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SPORTS REPORT 2025-26

TABLE OF CONTENTS ANSTON GREENLANDS

REDSCOPE

THORPE HESLEY

PRIMARY VARSITY

BRINSWORTH ACADEMY

DINNINGTON HIGH SCHOOL

WINGFIELD ACADEMY

SECONDARY VARSITY

NEW COLLEGE BRADFORD

NEW COLLEGE DONCASTER

NEW COLLEGE PONTEFRACT

NEW COLLEGE VARSITY

This has been another fantastic year for sport at Greenlands, with children continuing to enjoy a wide range of opportunities to be active, compete and develop their confidence through physical activity. We were delighted to be recognised once again as an example of best practice, featuring in the School Games Newsletter for our commitment to providing high-quality sporting opportunities and promoting an active lifestyle across the school community. Children have represented Greenlands in an impressive range of inter-school competitions throughout the year, including hockey, football, cricket, rounders, basketball and Swim Fest events, as well as taking part in the #MadeForTheGame girls’ football initiative. The highlight of our competitive year came when our Year 5/6 girls’ hockey team were crowned Rotherham champions, earning the opportunity to represent the town at the South Yorkshire Finals. Although the finals were unfortunately abandoned because of the weather, the team’s achievement in reaching that stage was a fantastic accomplishment and one that the whole school was incredibly proud to celebrate. As always, we have continued to place a strong emphasis on encouraging participation beyond the school day. A particular highlight was Girls in Sport Week, which saw more than 100 girls, mums and grandmothers taking part in a variety of sporting activities after school. It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying being active together and supporting our aim of inspiring lifelong participation in sport and physical activity.

Our Sports Leaders have once again played an important role in promoting sport across the school, helping to organise and support events throughout the year. Alongside the PTA, they were instrumental in delivering our hugely successful colour run, which, together with the summer fair that followed, raised almost £4,000 for the school. The event was a fantastic celebration of our school community, bringing children, families and staff together while raising valuable funds. Our partnership with Dinnington High School has continued to go from strength to strength. Through their package of training and support, our pupils have benefited from high-quality coaching and sporting experiences throughout the year. We were also delighted to welcome students from Dinnington to support our annual sports day, helping to make the event another memorable success. Sports day provided a fitting finale to another busy sporting year. Despite the challenges posed by the exceptionally hot weather, the event was successfully adapted with revised timings and activities, while families and the wider school community rallied together by providing gazebos and shade to ensure everyone could enjoy the day safely. The flexibility and teamwork shown by everyone involved reflected the strong community spirit that makes Greenlands such a special place. We look forward to building on another successful year and providing even more opportunities for children to enjoy sport and physical activity in the year ahead.

Sport has continued to play a significant role at Redscope Primary School this year, providing pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop their physical skills, confidence and teamwork while promoting healthy, active lifestyles. Our year began with a sponsored walk, which helped raise valuable funds towards our whole-school pantomime trip, ensuring every child could enjoy the experience. We were incredibly grateful for the support of volunteers from Winterhill School, who cheered the children on and counted laps throughout the walk. They were fantastic role models and a real asset to the event. Later in the year, pupils enthusiastically took part in the annual Reindeer Dash, raising money for the Rotherham Hospice.

Throughout the year, we have welcomed specialist coaches into school to enrich our PE curriculum. Coaches from Rotherham United FC delivered a series of inclusive sports sessions to every year group, from FS2 through to Year 6, ensuring all children had the opportunity to participate and develop new skills. Our Year 6 pupils also benefited from the Joy of Moving programme, delivered by Rotherham United FC, which combined physical activity with engaging classroom learning to promote healthy lifestyles, teamwork and positive wellbeing. We also welcomed British Gymnastics coaches, who delivered engaging and inclusive gymnastics lessons while supporting teachers with high-quality professional development to enhance future teaching. Pupils also enjoyed a fantastic Rotherham United FC inflatables day, where every year group took part in a variety of fun sporting activities designed to promote participation, teamwork and physical activity.

