THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT DARTFORD GRAMMAR
SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
The Physical Education Department currently has four full time members of staff and
a School Sports Coordinator. Between us we run a very active, enthusiastic and
successful P.E department.
Within the curriculum we cover all areas of the National Curriculum. We make full
use of our indoor swimming pool and Dance studio at key stage three, four and five.
In years 10 and 11 we expand the curriculum and offer our pupils the opportunity to
go off site to our local health and fitness centres. We also offer Karate and Aerobics
by bringing in specialist instructors.
We also run the BTEC First Certificate in Sport course and GCSE Dance, along with
AS and A2 Sport Studies. In relation to Dance we will be running A2 Dance next
year and AS Performing Arts, where the students can opt to cover Dance. Currently
we are offering the students AS and A2 Dance. These courses prove to be very
popular and at the present time we have over 95 students taking BTEC First
Certificate in Sport and 30 taking GCSE Dance. At AS and A2 level we have 16 girls
undertaking Sport Studies and 9 taking Dance.
As a department we are very proud, on a yearly basis, of our results in these
examinations. At GCSE level P.E (we introduced the BTEC course two years ago)
our girls have achieved 77%, 84% and 100% A*-C grades over the last three years.
Last year 62% of the students gained an A* or A. In Dance the girls achieved 70%
A*-C in 2008. Last year at AS level in Sport Studies we achieved 89% A-C and 67%
of these were A or B. At A2 level Sport Studies we achieved 75% A-C grades with
67% of those being an A or a B. For Dance, 100% of the students gained A-C
grades, at both AS and A2. Along with these we also run the Community Sport
Leaders Award, allowing the girls to establish links with the community, expand their
confidence and develop their individual leadership skills through sport.
In relation to extra curricular activities we have these running every lunch time and
also have practises and fixtures after school. These include Athletics, Badminton,
Circuit Training, Dance, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rounders, Rugby,
Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Trampolining, Volleyball and Weights Room. We
also run a sports evening where any girls in years 7,8 and 9 can come and
participate in a number of different sports. This has proved extremely popular with
over 100 girls attending on a weekly basis.
Throughout the Autumn and Spring terms DGGS compete weekly in The Gravesham
and Dartford District Netball Leagues where we regularly reach the final round. We
have also been Champions of this tournament for the under 12, under 14 and under
16 over the last two years. Also in the last three years our current under 14 team
have been third and fourth in the Kent Schools tournament.
We are equally successful in Hockey where again we compete in The Gravesham
and Dartford District Hockey Tournament. Most years in each age group we manage
to proceed to the finals of this tournament and have had various victories in the
finals, again in all age groups.
We always have many girls who compete in the Cross Country events and achieve
excellent results. Last year DGGS has had over 15 girls representing the Dartford
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and District team in the Kent Cross Country Championships and two of these runners
were then selected to represent Kent. Also for the last three years in the Dartford
and District Championships we won the year 7, year 8/9 and year 10/11 events and
were consequently awarded the overall championships out of all the boys and girls
schools that attended.
Swimming is another strength of the school. DGGS is usually represented in the
English Schools Swimming finals and five years ago the senior team won the medley
relay and were placed second in the freestyle relay out of all the schools in England.
DGGS compete in all age groups of the British Schools Tennis Association, Nestle
Team Tennis competitions in both the Winter and Summer. Once again we have
many girls representing the school and regularly win our area, proceeding throughout
to the regional section of the tournament. Three years ago we were actually
presented with an award for our contribution to this tournament over the years. We
also compete in the Kent Championships and knock-out where we usually reach the
quarter-finals. Last year and this we have had a pair get through to the finals and
semi finals of the Kent Championships.
Rounders is always extremely popular and throughout the Gravesham and Dartford
District Tournaments we regularly come in the top three schools and on many
occasions have won the title in different age categories.
In 2008 The Kent School Games took place. This was almost a mini Olympics for all
schools in Kent. Each district put together a team for a wide variety of sporting
activities from the schools in their area. I am very proud to say that Dartford
Grammar School for Girls made up the vast majority of girls in the Dartford team. We
had over 80 students participating in the heats and from this over 50 of them were
selected to represent Team Dartford in the finals. In addition we won the whole
event for the girls Football tournament and won medals in Swimming, Athletics,
Hockey and Table Tennis.
Throughout the year there are also various Dance shows. These incorporate girls
from years 7 through to 13 and regularly involve over 150 students. These range
from choreographed pieces by examination groups to performances by girls who
attend extra curricular clubs.
There are also other extra curricular activities that take place, including various trips.
On a yearly basis year 7 spend a week in Devon at a water sports centre
participating in activities such as windsurfing, canoeing and sailing. In addition there
is an opportunity for year 9 upwards to spend a week at the Kent Mountain Centre
participating in activities such as rock climbing, abseiling etc. There are also Army
excursions where the girls have the opportunity to undertake actual army assault
courses, camp out over night and experience many team building games.
Within the P.E department we go on various day trips, including watching the tennis
at Wimbledon and the Davis Cup in Birmingham and watching International Netball at
Crystal Palace.
There are also a variety of ski trips that run on a yearly basis, both within Europe and
to the United States of America. Recently DGGS have skied in Austria and twice in
Sugarbush, Vermont, USA. In 2005 we had a ski trip to Denver, Colorado where we
also spent time in Las Vegas and visited the Grand Canyon. Then in 2007 we had a
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ski trip to Lake Tahoe, California where we also spent time at Disneyland, Universal
Studios and Hollywood. Next Easter we have a ski trip planned to Killington, U.S.A,
which also includes three nights in New York.
In addition we biannually run a Netball and Dance tour to the Costa Brava, Spain.
Here the students have the opportunity to expand their skills, develop their teamwork
and sportsmanship, experience a new country and for the Netball, play against teams
from around the world.
We pride ourselves on the extremely high levels of participation we have in
curriculum lessons throughout all key stages and at extra curricular. The
commitment from the girls is commendable and they always appear very smart in
their P.E kit.
Overall we have an extremely dedicated Physical Education department who are
committed to giving our girls the best possible learning environments. Our girls
respond in a very positive manner whether it is through curriculum participation or
representation of the school.
Carla Coxall
Head of Physical Education
PE Department – June 2009 – page 3