Sport is an integral part of the Parkside journey, with a strong ‘Sport for All’ ethos, ensuring we nurture individual talents and interests so that every child can excel.

All pupils across both the Pre-Prep and Prep School have a timetabled PE lesson, Games lesson and swimming lesson each week, all year round ensuring that physical activity is an integral part of every pupil’s Parkside sporting experience.

In the Pre-Prep, the focus is on developing fundamental movement skills and the co-ordination and control required for key sporting actions such as running, jumping, catching, throwing, dribbling and striking. Through a broad and varied programme, children are encouraged to move confidently, develop physical literacy and, most importantly, enjoy being active. These early experiences provide strong foundations for future participation in sport and physical activity.

In the Prep School, pupils build on these foundations through a progressive programme of PE and Games. Lessons develop sport-specific skills, tactical understanding, teamwork and decision-making, enabling pupils to apply their learning effectively in both training and competitive situations.

Alongside our core team sports, pupils experience an extensive range of physical activities including tennis, dodgeball, golf, handball, basketball, dance, ballet, parkour, gymnastics, athletics, yoga, strength and conditioning, health and fitness, cross-country, steeplechase and biathlon. This breadth of opportunity allows pupils to discover new interests, develop different physical skills and recognise that sport and physical activity can take many forms.

Throughout the programme, pupils are encouraged to demonstrate Parkside’s sporting values through teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship, whilst also developing resilience, leadership, communication, confidence and independence.

Our swimming programme develops water confidence, stroke technique, water safety awareness and physical fitness. Through regular, structured lessons, pupils improve their technical ability and confidence in the water, whilst recognising swimming as both an essential life skill and an activity that can support lifelong health and wellbeing. Pupils swim every week all year round.

The breadth of the programme reflects Parkside’s Sport for All philosophy: providing every pupil with the opportunity to participate, progress, compete and, above all, develop a positive and lifelong relationship with physical activity.

The table below outlines the core sports covered within Games throughout the academic year:

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