Sport at Clayesmore School
Clayesmore fully recognises and embraces sport as essential in the development of an individual’s character and an integral part of daily life at the school.
Our sporting programme is designed to build pupils’ confidence, resilience and enjoyment of physical activity, while promoting teamwork and leadership at every stage.
Excellence and Sport for All
At Clayesmore, we firmly believe that Excellence and Sport for All can thrive side by side. Every year group benefits from three timetabled sport sessions each week, with pupils in Years 9–11 also enjoying Core PE to help develop a lifelong commitment to health and fitness.
Games play an important part in life at Clayesmore. It is through games that young people develop a number of very important qualities and abilities: the ability to cooperate with others; the ability to work with others for a common purpose; the ability to win and lose well; and the ability to put the needs of the team before the needs of oneself. Games also embody the spirit of approaching life with a growth mindset and our coaching is based on the assumptions related to this concept. Games are important, too, for encouraging a good all-round physical, social and mental development needed for a healthy lifestyle.
Sport at a Glance
| Major games (boys) | Rugby, football, hockey and cricket |
|---|---|
| Major games (girls) | Hockey, netball and tennis |
| Also on offer | Athletics, swimming, cross-country, squash, equestrian sport, rowing and sailing |
| Weekly sport | Three timetabled sessions every week |
| Core PE | Additional sessions for Years 9–11 |
Outstanding Facilities
Clayesmore is exceptionally well resourced, boasting outstanding playing fields and pitches, as well as a full-size, floodlit all-weather hockey pitch that converts into 12 tennis courts during the summer term.
Our Sports Centre is a central part of school life, featuring a large multi-use sports hall, indoor cricket nets, badminton and squash courts, two fitness suites, an interactive spin studio and a 25m indoor swimming pool. These facilities are available for pupil use alongside their academic timetable.
More About Our Programme
A vibrant fixture and tournament calendar sits at the heart of our provision. We field A and B teams across a wide range of sports, competing with local, national and international schools, alongside our termly inter-house competitions. Parents are warmly invited to support fixtures, with full details available on SOCS and in the school calendar.
Beyond the structured games programme, pupils can explore an extensive co-curricular offer, discovering new sports and developing fresh skills under the guidance of experienced and enthusiastic coaches.
The programme is led by our Director of Sport, supported by highly qualified and experienced staff across both the Junior and Senior Schools. During the holidays, pupils can further enhance their development through specialist academies and masterclasses designed to build confidence and refine skills.
Director of Sport
Dan Conway, our Director of Sport, joined Clayesmore in 2012 with a wealth of experience from a lifetime in cricket. He has played across several first-class county second XI sides, including Yorkshire, Kent and Derbyshire, and represented both Herefordshire CCC and Oxford MCCU, where he combined academic study with high-level first-class competition, developing strong technical and tactical expertise in sports coaching.
Clayesmore’s sporting teams continue to thrive and, in his role, he leads an ambitious sports programme. Under his leadership, the school has enjoyed sustained success across the whole range of our sports, including 11 consecutive appearances in The Cricketer’s Top 100 Cricket Schools and back-to-back South West T20 Cup titles, and multiple appearances at regional finals in hockey, rugby and netball.
Clayesmore sports staff have also been recognised nationally, featuring in World Rugby Magazine, Independent School Sports Magazine and The Cricketer Magazine, highlighting the school’s forward-thinking approach and positive impact both on and off the field.
Dan is ably supported by Head of Senior Girls’ Sport, Andrea Cheverton, and Prep Sport Heads, Debbie Spokes and Bertie Hopkin.
Dan Conway
Director of Sport
