Pupils at Junior King's are fortunate enough to be able to use our senior school's boathouse and lake in their final two years.  This may be simply to sample the delights of rowing but it is particularly hoped that they will enjoy the sport so much that they will wish to specialize in it once they move up, forming the nucleii of King's Shell and Remove crews and, ultimately, the senior squads.

There are excellent facilities on Westbere Lake:  a well equipped boathouse, club room and changing areas; a Boathouse Manager; an ergo room and a full range of sculling and rowing boats from plastic playboats up to the finest eight, not to mention, of course,  rescue and coaching launches.   King's has a fine rowing tradition with ex pupils having won rowing blues as well as National and Olympic honours.

When they first start, our pupils are introduced to the Boathouse and the lake, with a particular stress on safety and the importance of sensible behaviour.  They learn to work as a team to move boats and are taught the basics of sculling using the ergo machines and a chair, two trestles with fitted swivels, and a pair of oars!  Before venturing out on the lake, they have to complete a water safety test in the swimming pool, comprising at least four capsize drills and a 100 metere swim.

The next stage is to gain confidence in the sheltered water near the clubhouse in one of the highly stable playboats.  They develop their balancing skills as well as learning to turn, stop and back down the boat.  Venturing further onto the open water, they begin to use the sliding seat before progressing to a training scull and, in some cases, the racing boats.  As the weather gets colder, the sessions begin to move towards the use of crew boats: quads, or the octuples.  As well as building on the team aspect of the sport, this gives the young rowers a chance to learn how to cox or to develop their expertise by taking the stroke or bow seats for an outing.

If our pupils have made good progress in Year 7, they will join the ARA / British Rowing and be able to form crews and take part in a number of regattas in Year 8.  In recent years JKS crews have competed at Maidstone, Docklands, Pangbourne, Thames Valley Park and Thames Ditton as well as at the National Schools' Regatta in Nottingham.

Rowing takes place during games and activities sessions on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  The sport is led by Nigel Cox, who has a ARA Bronze Coaching Award as well as the ARA Indoor COaching Certificate.  He is assisted by a specially appointed Gap student each year, selected from among top rowing schools in Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.

If you require any further information or you wish your son or daughter to be part of King's rowing tradition,please feel free to contact Mr Cox on ncox@junior-kings.co.uk.