Physical Education

In addition to its high academic reputation, St. Helen’s is also proud of its strong sporting tradition. The Physical Education Department is an energetic, thriving department committed to offering a broad and well balanced PE curriculum throughout the whole school from Nursery to Year 13. We aim to involve all girls in sport, regardless of ability.

GCSE PE has now been running very successfully for three years. AS level was introduced in 2006 and A2 level was introduced this year. 

As a department we aim to create a balance between ‘sport for all’ and excellence. Our aim is to ensure that every girl reaches their full potential by promoting fun and enjoyable participation for everybody. We offer an extensive range of activities to meet every interest and are continuously looking to provide new and exciting activities for pupils in all years.  We hope that the girls will then realise the importance of looking after themselves and keeping fit, both during their years at school and into adult life and the role of sport in a social environment. We also wish to pursue excellence, winning competitions and matches with outstanding teams in a wide range of games and individual disciplines. Sports Tours play an invaluable role in this.

Facilities
Sport plays a large part in the life of a St. Helen’s pupil and we are enormously proud of our outstanding new facilities.

The 25 metre six-lane swimming pool and fully equipped fitness suite were opened in October 2005 by Stephen Parry, and the Sports Hall, Dance Studio and Seminar Room were opened in December 2006 by Roger Black.

The Sports Centre is now a busy and thriving focal point of the school.  The Centre is used by the girls throughout the day for their curriculum lessons and after school for extra-curricular activities, team practices or recreational use. 

St. Helen’s Swimming & Fitness Club uses the facilities out of school hours, however priority is very much for the pupils of the school and care is taken to uphold this.

We also have two lacrosse pitches, which during the summer term are converted to an athletics track and three rounders pitches.  There are six tennis courts and, during the winter,  five netball courts, along with a senior gymnasium and squash court.