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Sport

Sport at New Hall New Hall offers an exceptional breadth of sporting opportunities, providing something for every student, whatever their interests, abilities or ambitions. Students enjoy a diverse and inspiring sporting experience, with provision for Athletics, Basketball, Cricket, Equestrian, Football, Golf, Hockey, Netball, Padel, Rugby, Swimming, Skiing and Tennis. Every sport is led by an experienced Head of Sport, who manages the coaching programme and arranges competitive fixtures, supported by a team of expert coaches, including former international sportspeople. This wealth of experience enables New Hall to provide first-class coaching and training, helping students to develop their skills, build confidence and reach their full sporting potential. Whether competing at the highest level, developing their talents or discovering a new passion, our approach ensures that every student is encouraged to thrive. The Sport Department is led by our Director of Sport, Mr Bigara, who oversees a dedicated team of more than 25 specialist coaches and teachers. At New Hall, our sporting programme is designed to develop more than sporting ability; it builds character, confidence and resilience, equipping students with the teamwork and leadership skills to excel in life. “We are committed to providing opportunities for every student. Whether they are trying a sport for the first time or representing Great Britain, every journey matters.” Mr Bigara, Director of Sport

Our Facilities Students enjoy excellent sport facilities, many of which are floodlit, providing opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities throughout the year. These include: a Learn-to-Ride Centre with two horse simulators and an arena; two all-weather hockey pitches; two outdoor basketball courts; five rugby pitches; a 3G rugby and football training pitch; seven football pitches; an athletics track; four cricket wickets with indoor and outdoor nets; a 25m, six-lane indoor swimming pool; ten tennis courts; eight netball courts; a Sports Hall, and a state-ofthe-art Fitness Suite featuring a full range of cardiovascular equipment and free weights. For golf, students train at Little Channels, which offers a driving range and a nine-hole course, while ski training takes place at Brentwood Ski and Snowboard Centre. We have also recently established an exciting partnership with Beaulieu Padel, located just two minutes from our campus, making New Hall one of the first schools in the country to offer padel as part of its sport curriculum. As part of this partnership, New Hall School is the title sponsor of the ‘Beaulieu Padel New Hall Arena’, one of the UK’s leading indoor padel facilities. The six state-of-the-art courts feature cuttingedge perimeter lighting beneath a 13-metre-high roof, enabling yearround play in all weather conditions.

25m, 6-Lane Swimming Pool

Learn-to-Ride Centre

Beaulieu Padel New Hall Arena

Tennis and Netball Courts

Our Sports Our strong sporting programme, expert coaching and outstanding purpose-built facilities combine to create an aspirational, highperformance environment in which every student is encouraged to develop their potential. We nurture technically skilled, tactically intelligent, physically confident and mentally resilient athletes, while fostering a lifelong enjoyment of sport, teamwork and healthy competition. Explore our range of sports below.

Athletics

With high uptake across track, field, and cross-country, we support athletes through a comprehensive Athletics programme, achieving consistent success. Athletes compete in district, county, and regional meets, alongside highprofile national events such as the ISA Cross Country and ESAA Finals.

Basketball

Basketball is one of our fastestgrowing sports, with new courts introduced in 2024, and an inaugural Regional 3x3 Basketball Summer Series in 2026. We provide a pathway to national recognition, with New Hall students selected for the England Talent Programme Training Camp.

Cricket

Cricket is supported by a year-round programme and professional coaching from former England international Ravi Bopara. Teams play over 190 fixtures per term. A number of our students play at county level and within the player pathways for Essex County Cricket.

Equestrian

New Hall has a rich history in equestrian, with national success dating back to the 1970s. Today, New Hall offers a first-class equestrian provision within a modern Learnto-Ride Centre, catering to both elite riders and beginners. Students have represented Great Britain in a variety of disciplines, in particular Eventing.

Football

Football is a major area of growth - in 2025 New Hall invested in new pitches which are used as training grounds by professional clubs, including Chelmsford City FC. A number of New Hall students play football at an elite level, currently in Academy systems at West Ham United, Arsenal FC and Ipswich Town, to name a few.

Golf

New Hall supports students with bespoke, data-driven golf programmes from beginner to elite level. Training takes place at nearby Little Channels Golf Club, benefitting from Toptracer driving range technology and PGA professional coaching. With national victories at U16 and U18 level, a number of students play at county and regional level.

Hockey

Our Hockey programme focuses on skill development and a competitive team spirit. We provide a pathway to county and national recognition. Students have successfully been selected for regional talent academies, resulting in final selection for the National Tournament.

Netball

A thriving year-round Netball programme supports players from Preparatory levels through to the 1st VII Senior team training on eight netball courts. The Netball Academy supports players in National pathways, including London Pulse and London Mavericks.

Padel

Our partnership with nearby Beaulieu Padel allows regular access to premium facilities. In the weekly Padel Academy, students develop technical and tactical skills, whilst boarders enjoy weekend sessions. The programme supports elite pathways, with a current student representing Team GB.

Rugby

Rugby enjoys a dedicated year-round development programme, supported by a professional partnership with Saracens Rugby. Our extensive grounds feature five grass pitches and a 3G rugby training pitch, allowing for high-quality training and hosting of county-level tournaments.