Our extensive after-school club programme has continued to grow, with pupils enjoying activities including boxing, multi-sports, football and our ever-popular Disney dance club. These clubs have provided valuable extracurricular opportunities for children across the school while enabling families to access organised physical activity in a familiar and welcoming environment. Several pupils have also represented the school at sporting events throughout the year. A group of Year 3 and Year 4 girls and boys enjoyed taking part in the Play on the Pitch event at Rotherham United FC, where they participated in a variety of exciting sports activities. Our football team also enjoyed an excellent run in the Half Time Cup. After winning the opening round at the New York Stadium, Rotherham, the team progressed to the group stages, where they performed brilliantly across a series of closely contested matches, narrowly missing out on a place in the finals. Within school, our staff continue to deliver a broad and balanced PE curriculum. Pupils experience activities including yoga, dance, target games, net and wall games, and invasion games, helping to develop important skills such as teamwork, communication, balance, coordination, resilience and strategic thinking. During the summer term, our Year 4 pupils also attended swimming lessons at Rotherham Leisure Complex, where they developed greater confidence in the water while improving their swimming ability and understanding of essential water safety. Looking ahead, we are excited for Sports Day, which has been rearranged for the beginning of July following the recent heatwave. Pupils will compete in a range of fun potted sports alongside traditional running races, collecting points for their house teams in what promises to be another fantastic day of participation and friendly competition. Finally, we are always proud to celebrate the achievements of pupils beyond the school gates. Children continue to excel in a wide range of community sports, including football, cricket, roller hockey, ice hockey, karate and cheerleading! We look forward to recognising many more sporting successes into next academic year.

At Thorpe Hesley Primary School we have had an extremely busy and positive year providing a wide range of sports activities for our children. We have offered various forms of sport during PE lessons and through various lunchtime and extra-curricular activities. Rotherham United have delivered PE sessions to Year 5 children and provided many footballing opportunities over the year. Key Stage 2 children have been involved in the Primary Stars Cup and the Half Time Cup, where they were crowned champions at the New York Stadium! Key Stage 2 attended a special assembly to celebrate 100 years of Rotherham United and had the opportunity to attend a six-week after-school football club. RUFC have also delivered an after-school gymnastics club to Key Stage 1 children and an after-school multiskills club to Foundation Stage children. In the autumn term, Craig Nixon delivered martial arts sessions to children across all key stages, during which they learnt a range of basic karate skills. Our committed staff have worked extremely hard this year to provide children with a range of after school and lunchtime clubs.

During the autumn term, Mr Meares ran a dodgeball club for upper Key Stage 2 children and Mrs Morgan began her dance club for Key Stage 2 children. The group then attended the Rotherham Dance Festival and performed for parents and carers at the ‘Musical Extravaganza’. Mrs Morgan has also run a flag football club and a hockey club where children then attended a tournament to play competitive hockey matches against children from other schools.

Mr Binney has led a bench ball club for Key Stage 2 children and Mrs Bailey has continued to lead football clubs every lunch time for Key Stage 2 boys and girls. She also ran our very own world cup tournament in school over several weeks this summer which as always proved extremely popular. In the infant building, Miss Moran has led a dance club for Year 2 children who performed a street dance and jazz dance at our ‘Musical Extravaganza,’ held at Wingfield Academy, and at the Thorpe Hesley Artworks Summer Gala. As well as regular PE sessions, children have participated in a range of competitions and events to encourage student participation and promote healthy competition. These have included an inclusive ten pin bowling tournament for children with SEND, the EFL Utilita Kids Cup, Year 3 and 4 futsal tournament, Year 5 and 6 athletics tournament and the Rotherham Festival of Sport. In the summer term, Year 5 children are taking part in bike-ability sessions and all children from Nursery to Year 6 have participated in Sports Day events. Our Year 4 children also had a wonderful day at New College Doncaster, taking part in the NCLT primary varsity event. We have lots to celebrate over the last year and we are extremely proud of all our children and staff.

