News

NATIONAL CHAMPION and a fantastic year of sport

We have enjoyed a most successful year on the sporting front at St. Margaret’s. The results have been very encouraging and are definitely our best ever.

This level of attainment is achieved through the support and hard work of many people and not any one individual. It is important, that we keep working towards continually improving and promoting our interests and facilities. We are well aware of our strengths and the areas in which we need to develop further.

With a record number of fixtures undertaken the children have had unprecedented success. Participation of the children in fixtures has been at its highest level ever. Looking back at some of the highlights of the year, starting in the Autumn term. At the Cut Hedge Cross Country Trophy held at Gosfield we entered 3 teams in both Boys and Girls categories. The competition got off to an excellent start with Juliet Stevenson producing an outstanding run to finish 2^nd out of 112 runners. All of the Girls ran with great determination and the ‘A’ Team finished 3^rd out of 18 teams.

 Oliver Jenkins managed to repeat the earlier feat and finished 2^nd out of 112. This time the overall strength of the Boys’ ‘A’ team shone through and they secured 1^st place out of 21 teams, a great achievement.

 Well done also to the Boys’ Under 11 A & B Rugby teams who went through the term unbeaten. A great effort from all those involved. Some exciting new fixtures at Felsted and Ipswich provided us with fresh opposition and we certainly managed to put the School on the map.

 Elsewhere in Years 3 & 4 the results were excellent, with a very high proportion of wins. There are some promising players coming through the age groups in all years.

 Early in the Spring Term the weather put paid to many of the fixtures. The Under 11A Football Team completed their inter-school fixtures unbeaten (this on the back of an undefeated Rugby Term). In addition they managed to qualify for the final stages of the ISA Regional event going out in the quarter-finals. The strength in Sport showed with our U11B, C & D Football teams all performing really well against comparable sides from other schools. The Under 8 and 9 Boys’ teams continued to win the majority of their fixtures. The U8 Tag Rugby team enjoyed a hugely successful festival at Holmwood House School winning all of their group stage matches, eventually being edged out in an exciting final narrowly losing 7-6 to Barnardiston. The Girls’ have been making great progress and this has shown through in much improved matchplay. The U8 Girls won the Holmwood House Netball Rally without conceding a match.

At the Regional ISA Cross Country event Tom Brown finished 1^st out of 120 runners in the Under 9’s and Juliet Stevenson and Tom Baslington took their place in the National Event after finishing 6^th & 2^nd respectively, again in fields of approximately 120 runners. On to the Nationals at Princethorpe College, Rugby, Juliet finished 19^th/80 and Tom 7^th/80 thereby helping the Eastern Counties U12 teams finish in 1^st place for both the Boys and Girls.

 We followed on from this with the final Cross Country fixture of the season at Friends School. The Under 11 team finished 1^st / 10 schools  and the U9 team 3^rd /10.

 Now on to this term. A full team contingent set off to Garons’ Park, Southend for the ISA Regional Athletics competition. Tom Blackwell got the day off to a flier, winning the 60m Sprint and Long Jump, thereby qualifying for the Nationals. He was quickly followed by Tom Brown who won a gutsy and outstanding 600m race in a new School record time of 2mins .04 seconds. Joshua Smith continued the Year 4 Boy’s dominance with 1^st place in the Cricket Ball Throw. A win in the Year 4 boys Relay heat also meant a place in the final later in the day. Jacob Ford produced a commendable effort finishing 3^rd  in the 150m.

 We had a solid showing in other events, qualifying for several relay finals with the athletes performing well. Tom McAllister finished 2^nd in both the High Jump and 150m securing a place at the Nationals. The Year 4 boys capped a fine day when they won the relay final and ensured a magnificent win in their section by a huge points margin.

 At the National event last week in Bedford we had competitors in 7 events…again a School best. Joshua Smith finished 3^rd in the cricket ball throw and Tom Blackwell 3^rd in the 60m sprint. Tom then followed this up by winning the Long Jump and setting a new national ISA record.

 The success of Sport at St. Margaret’s is not just measured by these great results. We should all look at the involvement of the children and their overall level of fitness. Over the last few years we have moved to a far greater level of participation for all with the children’s perception of sport greatly enhanced.

 Finally I would like to thank the catering staff, parents, staff and coaches for their undiminished support throughout the year. We have had many parents helping out and running in both the prep and pre-prep cross country clubs. We have had help with transport for matches and have received, without exception, fantastic support for the children at fixtures, tournaments and ISA events.

 I am sure the children have appreciated… and benefitted… greatly from this.