m 5.60m 22.60m

Swimming

With no galas this year, it was a quieter year in the pool than usual for competitions. In lessons, new skills were mastered, confidence was regained and swimming techniques were improved. This was further consolidated within swimming activities for the children who chose to recreationally swim and enjoy being back in the water.

This year was particularly special for our younger years, some of whom experienced swimming for the first time. In the Spring Term, Nursery had their first dip in the pool. Equipped with armbands and floats to aid them, the children gained water confidence while having a good splash around through games and play. In Reception and Year 1 the swimmers began to develop a swimming stroke on their fronts and backs through games and more structured lessons. Skills such as floating, gliding and picking up objects off the pool floor were explored and developed throughout the year, aiding the children’s ability to move fluidly through the water. Year 2 continued their swimming progression by focusing more closely on stroke timings and breathing positions in the water. They also branched out and tried a few lifesaving skills by practising swimming lengths in their pyjamas to understand how clothes can affect their swimming ability.

All in all it was a great year for swimming and much progress was made by all children, whether they were seasoned swimmers in our older years or just starting out swimming in the Pre-prep.

HN

I have been so impressed with the effort and enthusiasm shown by the cross country squad and all those who have joined in with the activity this year. We have seen regular training runs at break time. These have proved increasingly competitive and a real testament to those taking part consistently in all weathers. The cross country activity has proved great fun as usual, and we have been able to mix up the terrain, pace and session type regularly. Faster runs on the common one week, scrambling round Box Woods the next, and hill sprints on the school site were all part of the training plan and undertaken with much gusto!

It was tremendous to see the whole school turn out for our inaugural 3km race over at the Playing Fields. High-quality front running in all the races was matched throughout by the determination and enjoyment of everyone taking part and it was a joy to see; a marvellous Beaudesert occasion.

I very much look forward to continuing the fine tradition of cross country running at Beaudesert and look forward to testing our fitness in school matches once again next season.

I must highlight the contribution and effort shown by Theo in Year 8 and Harry in Year 6 this year. Always keen for an extra training run, their fitness levels have seen significant improvement and I look forward to seeing further progression next year and beyond.

Very well done all!

DR

Cross Country

Tennis

Fresh lines were painted and nets erected for the return of tennis in Beaudesert Park’s Summer Term. It was fantastic to see competitive matches return to the school games’ programme after such a long break. The children very much enjoyed returning to competition and indulging in a post-match flapjack after giving it their all on-court. The tennis coaching programme resumed this year, and it was wonderful to see tennis being enjoyed by many of our children on a summer’s evening.

The girls worked hard on improving their tennis technique and match play during games sessions. Although some matches were affected by weather, the U12 and U13 girls had great matches, particularly against both Clifton and Bromsgrove School. Tennis captain Poppy led the way and performed consistently throughout the season. Poppy formed a strong partnership with Lucia in the U13A team. The U10 and U11 girls experienced their first school tennis matches and tennis festivals, and had great fun dodging in between rain showers. The Cheltenham College fixture which involved all the girls playing both singles and doubles was a highlight of the season.

All children in Years 5 to 8 competed in the inaugural Beaudesert Tennis Championships. In PE lessons, children competed to qualify for the main draw with the semi-finals and finals taking place in the final week of term. Well done to all those who took part and enjoyed the competition.

ND Year 5 boys

Winner M. Hargitay Runner Up G. Miller

Year 6 Girls

Winner L. Fleming Runner Up C. Austin

Year 5 Girls

Winner C. Peppiatt Runner Up T. Gordon

Year 6 Boys

Winner H. Ahearne Runner Up O. Raphael

Year 7 Boys

Finalists M. Hargitay and O. O’Carroll

Year 7 Girls

Finalists L. Cuellar and J. Gordon

Year 3 Sport

The Year 3s had a very impressive first year of sport in the Prep School. The focus at this age is to encourage the children’s enjoyment of their sport whilst installing some fundamental skills for the children to build on moving forwards. The girls brought energy and enthusiasm to their hockey, netball and cricket whilst the boys flourished in their rugby, football and cricket. In Year 3, ‘green laces’ are awarded to children who demonstrate some of the most important sporting values such as teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship. Well done to all of the children who managed to receive this accolade.

We hope the year group will look forward to their sport in Year 4 where they will continue to develop their skills and game play technique.

JG