NCLT PRIMARY

VARSITY Just one week after the Secondary Varsity, New College Doncaster welcomed Year 4 pupils from Anston Greenlands Primary School, Redscope Primary School and Thorpe Hesley Primary School for the annual NCLT Primary Varsity. Supported by New College Doncaster sports students preparing for their Turing Scheme coaching placement in Italy, the event provided a fantastic opportunity for pupils to enjoy a day of sport while making new friends. With the FIFA World Cup taking place during the summer, this year’s event adopted a World Cup theme. Rather than competing for their own schools, pupils were mixed together into four international teams (England, France, Spain and Mexico) encouraging teamwork, inclusion and new friendships throughout the day.

The morning featured five team sports: boys’ football, girls’ football, benchball, dodgeball and rounders, with pupils proudly representing their adopted nations. After lunch in the New College Doncaster Student Union, pupils returned to the outstanding sports facilities to compete in a range of track and field athletics events, earning additional points for their teams alongside individual awards. Like the previous week’s Secondary Varsity, the event took place in extremely hot weather, but pupils approached every challenge with enthusiasm, resilience and excellent sportsmanship. The New College Doncaster sports leaders played a vital role in officiating, coaching and encouraging participants throughout the day, gaining valuable experience ahead of delivering coaching sessions in Italy later that month. After a brilliant day of competition, Spain finished as overall champions, but the biggest success was the enjoyment shown by every pupil. The event perfectly captured the spirit of the World Cup, bringing children together through sport while showcasing the excellent facilities and opportunities available at New College Doncaster.

Achieving excellence in sport at Brinsworth Academy. The 2025–2026 academic year has been another outstanding year for sport at Brinsworth Academy. We have seen a record-breaking number of students attending extracurricular clubs. Their commitment, determination, and enthusiasm have contributed to one of our most successful sporting years to date.

Netball This year has been particularly successful for netball at Brinsworth Academy. For the first time, we have had five full teams, with students from every year group regularly training and competing. We also achieved a record number of teams reaching the Rotherham netball finals, with our Year 9, Year 10 and Year 11 teams all qualifying. This was a fantastic achievement and demonstrated the strength of netball across the Academy.

For the third consecutive year, Brinsworth Academy students attended an overnight netball residential, competing against schools from across England over two days of competition. Students from Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 represented the Academy brilliantly in a highly competitive environment. Congratulations to our Years 7, 8 and 9 teams, who all secured bronze medals at the semi-final stage. Year 8 were particularly unfortunate to miss out on a higher placing by just one goal difference. Basketball The basketball team has had an outstanding year, demonstrating determination, teamwork and significant development both on and off the court. Through hardfought league fixtures and impressive tournament performances in the JR NBA initiative, players consistently showed resilience and a commitment to improving their skills. Football Brinsworth Academy once again enjoyed a successful year in football. The Year 10 boys' team reached the Rotherham Y10 Plate Final, drawing 1–1 before narrowly losing on penalties. The Year 7 team also enjoyed an excellent run in the English Schools' Cup, progressing through to the fourth round and competing against strong opposition from across the region. Athletics This year saw some excellent achievements in athletics. For the first time, both the Year 7 boys' and girls' indoor athletics teams finished in the top three in Rotherham, competing against 15 other schools. Following their success, the Year 7 girls qualified for the South Yorkshire indoor athletics finals, where they achieved an impressive 5th-place finish overall.

D of E Our Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Bronze cohort have worked extremely hard this year. They have dedicated themselves to weekly Wednesday training sessions, developing key expedition skills including campcraft, navigation, route planning, risk awareness and emergency procedures. Their practice expedition around Birchover turned out to be one of the wettest June expeditions we’ve ever experienced. Despite the challenging conditions, the team showed outstanding determination, resilience, and real team spirit.

