Gateways Sport
Developing confidence, teamworking skills and leadership abilities
At Gateways, we believe that sport is about more than an annual sports day or swimming gala. Further to the obvious physical benefits, sport has the potential to develop confidence, team-working skills, self-esteem, aspiration, self-discipline and leadership abilities in young pupils. It is for this reason that participation is a key message espoused by the Physical Education Department.
Regardless of their ability, pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of sporting activities suitable for their age. Nursery children engage in physical awareness activities, while Pre-prep children discover athletics, gymnastics, swimming and football, and learn how to be a team member. In the Prep School, pupils develop their team-working skills via netball, football and rounders and explore their physical potential through dance, athletics, cross country and gymnastics. Finally, High School and Sixth Form pupils can participate in a variety of sports, such as netball, tennis, athletics, climbing, basketball, orienteering, football, trampolining and vaulting.
The all-girl environment at Gateways, enables girls to embrace sport without feeling uncomfortable or that they are being measured against the success of their male classmates.
Teaching staff in the Physical education department are qualified specialists, who are experts in their chosen sports. Equally important is that they are experienced in teaching sport to girls and create sport opportunities for girls that exceed those normally available.
Latest developments in sport at Gateways
Following on from the successes of last year, the PE department have been planning and implementing additional activities to further the experiences of all in PE lessons and extra-curricular sport.
Partnerships have been developed between Gateways and two local primary schools, involving competitions and tasters in orienteering and vaulting. A member of the PE department has visited these schools to deliver part of their PE curriculum and the partnership is being further developed by the creation of an orienteering course on their own playing fields.
Under investigation is the opportunity of a professional tennis coach to deliver a structured course for pupils wanting to start tennis, or improve specific skills further. Coaching would occur on the Gateways tennis courts on Monday evenings during the summer term and would be open to all pupils with an interest in this social activity.
Extra curricular opportunites have enabled us to book Judo instructors and Golf professionals, as well as having Ronnie the Rhino and the Leeds Rhinos Community Liaison providers visiting talking about healthy lifestyle and sporting opportunities. Links with the National Biathalon Body have been formed and we look forward to entering our first team into the County Championships in the very near future.
North Yorkshire County Youth Dance Company visited Gateways again for the fourth consecutive year providing a superb showcase of young dance talent. Pupils from Upper School were able to participate in workshops exploring the themes of the dances. It is hoped that in the next year we will have our own representative in this company.
Gateways School has and will continue to host a number of festivals and tournaments for visiting schools. We are hosting the U14 and U16 Netball League finals, as well as the U14 Benfield Tournament final.
Trips to local providers in a variety of disciplines, and links with these clubs are being formalised. To enable our pupils to see sport played at a high standard, additional trips are organised, for example, the British University Netball Finals and the Paralympic World Games in Manchester.
To celebrate the success of our sports players, to encourage participation in extra-curricular sport and to promote sport and a healthy lifestyle, match results and the wide range of sporting activities available are regularly reported in whole school assembies and displayed on the new monitors found in the PAC, Pre-Prep and Prep Schools.
Netball results to date are as follows.
Senior Played 7 Won 4
U16 Played 6 Won 3
U15 Played 6 Won 4
U14 Played 6 Won 3
U13 Played 7 Won 4
U12 Played 5 Won 3
The Senior team and U16 team were successful in the Leeds Schools Tournament and played their way into the semi finals. There have been an increased number of fixtures to schools as far away as Thirsk and these will be developed further in the coming term. Matches for netball will continue up to the end of term and Summer activities include tennis, rounders, athletics and other opportunites which will provided nearer the time.
It has been a busy year in PE which has seen an increased membership at activities and practices whilst still maintaining a high, competitive attitude and application.