Is sport at Kingston Grammar School any good?

[thanksalot]

Would really appreciate some help from anyone currently at KGS. We are trying to decide between KGS (which is nearer) and Hampton.

Fantastic facilities at Hampton but from what I can tell there isn't much sports onsite at KGS. Would be grateful if anyone can tell me if they're happy or not with the sports provision at KGS. Is it a pain travelling back and forth to the sports fields at Hampton Court?

And what do they do in the first year apart from hockey? DS hasn't played it before but loves all other sport that he's played.

Rowing is very good and I believe done from yr 9 boat house I think is near Thames Ditton Island.

I have a son and daughter at KGS and we love it.

The difference between the two schools is that KGS is coed, so there are fewer boys than at Hampton which affects the number of teams KGS puts out. And yes the facilities are not on site, but it is not a problem, they go for a sports afternoon to Ditton Field and just go home from there, same with after school training or matches. There are a lot of matches ob Sats if he makes the team.

A new director of sport has recently taken over and this has led to changes.

In the winter boys will do one term of hockey (taken v seriously at KGS) and then one of football. In the summer they will do cricket and some athletics.

Children with aptitude in particular sports are invited to attend team training and so play for the school.

From the Third Form, rowing becomes an option and this starts as one afternoon and a Saturday morning, then increases to after school training. Rowing takes over your life, my daughter is very serious about it, but I like that! If you are a rower, you row all year round, you give up everything else in terms of sport. Rowing at KGS is absolutely excellent and run by very committed coaches. They regularly get kids into the GB training programme. Hampton may do, I don't know. The Boat House holds the most stunning location of alk the schools who row - right opposite Hampton Court. It is being rebuilt this summer and will be even more gorgeous!

In addition to this, boys can do a six week tennis course in 1st, 2nd and 3rd years on Sat mornings.

There is also some cross country running.

There are a lot of House Sport competions - today it was House Ergos which my daughter and her team won

There are the most enormous number of extra curricular / after school club type activities at KGS including I think fencing, table tennis, CCF (target shooting, outward bound type activities)

In first and second years they do a six week swimming course at the Kingfisher.

They also do PE once a week but that is at school or on the field behind.

The sports taken very seriously are rowing and hockey. Everything else is very much lesser.

The new director of sport is a rugby man, so I wonder how long it will be before rugby comes in? Maybe never, who knows.

Hope this all helps!

I also have a DS at KGS. I was a bit dissappointed with the sport to start with, to be honest, because he didn't take to hockey particularly and there's SUCH an emphasis on that in yr 7 and 8. However he's in the football team and really enjoys that but JingleAll is right, it's very much a "lesser" sport. Having said that, it still means weekly training after school and Sat morning matches (mainly in Autumn term) which I have to say my DS is alwys happy to do, even though they do lose quite a lot! Because the really sporty ones are always creamed off for the hockey teams, it does give slightly less sporting boys (like my DS) the chance to play in the football team so that's been a positive.

I know the rowing's fantastic and I'm encouraging DS to give that a go in yr 9 - from what I've heard, it's open to all and commitment to training sessions is important as well as natural ability.

The new director of sport is making a difference already I think - his mission is to make sport a big part of school life for everyone, not just the high achievers, while still focusing on excellence in hockey and rowing. What I would say is that my DS is definitely a lot fitter than when he started there 18 months ago - the PE sessions with an ex-army guy are amazing apparently! - so they must be doing something right.

I would imagine that if your DS is good at most sports, he'll also be good at hockey and get into a team - there's A-D teams. During the school day, the boys also play football at break and lunch in the cage (or on the Fairfield at the back of school in summer) and there are also lots of clubs - a rugby club has started after school and they do have some fixtures. Regarding the fact that the sports fields are not on-site, this can be a pain depending on where you live, but there is one positive - when they go there on a Saturday, it feels less as if they're going to school, they do seem to see Ditton as a fun place!

Re. Hampton, I know from friends that the boys have to choose between football and rugby, and the lunchtime training regime is quite intense (and compulsory I think - but do correct me someone!). They have masses of teams (A-E?). I'm sure a Hampton parent can come along and give you more accurate info!

Do pm me if you want to know anything else about kgs - good luck with your choice!

Yes, at Hampton boys choose either football or rugby for the 2 winter terms but if they feel they have made a mistake they can change after half term. In summer they choose between cricket, tennis or athletics. Then there is PE as well. As more choose football in Yr 7/8 there is greater competition for the main teams but I think they run A to F. Rugby has just A and B squads in my DS' year but I think it becomes more completive in Yr 9 when the 2 extra forms from the prep schools join, but boys can take up rowing then if they wish. In terms of practice there is one session a week during the extended lunch time, possible due to the on site playing fields, for the top teams in football and rugby with matches on Sat mornings. I think if you want to play in a top team you have to take part in mid week training as it is all about commitment, so fair enough, and time is set aside in the school day for this so it is easy to fit in. There are also winter nets for cricket either after school or one lunchtime plus loads of alternative sport and other clubs at lunchtimes.

Thank you all for those comments, very useful, and something for me to ponder on...