Sports Leaders A huge congratulations to all of our Sports Leaders, who planned and delivered a basketball festival for local primary schools, welcoming over 20 pupils to the Academy. The Year 8 and Year 9 Sports Leaders also worked with Brinsworth Manor Junior School during their annual X Games event. Students led a variety of activities, including fruit skewer making, softball and ultimate frisbee. Staff at Brinsworth Manor praised our students for their professionalism, enthusiasm and leadership, commenting that they were a real credit to Brinsworth Academy. The success of sport at Brinsworth Academy is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by our students, staff and coaches throughout the year. We are incredibly proud of all those who have represented the Academy and look forward to building on these achievements in the years ahead.

The 2025–26 academic year has been another outstanding year for sport at Dinnington High School, with students achieving success at local, regional, national and international level. Across a wide range of sports, our young people have demonstrated commitment, resilience and excellence, representing both the school and their clubs with distinction. Team performances have been a particular highlight this year. The Year 10 Boys' Football Team enjoyed a remarkable season, becoming champions of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust Regional Tournament. Their success has earned them a place in the forthcoming National Finals at the Manchester City Ground, an exceptional achievement and a reflection of the hard work and dedication shown throughout the campaign. The Year 7 and 8 girls' football team also reached the final of the Rotherham Schools Utilita Cup, finishing as runners-up after an impressive run of performances. Meanwhile, the Year 7 boys' team were runners-up in the Rotherham Schools Plate Final, showcasing great determination and teamwork throughout the season.

Individual sporting achievements have once again been exceptional. Haley Bacon represented English Schools in both athletics and cross country, competing in the intermediate girls' 1500m and the English Schools cross country championships. Edward Bacon earned selection for the England Schools team after an outstanding season in athletics and cross country, representing his country at international level following a top-ten finish at the English Schools Championships. In gymnastics, Harry Pashley became a national champion after winning a gold medal in the vault competition at the National Championships, while Matilda Lee qualified for the National Gymnastics Association UK Finals. Dinnington students have also excelled on the dance stage. Leah Day qualified for the Dance World Cup 2026, while Chelsie Harrison, Carrie Muldoon, Kye Lemon and Thomas Marshall achieved first place in Advanced Hip-Hop and received the Musicality Award at the World Championships. Another student, Frankie Swaine was part of a world-record performance involving the largest number of backing dancers. Success has extended across many other sports. Halle Needham was part of the Rotherham Schools U14 team that won the National Schools Championship, while Harrison Langford secured a two-year scholarship with Sheffield Wednesday FC. Other notable achievements include William Durgin representing Great Britain in both ice hockey and ball hockey, Lyla Smith being selected for Team GB's U16 Women's Ball Hockey Championships, Jacob Wilkinson competing internationally in Taekwondo and Mac Hopkins becoming a World Champion in Functional Fitness. Several students also helped their rugby club reach the final of the Yorkshire Rugby Plate competition.

Harry Pashley

Leah Day

Beyond competitive sport, students demonstrated outstanding resilience during this year's Bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition in the Peak District. Participants successfully completed challenging routes, camped independently and worked effectively as teams. The expedition was a tremendous success, achieving a 100% completion rate, highlighting the determination and positive attitude of everyone involved. We also had another hugely successful ski trip to Bormio, Italy where pupil progress was outstanding. The academic year concluded with a hugely successful whole school sports day on Thursday 3rd July. The event brought together students from every year group in a celebration of participation, competition and school spirit. With excellent performances across a range of track and field events, students embraced the opportunity to represent their houses while supporting their peers. The atmosphere throughout the day was outstanding and perfectly reflected the inclusive and ambitious sporting culture that continues to thrive at Dinnington High School. We are immensely proud of all students who have represented the school this year. Their achievements, dedication and commitment continue to raise standards and inspire others. We look forward to building on these successes during the 2026–27 academic year which will conclude with our next sports tour to Australia and Malaysia in July 2027.