Skiing

Recognised as one of the UK’s top skiing schools, our team supports athletes from grassroots all the way to World Championship levels. Practice takes place at Brentwood Ski & Snowboard Centre, with intensive real-snow camps abroad. The team competes domestically and internationally.

Swimming

As part of its Swim Academy, New Hall runs a Swim Club accredited by Swim England East Region. Swimmers benefit from elite coaching, including from recent Olympians and Commonwealth medallists. We have had remarkable success at ISA and East Regional Championships, as well as in National Finals.

Tennis

Our established programme boasts many team and individual successes, including county titles, national selections, and qualification for Junior Wimbledon. Coaching is delivered by LTA-accredited staff on 10 floodlit hard courts and 12 AstroTurf courts, supplemented by overseas clay-court training camps.

Scan to see the New Hall Sport Calendar

Sport Performance Pathway New Hall’s Sport Performance Pathway is designed to nurture and elevate high-potential students. We provide a professional, structured and holistic development model, supporting technical excellence, athletic performance and academic balance, whilst preparing athletes for future progression into university and elite sport. New Hall is partnered with Saracens Rugby Club and London Pulse Netball, with their development pathways training on-site at the School. New Hall has produced many national and international level sportspeople, including Commonwealth Games swimmer and European bronze medallist Jack Skerry, Paralympian and World medallist Didi Okoh, Premier League Next Gen Cup champion footballer Hudson Sando, and many more. Ellie Blackford Old Fish, 2017-2024 Two-time Junior Wimbledon Tennis Player and recipient of Tennis Scholarship to Michigan State University Tomiwa Agbongbon Old Fish, 2015-2020 Rugby Player (Backrower) for the Cornish Pirates Maia Hattrell Old Fish, 2018-2025 Essex Girl’s Championship Nett Winner and recipient of Golf Scholarship to University of North Carolina Mackenzie Jones Old Fish, 2016-2023 Cricketer in the Essex County and Scotland Men’s squads

Nutrition At New Hall School, we recognise that active, growing children and young people need plenty of wholesome food and regular, balanced meals. Working in partnership with Holroyd Howe, our catering provider, we offer a welcoming dining experience that combines quality, variety, and nutrition, with something to satisfy every taste. Menus feature a wide choice of hot and cold dishes, alongside fresh fruit, vegetables, and salads, and are carefully designed to support a healthy balance of food groups. We are committed to ethical sourcing, using fresh, seasonal, locally grown, and environmentally sustainable ingredients wherever possible, whilst ensuring all suppliers meet the highest standards of quality, with full traceability and clear allergen and nutritional information. Our menus are regularly reviewed by a qualified nutritionist and incorporate student feedback.

The Physical Education Curriculum The Head of Physical Education (PE) leads a team of specialist teachers who are focussed on the delivery of our Academic PE (GCSE, A Level and BTEC) curriculum. This team of teachers is driven to achieve the highest standards of Learning & Teaching, inspiring students to embrace Physical Education as an academic pursuit, as well as enjoying their chosen sports. The core PE Curriculum runs from Reception to Year 9, where students complete a rotation of activities. The emphasis is on learning fundamental skills and tactics in various sports, as well as definitions, keywords and concepts that are developed in more detail in the GCSE course. In Years 10 & 11, students can choose to take GCSE Physical Education, whilst in the Sixth Form, students may choose between A Level Physical Education or our recently-introduced BTEC Diploma in Sport. Classes are taught within our new PE Classroom suite, adjacent to our main Sport facilities, allowing teachers to blend practical activities with classroom study. Students also benefit from the expertise of our full range of Heads of Sport and coaches.

Academic Achievements The Sport Department has a track record of achieving excellent results at GCSE, A Level and BTEC. In a typical year, around half of our A Level PE students achieve A*/A grades, with 100% at A*-C. At GCSE, around a quarter of students achieve 8+ (A*), with around half reaching grade 7+ (A*/A). Our recently-introduced BTEC Diploma in Sport has been very popular. In 2026, New Hall’s first ever cohort of students studying BTEC Sport celebrated exceptional results, with 75% of grades at the highest level (Distinction*) which is equivalent to A* at A Level, and 100% of grades at Distinction*/Distinction (equivalent to A*/A).

Sports Tours In addition to regular off-site fixtures and tournaments, the Sport Department organises a range of tours and trips throughout the year, enabling students to enrich their sporting experiences, bond with teammates, and receive additional expert coaching.

Recent trips in 2025 and 2026 include: a Ski trip to Canada, a Hockey tour to Belgium & Netherlands, a Netball and Hockey tour to Bath, a Cricket tour to UAE and Norfolk, a Golf tour to Wales, and a Rugby trip to Italy.

Training Camps During the school holidays, our Heads of Sport run a variety of sports camps. Open to New Hall students, as well as external students, the camps provide an engaging environment for children to develop their performance, strength & conditioning, and maintain their skills outside of term time. Pre-Season Training complements our sports camps. Sessions run in the summer, Christmas and Easter holidays.

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