Sport

• Athletics
  Athletics

  During the Summer term we focus on Athletics during PE lessons and through multiple lunchtime clubs. We look to cover a wide range of events focussing on specific techniques and giving the children the opportunity to learn new skills as well as honing existing ones. 

  The term builds nicely to our prep school sports day which is a fabulous event and showcases all of the progress that has been made over the term. We try to encourage a competitive spirit in all who compete as they look to challenge themselves and contribute to their squad’s points any way they can. We also take part in the annual IAPS Athletics meet at Fettes in June. We usually take a large contingent up to Edinburgh and punch well above our weight in the day’s events. 

• Cricket
  Cricket

  There are few schools that can boast such an idyllic setting for cricket as St. Mary’s.

  As the main sport in the summer for the boys, cricket at St. Mary’s encapsulates the good sportsmanship and tradition that the sport demands.

  Whilst the U9s play Kwik cricket, the U11s and 1st XI play hard ball and all boys in the school are given opportunities to represent the school in competitive fixtures.
  We pride ourselves on our hospitality at St. Mary’s and are a popular destination for touring sides from both sides of the border. Matches are usually on Wednesdays, though a degree of flexibility allows us to accommodate traveling and local teams.

  As well as grass nets, the school now boasts an all-weather strip, a mobile net and a bowling machine courtesy of our Former Pupils’ Club. These have not only proved popular (with pupils and staff!) but are now integral to the development of cricket at St. Mary’s.

  Fathers’ v Sons’, the squad match and the single wicket competition are all highlights in the calendar.

• Cross Country
  Cross Country

  We think na on the lang Scots miles,
  The mosses, waters, slaps, and styles,
  That lie between us and our hame
  Mud, sweat and cheers.

  When Robert Burns wrote these words he could easily have been contemplating the joys and challenges of cross country.

  Cross country running is a long-established winter tradition at St Mary's.  Two main events provide the annual focus during the Lent term: the School cross country championships and the Scottish Prep Schools Championships.   Mrs Bell runs a weekly cross country club during the Lent term to get boys and girls into tip-top shape for these races.   All children in the prep school take part in the School cross country championships held at the end of February with three different races for the different age groups. For some, it is a chance to run as fast and furious as they can, while others settle for the challenge of completing the course and perhaps achieving a PB. As well as a chance for individuals to excel, there is also a team element to the competition where positions mean points.

  The other main focus of the cross country season is the Scottish Prep Schools Championship which is held at John Muir Country Park, Dunbar in early March.  St Mary's have a fair record of success at this event with individual and team medals being won in the past.  At the most recent event in 2010 the under 12 girls team finished in the silver medal position.  

• Hockey
  Hockey

  Hockey has been a major strength at St. Mary’s for many years.

  Played by the girls, we run a team in each year group, allowing all girls opportunities to represent the school in competitive fixtures.

  At St. Mary’s hockey is played in both the Michaelmas and Lent terms and is predominantly played on grass, although we often train on the school’s all weather pitch. We also make use of the newly refurbished Tweedbank atsroturf (which is 5 minutes away) for both training purposes and matches.

  Matches are usually on Wednesdays, although there are a few weekend tournaments throughout the season.

  As well as in our games programme hockey is also covered in PE, where all children throughout the school are encouraged to further develop their stick skills and their perception and understanding of the game.

  Some girls at the top end of the school are also selected for the Dandylions team and we are proud to lay claim to the ‘A’ team captains in both hockey and netball in recent years. 

• Netball
  Netball

  At St. Mary’s netball is one of the main sports for the girls. Played in both the Michaelmas and Lent terms, all girls from Form 3 to Form 8 are given opportunities to represent their school in competitive matches.

  Once in the senior classes, some girls are also chosen to represent the school at regional level, for the Dandylions team. The Dandylions are selected from children at south and east of Scotland Prep Schools and places are dearly sought after!

  At St. Mary’s we put out teams at U8, U9, U10, U11, U12 and U13 levels. All teams are coached by members of the teaching staff, who run sessions three times a week, with matches usually on Wednesdays. We place key emphasis on good sportsmanship, playing to the best of your ability, but most importantly, having fun.

  We are proud to boast a good track record on the netball court. The majority of our matches are against other Prep Schools though we also compete against local primary schools in the annual Eildon Cup tournament, which we have managed to win for the past six years. Other highlights include squad matches, staff v parents and of course match teas!

  It doesn’t stop there! Children in the Pre-Prep are also introduced to netball through their Games programme. Again, with the emphasis on fun, children experience a competitive side to sport in a caring and considered environment.

• Rounders
  Rounders

  Rounders is played by all of the girls in the summer term.

  We have 3 good sized pitches in an idyllic setting with magnificent views to the Eildon hills.

  Coaching starts from Form 3, when soft bats and balls are used, progressing all the way up to Form 8, when several of our players get the opportunity to play for the Scottish regional prep schools team, the Dandylions. Matches are played at all levels from U8 to U13 with all girls getting the opportunity to represent the school. There is also a Squad Rounders Competition when junior and senior teams from the 4 squads compete. The boarders also enjoy impromptu matches in the evenings, even persuading some teachers to join in! The season concludes with a very keenly contested match between the 1st team and the Mothers.

• Rugby
  Rugby

  During the Michaelmas and Lent terms rugby is coached to boys throughout the Prep School.

  Our youngest pupils are introduced to rugby through a gradual process where the boys are taught basic handling, running and passing skills. “Tag” rugby encourages the use of defensive skills in the game without full contact until the boys have gained the skills to move on to tackling. The under 9s play a number of fixtures against other schools throughout the two terms.