Girls football This year we have had good numbers participating in girls’ football, particularly from our U13s where we have had large numbers attending on a weekly basis. The girls have had games in the Rotherham cup, the U13 Utilita cup Rotherham tournament (where they finished in fifth place) friendly matches and they have also competed in the English Schools Competition. We look forward to another good season next year.

Boys football Wingfield beat Brinsworth in the Y10 Rotherham Plate competition final to be three-time winners. The game was a 1-1 draw which eventually went to penalties with Wingfield coming out on top with a 4-3 win overall. This is that year group's third Rotherham Schools Plate win in a row.

Rugby Another successful year for rugby at Wingfield. Our Years 7, 8 and 9 teams played and won a number of friendly games and mini tournaments against local schools. Special thanks to the Rotherham Titans who helped out massively with training this year.

Cheer Students from Year 7 to Year 9 have been taking part in cheerleading led by Rotherham Cheerleading Academy as part of their enrichment option. The girls have shown commitment and dedication week in week out to both their enrichment sessions and after school training.

Girls netball This year we have had amazing numbers turn up for our netball enrichment. The girls have enjoyed participating in various intra school competitions and some Rotherham schools fixtures and have always competed with a smile on their faces. The girls are looking forward to competing in the Rotherham school competition next season.

NCLT SECONDARY

VARSITY The annual NCLT Secondary Varsity for Year 7 pupils took place in June at Dinnington High School, bringing together students from Dinnington High School, Wingfield Academy and Brinsworth Academy for a fantastic day of sport. Despite extremely hot conditions throughout the day, pupils demonstrated incredible resilience, enthusiasm and determination, producing an excellent standard of competition from start to finish. The morning programme featured boys’ football, girls’ football, netball and rounders, with valuable points available towards the overall Varsity title. Brinsworth made an outstanding start by winning both the boys’ and girls’ football competitions, while Dinnington responded with victories in netball and rounders. With honours shared, everything was still to play for heading into the afternoon athletics programme.

Track and field events gave every pupil the opportunity to contribute to their school’s overall score through a variety of running, jumping and throwing events. Despite the soaring temperatures, students continued to compete with outstanding effort, encouraging teammates and demonstrating excellent sportsmanship throughout the afternoon. When the final scores were calculated, Brinsworth Academy emerged as the overall champions, securing their first ever NCLT Secondary Varsity title. Their consistency across the day and strong performances in both team and individual events proved enough to lift the trophy after a closely fought competition. The success of the event was made possible through the dedication of staff, officials and student sports leaders, whose organisation ensured the day ran smoothly. More importantly, the attitudes shown by every participant reflected the values of NCLT, with teamwork, respect and enjoyment evident throughout. The 2025/26 Secondary Varsity was another excellent celebration of school sport and a memorable experience for everyone involved.

The 2025/26 academic year has been another outstanding period for sport at New College Bradford, with students excelling in competition, coaching, leadership and international opportunities. Across all areas of the department, students demonstrated the college’s values of commitment, resilience and ambition, while representing New College Bradford with pride both locally and abroad. On the pitch, the college enjoyed one of its strongest competitive seasons to date. Both the boys’ and girls’ football teams were in contention for the AoC Yorkshire and Humber League titles throughout the campaign. Despite narrowly missing out on becoming champions, both squads produced consistently high-quality performances against some of the strongest colleges in the region. Their success reflected the dedication shown by players and coaches throughout the year, with excellent attendance at training, strong team spirit and a determination to improve week after week. The basketball team also reached new heights during the 2025/26 season. Under the expert guidance of Head Coach Greg Dolan, the team produced its most successful season since the programme began. Significant improvements in both individual player development and team performances were evident throughout the year, with the squad competing confidently against established opposition. The progress made is a testament to the commitment of the players and the quality of coaching delivered, providing an exciting platform for future success.

