PE

Sherborne is first and foremost an academic environment but it is also an environment where boys are encouraged to be the best that they can possibly be at Sport - what then could be more natural, than to combine the two.

The Department offers A’ Level and GCSE Physical Education and they are very popular choices for boys and girls (combined at A Level). Both courses focus on the Performer in Action and students study the Psychology, Physiology and Sociology of Sport and an understanding of how to apply the theory to the practical is the key to success. We hope that as well as achieving excellent examination results their own personal performance will improve dramatically and the knowledge acquired should also help our students to shape the performances of others.

After winning the Rugby World Cup Sir Clive Woodward commented that the reason England won was because they had the ‘best team’ - he did not just mean the players on the field but the whole of the contingent including Psychologists and Physiologists.  The Beijing Olympics heralded an exciting time for Britain’s athletes and we are providing boys with the opportunity to be a part of that momentum in some way if they wish, but lessons learned are not necessarily confined to sport. If we can understand for example, what motivates people to achieve then this will stand us in good stead in the workplace and prepare us for the life after Sherborne.

Steven Clayton CertEd (PE), Dip Sp Psy
Assistant Director of Sport