Top Level Success and Inclusivity in Canford’s Sporting Programme

Sport at Canford School is an important part of the co-curricular programme, offering every pupil opportunities to develop skills and maintain positive health and physical wellbeing. Participation in sport was once again evident this past Christmas Term, seeing sports teams playing 300 fixtures across 12 sports with 550 pupils representing Canford in matches against other schools.

Once again, Canfordians have excelled both at team level and individually since September, with recent fixture, regional and national success including:

·       Rugby – U15As 3^rd in National Schools Festival, last 16 in National Cup

·       Rugby – Bath Player Development Pathway: 9 boys selected.  7 boys in U15, 1 in U16 and 1 in U17

·       Hockey – U18 girls through to National Cup Tier 2 semi finals, U16s reached quarter finals of National Cup Tier 2, U14s reached last 32 of National Cup Tier 1

·       Netball – 2 girls selected for Dorset County Academy

·       Cricket – At Senior level 2 girls part of the Vipers Regional Squad, 1 in the Dorset Emerging Player Pathway, 2 boys continue on U17 Hampshire Academy Pathway with many other junior cricketers also in county pathway programmes.

·       Football – boys’ 1^st XI won the Wessex Independent Schools League (WISL) for the second year in a row and are into the Quarter Finals of the County Cup next term. Girls 1^st XI also continuing their County Cup run next term.

·       Rowing – 1 rower in Wales U19 training camp, 1 achieved 18^th place in National assessments and continuing trials next term

·       Real Tennis – 2 players made semi finals of National Cup

·       Cross Country - Poole and East Dorset Schools Sports Association (PEDSSA) Cross Country League 2 wins and a second place for our girls’ cross country captain

Tony Diprose, Director of Sport and Physical Wellbeing, commented:

Our sporting vision ties in seamlessly to the Canford School vision, offering all our pupils the chance to explore the opportunities that sport offers, allow them to express themselves through their physical wellbeing activities and facilitate those who wish to excel in their chosen path. We have achieved outstanding success at individual and team level, developing pupil sporting talent to reach their full potential, while also celebrating the enjoyment of sport for all across 12 different disciplines.   We look forward to another year of inclusive sport at Canford in 2025.

We wish the best of luck to potential sports scholars coming to Canford for our 13+ scholarships in January, and congratulate all those who were awarded Sixth Form sports awards in the recent assessments for September 2025 entry.

Find out more about Sport at Canford at www.canford.com/sport