New College Bradford also achieved their highest Varsity points total to date in this year's event at Leeds Beckett University in March. With notable strong performances in Rugby 745, indoor cricket, badminton, and pickleball, Bradford ended the day on a record 28 points. As always, the staff and students brought great energy, effort, and support to what was a fantastic day. One of the standout achievements of the year was the continued success of the college’s international opportunities through the UK government’s Turing Scheme. Following a highly competitive application and interview process, 46 students were selected to participate in fully funded sports coaching and cultural exchange projects in Malta and Italy. These experiences provided students with the opportunity to develop their coaching skills in an international setting while gaining valuable cultural awareness, independence, and confidence. The professionalism demonstrated by all participants reflected exceptionally well on the college and highlighted the importance of providing students with opportunities beyond the classroom.

The Female Coaching Group continued to go from strength to strength throughout the year. Students secured prestigious coaching placements with Manchester City Women, the Football Association and the ECB, gaining invaluable experience alongside professionals working at the highest level of sport. These placements have helped students develop industry knowledge, practical coaching experience, and professional networks that will support their future careers.

Alongside these elite opportunities, an increasing number of female students have become actively involved in community coaching. Their commitment to inspiring younger participants and promoting female involvement in sport has made a significant impact within local schools and community clubs. This growing engagement reflects the college’s commitment to developing the next generation of female coaches and leaders. Sports leadership remained a cornerstone of the enrichment offer throughout the year. Students delivered regular coaching sessions in local primary schools, supported a number of primary school sports days and played key leadership roles at both the FA SEND festival and the British Dodgeball festival. These experiences enabled students to develop confidence, communication, and organisational skills while making a positive contribution to the wider community. As another successful academic year comes to a close, New College Bradford can reflect with pride on the achievements of its students. Whether competing for league titles, coaching in the community, leading major sporting events or representing the college overseas, students have demonstrated exceptional commitment and professionalism. The continued growth of the sports programme provides an exciting foundation for even greater success in the years ahead.

The 2025/26 academic year has been another exceptional year for sport at New College Doncaster, with students enjoying success in competition, leadership, community engagement and international experiences. Across football, rugby, basketball and netball, students embraced every opportunity to compete, develop and represent the college with pride, demonstrating the dedication and professionalism that continue to strengthen the college’s sporting reputation. A major highlight of the year was being invited to be part of the new AoC Yorkshire Block League, bringing together the strongest football, netball and basketball programmes from across the region. The innovative fixture format saw colleges compete against the same opposition across multiple sports on the same day. This not only created highly competitive sporting opportunities for our students but also generated significant financial savings through reduced travel and contributed to a more environmentally sustainable fixture programme. The league has already proven to be a huge success, raising standards of competition while strengthening relationships between colleges across Yorkshire and Humber.

Several teams enjoyed particularly impressive seasons. The girls’ football team, coached by Tom Rich, and the men’s basketball first team, led by Mathew Martin, were the standout performers. Both teams challenged for their respective league titles throughout the season, narrowly missing out after outstanding campaigns against some of the strongest opposition in the region. Alongside their league performances, both teams also enjoyed excellent cup runs, showcasing the quality, resilience and commitment of the players and coaching staff throughout the year.

The annual Sports Awards Evening provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate another memorable year of achievement. Held at the Hilton at Doncaster Racecourse, the event brought together students, staff and guests for an evening of presentations, pizza, team games and dancing. The awards recognised both sporting excellence and the personal qualities that make New College Doncaster such a positive sporting community. Congratulations go to Cayden Hazlett and Rebecca Ritchie, who received the Male and Female Personality of the Year awards, Scarlett Slater-Rowley and Shane Harrop, who were named Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year, Mathew Martin, who deservedly received Coach of the Year, and the girls’ football team, whose outstanding achievements earned them the Team of the Year award.