  Our under 11 boys are introduced to a fuller version of the game and they add to the skills they have learned in form 3 and 4. Some kicking is taught at this level though it is discouraged in open play outside the twenty two metre line. Usually fixtures are 10-a-side at this age level.

  By the time the boys reach senior level in the school, they are encouraged to play 15-a-side rugby in accordance with dispensation afforded to Prep Schools by the SRU. Having played from the age of eight years old this is a very natural progression and the pupils enjoy learning moves in the forwards and backs and playing a similarly patterned game to that they watch so keenly at adult level. They do not lift each other at lineouts however, and fixtures are played against other schools almost weekly. The Prep School rugby circuit is very entertaining to watch.

  There are representative opportunities for the most able players at Dandylions level, (chosen from five schools south of the Firth of Forth), and at Scottish Prep School level.

  The senior boys also play sevens rugby in two or three tournaments during the two terms and St Mary’s has a reputation for producing strong and competitive sides.

  From the youngest to the oldest, the shortest to the tallest and the lightest to the heaviest, the emphasis is on enjoyment. St. Mary’s is proud to contribute to the excellent standard of rugby played on the Prep school circuit. A very large proportion of our pupils go on to play rugby at a high level in their senior schools and beyond and St. Mary’s boasts a very proud tradition of no less than seventeen Scotland internationalists six of whom also played for The British and Irish Lions. Some recent names include Roger Baird, John Jeffrey, Carl Hogg and Iain Fullarton.

  {Continuous effort — not strength or intelligence — is the key to unlocking our potential -Liane Cardes}

• Swimming
  Swimming

  Pupils from Reception to Form 8 have a weekly swimming lesson during the summer term.

  Pre-prep pupils are taught by the staff of Galashiels Swimming Pool. The Pre-prep talk about codes of hygiene and courtesy in the pool environment. They gain in confidence within the pool; work on floatation, propulsion and basic strokes. Simple games are played at the end of session.

  The Middle School, taught by our own P.E. and Games staff, work on stroke technique and basic water safety principles whilst the Upper School learn survival principles, strategies and skills. Pupils are continually assessed in the pool and work towards an annual gala at the end of June.

  All pupils F3-8 take part in the Swimming Gala and it has become an increasingly popular event with pupils and parents alike.

• Tennis
  Tennis

  In the summer term our tennis courts are always extremely popular, with both children and staff! With a number of children being members of local clubs, the standard of tennis continues to flourish. We offer tennis lessons in the summer term with our local coach, Mr Richard Ward. Richard is an LTA level 4 coach, with national and international recognition and he runs lessons at school for all standards from beginners to club experts!

  
  Inter-school competitions and staff / pupil matches also prove popular, as does having a hit with friends on our long, warm boarding evenings.

• Physical Education
  Physical Education

  The class Physical Education programme begins in Reception and continues through to Form 8. Our programme is broad based and balanced to incorporate all levels of ability; to ensure progress, the best learning opportunities possible are offered to pupils to show what they can do. In the early years we focus on co-ordination skills and pupils undertake a wide range of physical experiences which are developed through games, gymnastics and athletic activities. A wide variety of resources are used in order to familiarise the children with the equipment they will be exposed to in later years. Swimming lessons take place in the summer term at a nearby swimming pool. The Prep School programme incorporates the development of skills and tactical understanding of sports during their P.E. lessons. Opportunities are provided for all our pupils to develop their ability to listen, co-operate and act responsibly and independently. Through enjoyable physical activities which include games skills, gymnastics, athletics and swimming, pupils will learn to improve and extend their body control, co-ordination and their personal physical performance. At St. Mary’s we see Physical Education and games as a vital part of school life for pupils of all ages; far from competing with academic work, exercise is seen as a natural complement to it.

St. Mary’s has a long-established fine reputation for team games. We inculcate the value of fair play, honesty, determination and application through the wide variety of sporting pursuits in which pupils participate and frequently excel.

Our marvellous rural surroundings offer opportunities for cross-country, the games fields are extensive and include an all-weather ‘play top’ surface.

Hockey, rugby and cricket dominate the boys’ games timetable while netball, hockey and rounders are priority for the girls from Form 3 to Form 8.

Competitive fixtures are arranged with other I.A.P.S. and local schools with a view to giving as many as possible the chance of playing in a representative side at U11 or U13 level.

The pursuit of excellence is encouraged, yet every pupil at St. Mary’s is taught that success is only worth gaining with fair play dignity and discipline.

A balanced healthy attitude to competitive games is instilled and the development of a lasting interest in sporting activities along with an active lifestyle outside school is encouraged.

The class physical education programme begins in Reception and continues through to Form 8. The programme is broad based and balanced to incorporate all levels of ability; to ensure progress, the best learning opportunities possible are offered to pupils to show what they can do.

In the early years we focus on co-ordination skills and pupils undertake a wide range of physical experiences which are developed through games, gymnastics and athletic activities. A wide variety of resources are used in order to familiarise the children with the equipment they will be exposed to in later years.

Swimming lessons take place in the summer term at a nearby swimming pool.

The Prep school programme incorporates the development of skills and tactical understanding of sports during their P.E. lessons. Opportunities are provided for all our pupils to develop their ability to listen, co-operate and act responsibly and independently. Through enjoyable physical activities which include games skills, gymnastics, dance, athletics and swimming, pupils will learn to improve and extend their body control, co-ordination and their personal physical performance.

At St. Mary’s we see Physical Education and games as a vital part of school life for pupils of all ages; far from competing with academic work, exercise is seen as a natural complement to it.