Arnold House School

ETHOS:
Teamwork, skill acquisition, competition, sportsmanship, camaraderie, fitness and fun!  These are some of the experiences that AH boys will gain from their PE and Games sessions.  

AIMS:
PE and Games at Arnold House promotes these experiences in the following ways:
Teamwork and camaraderie – Over the course of each term, every boy from Year 3 – 8 has the chance to be part of a school team. Boys develop and strengthen their relationships through athletic endeavour and by being a part of a team.

Skill acquisition- With two full time specialist PE teachers and a further five experienced and skilled Games teachers, the boys at Arnold House are coached by experts, who combine the latest coaching techniques with a wealth of personal experiences.  Boys learn a full range of athletic, gymnastic and sport specific skills. 

Competition-  Each term, every boy has the chance to experience competition by playing inter house and interschool matches.
Sportsmanship – Every boy becomes aware of the need to conduct themselves in a sporting fashion, by showing respect for their team mates, opponents, officials, their equipment and the rules of the game.

Fitness and fun – Two Games afternoons, at least 2 PE lessons and a full programme of extracurricular sports clubs every week, means that every boy has the chance to keep fit and healthy. Carefully planned out lessons always ensure that the joy of taking part of sport is always allowed to shine through- There are not too many school lessons where boys repeatedly sigh – ‘Can’t we carry on for just another 5 minutes?’

CURRICULUM:
In addition to plenty of experienced, knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff, boys at Arnold House benefit from the use of some of the very best sports facilities around.  The Loudoun Road site has a carefully appointed gym, cricket nets, 2 basketball courts and 6 short tennis courts.   The Canons Park Activity Centre, located thirty minutes away in Edgware, has space for 4 football pitches, three cricket pitches, a 400 metre athletics track and 6 tennis courts.  It also boasts refurbished changing rooms and a multi purpose hall.

Games
Term        Major sport    Other sports
Autumn    Football         Hockey, cross country, table tennis
Spring      Rugby           Hockey, cross country, table tennis
Summer   Cricket           Tennis, athletics

The PE curriculum
The PE curriculum is broad, varied and progressive.  A wide range of sports are taught.  These include; volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, athletics, tennis, cricket, unihockey, badminton, circuit training, rock climbing, touch rugby, football and table tennis. 

Most activities take place at school but the school also makes use of sports facilities at local leisure centres.   The school has developed relationships with Lords’ Cricket Ground, Paddington Recreation Ground, Seymour Leisure Centre and Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre.

Beyond Arnold House
Representing a school  team is certainly an achievement.  Some Arnold House boys, gain further recognition of their sports skills by being given representative honours at a higher level.  In the recent past AH boys have gained representative honours at County and National level at cricket, rugby, football, gymnastics and tennis.   Boys with talent, are, where appropriate, recommended for selection for representative teams.