Athletics
All pupils participate in athletics in their weekly PE lessons. Athletics is also an option as an after school activity and those who wish to, can come along twice a week and improve their running, jumping and throwing skills. In the latter part of the summer term, we compete in the IAPS District Athletic Championships, with those who do well gaining the chance to compete at the IAPS National Athletics Finals held in Birmingham.
We regularly have pupils representing the District at this prestigious event, with several in the past even going on to win medals. One event where everybody gets to participate and enjoy athletics is our School Sports Day. All pupils take part, competing for their House with great enthusiasm. Sprinting, throwing, jumping, shuttle relays, obstacle courses and tug of war all serve to make this an event full of fun, commitment, and fantastic support.
Cricket
Cricket is the major game for all boys during the summer term. Boys in Junior House play pairs cricket with a soft ball. This format of the game ensures that all team members have the opportunity to be fully involved in their matches by all bowling and batting for a certain length of time.
From Colts onwards, boys play 11-a-side cricket with a hard ball. In the Colts we aim to field at least three teams and we put out four Senior teams, all of which enjoy a full fixture list during the summer term.
A number of boys in the Colts and Senior age groups are invited over the winter to attend net sessions and an even smaller number of Senior boys are selected to attend one-to-one training sessions with former England international, Mark Ealham.
Cross Country
In our PE lessons at the beginning of each school year we focus on developing the fitness levels of all pupils. The work spent on improving general levels of stamina and endurance, culminates in our annual Inter-House Cross Country event. All pupils participate within their year group, over a cross country course around the school grounds, in order to gain maximum points for their House and secure the overall trophy.
Fencing
Fencing is one of the few sports to have been included in each of the modern Olympic Games. It is a sport that children can take part in in addition to the games programme. The fencing club was founded at King’s in 1929 by pupils of the senior school and is one of the longest in continuous existence in the country. It is a popular choice with pupils, with over 100 fencers taking part each term. The school has a long history of producing National Champions, and with over 20 past internationals it is a sport at which the school excels.
Although inspired by the swashbuckling excitement of Hollywood epics, the speed of a sprinter, the balance of a gymnast, the accuracy of a marksman and lightning fast tactical decision making are suggested as skills which, combined, make a good fencer. The founder of the modern Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, was a fencer. As no one specific skill is a guarantee of success, the sport naturally appeals to a wide character and athletic base. The level of general sports skills required beyond the very basic level is such that training is arguably beneficial for other sports in which your child may participate.
Football
Football is played in the first term up until the middle of November. Boys have the opportunity to represent the school at U9, U11 and U13 age groups, with matches played regularly on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in the Middle and Upper School, and on Saturday afternoons and during afternoon games sessions in the Lower School. In addition to their matches, all pupils have two, one hour football coaching sessions a week. Coaching is undertaken by our team of highly enthusiastic school staff plus a visiting UEFA qualified coach.
We host two regular tournaments in the Autumn term. These are the Metherell Cup for U11s and the Shapira Cup for U13s. In addition, our U11 and U13 teams play home and away matches throughout the term in the Molten League. We participate in the highly prestigious Independent Schools’ Football Association (ISFA)Knockout Cup.
All pupils participate in House matches which are always close-fought and full of passion. As well as team success, we are proud to have seen numerous boys go on to gain County honours, and to participate in major tournaments, both in this country and overseas.
Golf
We are very lucky that the pupils get the chance to learn how to play golf as an after school activity. Throughout the year a group go to Canterbury Golf Club where they have lessons with the club professional, for which there is a small termly charge to help cover the cost.
There is an excellent driving range, where they have the majority of their lessons, but they also get the chance to use the practice putting green. We regularly enter two pairs in a prep schools golf match, at Prince’s Golf Club in Sandwich, and hope to maintain our excellent reputation having won similar competitions in the recent past.
Hockey
Hockey is a major sport for both boys and girls at Junior King’s and one that is forever developing. We are fortunate in having two floodlit astro turf pitches and a wealth of experience amongst our coaching staff. Boys’ hockey has been a more recent addition to the games programme; we have been delighted to be able to offer fixtures to boys at all levels and look forward to this developing over the years.
The girls’ hockey teams at the school have enjoyed many successes over the years and have become one of the leading lights within the IAPS arena. During the last ten years, we have won three National IAPS titles and have reached the National Finals of the English Hockey competition on six occasions. We have also given our girls in Years 7 and 8 the opportunity to play hockey in Europe, with tours of Holland and France. We strive to provide all girls with fixtures, regardless of ability, and have strong links with local schools to ensure that we are able to meet the needs of all. We enjoy good links with Canterbury Hockey Club, and many of our pupils enjoy playing there too. We have also taken our pupils to watch International Hockey when the opportunity has arisen.
