Sport for All

At Rydes Hill, every child benefits from a vibrant PE and Games programme alongside a wide range of co-curricular sports clubs. These opportunities develop core skills, enhance physical literacy, and inspire a lifelong love of sport and physical activity. Whether in lessons or clubs, all sessions are led by specialist PE and Games teachers who bring energy and expertise to help every child discover their passion for being active.

From Nursery through to Year 2, all pupils have access to a a rich and varied programme of physical activity. This includes a weekly PE lesson on Mondays, a Games lesson on Tuesdays, and up to three lunchtime co-curricular sports clubs from Wednesday to Friday. Reception to Year 2 children also benefit from weekly swimming lessons at Surrey Sports Park on Friday afternoons.

Physical Education and sport are integral to our broader curriculum at Rydes Hill. While developing fundamental movement skills and nurturing a lifelong love of sport, we also use physical activity to support pupil wellbeing. Through sport, children learn respect, kindness, empathy, teamwork, and healthy habits that help them thrive both in and beyond the classroom. We actively encourage a growth mindset, building confidence, resilience, and a willingness to embrace challenges. We recognise the valuable, transferable skills that sport brings to each child’s learning journey.

Physical Education and Games

Physical Education lessons are designed to develop physical literacy by building fundamental movement patterns, motor skills, and physical capabilities essential for healthy growth. Pupils take part in age-appropriate 6 or 12-week units, each tailored to their stage of development and focused on key skill areas, including:

· Balance and Strength

· Agility and Movement

· Locomotor Skills

· Hand-Eye Coordination

· Athletics Skills

Games lessons at Rydes Hill focus on developing key motor and ball-handling skills, along with the basic principles of attacking and defending, in an engaging and supportive setting. These lessons provide a strong foundation for pupils to build confidence and competence in team sports and physical activity as they move through the school.

Pupils follow carefully planned 6 or 12-week units, tailored to their stage of development. Each unit targets a specific area, including:

· Ball and Movement Fundamentals

· Attacking Principles

· Defensive Principles

· Striking and Fielding Games

· Net and Wall Games

Co-Curricular Sport

Weekly sports clubs are offered to all pupils from Reception to Year 2, running during lunchtimes and led by specialist PE teachers and qualified sports coaches. These sessions are designed to reinforce and build upon the skills developed in PE and Games lessons.

Clubs are open to all pupils, with no additional cost—fees are included within the annual school tuition, with the exception of gymnastics at Tormead which is charged at an additional cost. Lunchtime clubs cover a range of sports and activities throughout the week:

· Wednesday: Tennis & Ball Skills

· Thursday: Gymnastics

· Friday: Games Skills (termly focus varies—e.g. netball, football, hockey, cricket)

Swimming

All pupils from Reception to Year 2 attend weekly swimming lessons at Surrey Sports Park on Friday afternoons, delivered by experienced and highly qualified instructors. The programme begins by building water confidence and key aquatic skills, before moving on to the development of all four strokes. The focus is on ensuring every child feels happy, safe, and confident in the water, with the ultimate aim of enabling all pupils to swim 25 metres unaided by the end of Year 2. A high staff-to-pupil ratio supports strong progress for every swimmer, regardless of their starting point.

Looking Ahead

With the exciting announcement that Rydes Hill will become fully co-educational, beginning with the introduction of Year 3 in September 2027, we are delighted by the opportunity to expand and enrich our sports provision.

In partnership with Tormead, we will have access to the excellent facilities at Urnfield Sports Ground, including extensive grass pitches for cricket and football, state-of-the-art cricket nets, an all-weather hockey pitch, and a six-lane 400m athletics track with full jumping and throwing facilities. In addition, we will benefit from use of Tormead’s on-site facilities—just a 10-minute bus ride away—which feature four netball and tennis courts, a sprung-floor gymnasium, and a large indoor sports hall.

Together with the extensive grounds at Rydes Hill, this partnership creates an exceptional platform for sport. It will enrich the experience of all pupils by broadening curriculum sport opportunities, expanding the range of co-curricular clubs available to all ages and abilities, and establishing a inclusive fixtures programme. Pupils will have regular chances to represent the school and compete at local, regional, and national levels across athletics, cricket, gymnastics, football, hockey, netball, swimming, and tennis.

Contact for PE and Sport

As a proud member of the Tormead Family, the PE, Games, and sports club provision at Rydes Hill is carefully overseen by Tormead’s experienced PE and Sports Department, led by Director of Sport, George Pettitt. For further information about our PE and sports offering at Rydes Hill, please feel free to contact him at gpettitt@tormeadschool.org.uk.

“The school’s ‘small but mighty’ spirit is evident on the sporting field where Rydes Hill frequently out-competes prestigious independent schools triple or quadruple their size.”

Independent Schools Yearbook, 2022-2023