The college also enjoyed another exciting Varsity competition against New College Pontefract and New College Bradford. Students delivered outstanding performances across a wide range of sports, winning six events including girls’ football, boys’ 4x100m relay, dodgeball, pickleball, netball and basketball. Although the overall Varsity title narrowly slipped away, with Pontefract finishing just four points ahead, the performances throughout the day demonstrated the strength and depth of sport across the college and created an unforgettable occasion for everyone involved.

International opportunities continued to be a key feature of the sports programme through the UK Government’s Turing Scheme. Following a highly competitive application and interview process, 29 students were selected to participate in a fully funded sports coaching and cultural exchange programme in Misano, Italy. During the visit, students delivered coaching sessions in local football, basketball and multi-sport summer camps, gaining invaluable practical coaching experience while working with young people from another country. The trip also included cultural visits to San Marino, Lake Garda, Verona, Cattolica and Venice, alongside Italian language lessons both before and during the visit. Throughout the programme, students demonstrated exceptional professionalism and enthusiasm, making a fantastic impression on everyone they worked with and acting as outstanding ambassadors for the college.

Sports leadership continued to flourish throughout the year, providing students with valuable opportunities to develop their confidence, communication and organisational skills while giving back to the local community. Sports leaders played key roles in delivering the NCLT Primary School Varsity, the Activ8 Dodgeball Festival, Multisport Festival and Hockey Festival, as well as supporting the Hatchell Wood Football Tournament, Basketball Tournament and Dodgeball Tournament. These experiences enabled students to inspire younger participants while gaining practical leadership experience that will support their future education and careers. As the academic year draws to a close, New College Doncaster can look back on another outstanding year of sporting achievement. From league title challenges and Varsity success to international coaching experiences and impactful community leadership, students have embraced every opportunity available to them. Their commitment, teamwork and ambition continue to drive the college’s sporting programme forward, creating an exciting foundation for even greater success in the future.

The 2025/26 academic year has been another memorable year for sport at New College Pontefract, with students achieving success across competitive sport, leadership, community engagement and international experiences. From reclaiming the Varsity title to competing on the national stage and representing the college overseas, students have demonstrated exceptional commitment, teamwork and ambition throughout the year. One of the biggest highlights of the year came at the annual NCLT Varsity competition, where New College Pontefract successfully reclaimed the Varsity trophy after narrowly losing it to New College Doncaster the previous year. It was a fantastic day of competition, with Pontefract producing outstanding performances across a range of sports. Victories in boys’ football, rugby sevens, indoor cricket, badminton and the girls’ 4x100m relay proved decisive as the college secured the overall title by just four points. The success reflected the strength and determination of our students, who rose to the occasion in one of the most anticipated events of the sporting calendar.

The college also played an important role in the launch of the new AoC Yorkshire Block League for football, basketball and netball. The innovative competition brought together some of the strongest college teams in the region, with colleges competing against the same opposition across multiple sports on the same day. The new format created more meaningful competitive opportunities, significantly reduced travel costs and helped minimise the environmental impact of fixtures, while providing students with regular highquality competition throughout the season.

The boys’ rugby league team enjoyed the most successful campaign of any New College Pontefract side this year. Under the guidance of Wayne Godwin, Dave Merrick and Rich Dedicoat, the team reached the Northern Colleges Cup Final, where they narrowly lost to Cronton College after an outstanding cup run. They also finished second in the Yorkshire Division to qualify for the league semi-final play-offs, eventually losing 26–16 to a talented Carmel College side from the North West. Although silverware narrowly eluded the team, their achievements throughout the season demonstrated the outstanding quality, resilience and commitment shown by the players and coaching staff. The boys’ first team football squad also enjoyed an excellent campaign, coming agonisingly close to qualifying for the National College Championships in Nottingham. After progressing through the regional stages, the team reached the AoC Yorkshire and Humber Regional Final, where they were narrowly defeated 1–0 by Huddersfield New College. The match was decided by a superbly struck free kick, bringing an outstanding season to a heartbreaking conclusion. Despite the disappointment, the squad can be immensely proud of competing at such a high level throughout the year.