Finally, we are delighted that both boys and girls from Junior King’s have achieved county, regional and international honours since starting their careers at the School, we have every confidence that this will continue for many years to come.
Netball
Netball is a major sport offered to girls at Junior King’s during the Lent term. Coaching begins in Year 3 and this continues all the way through to Year 8. We are very fortunate to have dedicated and committed staff who are able to cater for all abilities, enabling every girl to experience match play and, for some, tournaments and attendance at Regional IAPS events. We have qualified for National Finals on three occasions and we are delighted that some of our girls have gone on to represent Kent. We have both indoor and outdoor facilities, allowing us to host several fixtures at any one time and the great links we have with our senior school mean that we can share coaching and expertise between the schools. As with all games, we aim to foster a love of the sport and, where possible, we take the girls to see netball played at a high level.
Rounders/Girls' Cricket
Rounders is a game enjoyed by girls at Junior King’s in both our Games and Activities programme. Rounders teaches the essential skills of throwing, catching, retrieving and batting; as well as effective teamwork and decision-making, all of these are skills that transfer readily to other sports. We offer a full fixtures programme and there are opportunities to represent the school in matches. As with our other sports, there are also House Matches and girls are involved in these keenly contested fixtures. Once the girls reach Upper School, Years 7 and 8, they can choose between rounders and tennis. For those who choose tennis, there is still the opportunity to enjoy their rounders in an activity session after school.
In addition to our regular fixtures programme, we take part in the annual IAPS rounders and tennis event and host rounders tournaments for U10 pupils.
With the ever-increasing interest in cricket nationally, we have introduced cricket for all our U9 girls in Junior House this year. This is a very exciting time for our younger pupils as they are exposed to all that the sport has to offer. Each week, the girls have two coaching sessions and take part in House Matches and regularly compete against local schools. In addition to the Junior House programme, cricket is available to all girls in Years 5-8, as part of the activities programme.
Rowing
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 hearts 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; 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. The rowing programme is overseen by Mr Jon Williamson, the Director of Rowing. King’s has a fine rowing tradition with ex pupils having won rowing blues as well as National and Olympic honours.
Rowing takes place during games and activities sessions on Wednesdays and Saturdays under the supervision of Nigel Cox, who has a Bronze Coaching Award as well as an Indoor Coaching Certificate.
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.
Rugby
Rugby is played from November through to February half term. We run teams for Under 9, Under 10, Under 11 and Under 13. Junior House children receive two one hour training sessions a week, generally playing matches against other schools on a Thursday afternoon. Pupils in Middle and Upper School also receive two weekly sessions as well as playing matches on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons.
We host three popular 7 a side tournaments and each year enter teams into the annual prep schools National Schools Rugby Tournament where we have a good record, regularly reaching the final stages. Internally we hold house matches for all age groups which are passionately contested, producing rugby of a high standard.
Rugby is a hugely popular sport amongst the boys who participate with great enthusiasm, with the highlight of the rugby calendar being the bi-annual 1st team rugby tour to Paris.
Swimming
At Junior King’s swimming is an important part of the PE/Activities curriculum and we are very fortunate to have some excellent swimmers every year. All children are taught by a specialist coach at the Recreation Centre in Canterbury during their PE lessons in the Lent term.
We have a development squad which trains every Wednesday of the year. We host a Regional IAPS time trial event each year and we are proud of our record for qualification to the IAPS National Championship in June. The pupils are very excited that the competition has recently been moved to the Olympic Park in London, the venue for the 2012 Olympics.
The internal highlights are Inter House swimming galas Junior House, Middle School and Upper School, which are well attended by parents and grandparents alike.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport that is enjoyed by both girls and boys from Pre-Prep to Year 8. Coaching is offered during lunchtimes and as after school activities and there is even a session for parents. We follow the Lawn Tennis Association guidelines on the court size and the type of balls used in lessons. We also offer individual coaching within our programme. Since the development of the Robertson’s courts, tennis has become a major sport for our senior girls in the summer term and we now have an ever-increasing number of fixtures. In addition to this, we enter the Team Tennis Schools Competition, providing our pupils with additional opportunities for competitive match play. Boys’ tennis, whilst not one of the four major sports for the boys, has also benefitted from our expanded facilities and boys have the same coaching opportunities; we have an ever-increasing evening fixtures programme that they can enjoy.
Pupils from all sections of the school are able to access our 11 courts during the day and we are delighted with the number of children that are keen to play and the enthusiasm that is generated. We look to encourage all pupils, whatever their ability, to get involved and enjoy tennis.
Further to our fixtures programme, we enter boys and girls in the annual National IAPS tennis championships.