International opportunities continued to play an important role in the student experience. Thirty students were selected, following a competitive application and interview process, to participate in a fully funded Turing Scheme sports coaching and cultural exchange programme in Misano, Italy alongside students from New College Doncaster. During the visit, students delivered coaching sessions within local football, basketball and multi-sport summer camps while also taking part in cultural visits to San Marino, Lake Garda, Verona, Cattolica and Venice. Italian language lessons before and during the visit further enhanced the experience, helping students develop valuable communication skills alongside their coaching knowledge. The students represented the college exceptionally well throughout the programme and made a lasting impression on everyone they worked with.

Sports leadership remained central to the college’s enrichment programme, with students making a positive impact throughout the local community. Sports leaders delivered PE lessons and supported sports days in local primary schools, while also providing light physical activity sessions and games for residents at De Lacy Care Home, promoting the benefits of physical activity across all generations. Students aspiring to careers within football also attended the ‘Your Game’ event at West Riding County FA, where they gained valuable insight into career opportunities in coaching, refereeing, football development and sports marketing from professionals working within the industry. The year concluded with the annual Sports Awards Evening, held at the A1 Football Factory, where students and staff came together to celebrate another successful year. Jake Agar and Phoebe Garner were recognised as Male and Female Sports Personality of the Year, Harry Turner received the Coach of the Year award for his outstanding contribution to boys’ football, and the boys’ rugby league team were deservedly named Team of the Year following their exceptional season. As another successful year comes to an end, New College Pontefract can reflect with pride on the achievements of its students. Whether reclaiming the Varsity title, competing against the country’s best college teams, developing through international experiences or making a difference within the local community, students have continued to demonstrate the values and ambition that define sport at New College Pontefract.

NEW COLLEGE

VARSITY The 2025/26 NCLT College Varsity marked an exciting new chapter as the event was hosted at Leeds Beckett University for the very first time. As one of the UK’s leading sports universities and a popular progression destination for many NCLT students, the outstanding facilities provided the perfect stage for another memorable day of competition between New College Pontefract, New College Doncaster, New College Bradford and, for the first time, an NCLT school sixth form. Dinnington High School entered a boys’ football team, making history as the first school sixth form to compete in the college event. Students competed across an exciting programme of sports including boys’ football, girls’ football, rugby 745, netball, basketball, indoor cricket, badminton, pickleball, dodgeball and boys’ and girls’ 4x100m relays. This year’s event also saw the girls’ football competition played as 11-a-side for the first time, reflecting the continued growth and development of the women’s game across the Trust. The 4x100m relays and dodgeball competitions were run as showcase events at the end of the day, which created an electric atmosphere with staff and students supporting their college with great enthusiasm.

New College Pontefract regained the Varsity title after a fiercely contested day, winning boys’ football, rugby 745, indoor cricket, badminton and the girls’ 4x100m relay. New College Doncaster claimed victories in girls’ football, netball, basketball, dodgeball, pickleball and the boys’ 4x100m relay, meaning the overall trophy was decided by just four points. Adding to the occasion, every student received Leeds Beckett University and NCLT branded T-shirts to proudly represent their college colours, along with exclusive Leeds Beckett sunglasses as a souvenir of the day. The event showcased outstanding sporting ability, teamwork and sportsmanship while giving students the opportunity to experience a first-class university environment. It was a fantastic celebration of sport and an exciting step forward for Varsity, providing lasting memories for everyone involved.

Phone: 01977 802802 Email: info@nclt.ac.uk New Collaborative Learning Trust Pontefract Road, Normanton Industrial Estate, Normanton WF6 1RN