Sport

Sports Portal

To find out about Fixtures and Teams please visit or Sports Portal by clicking the link below:

Our Sporting Ethos

Sport forms a big part of life at the Prep, with our core values of Respect, Commitment, Teamwork, Sportsmanship and Humility at the heart of everything we do.

We provide a sporting environment in which every pupil has the opportunity to achieve his or her potential. We strive for excellence both in performance and attitude and cater for everyone – regardless of ability – by providing first class coaching, facilities and opportunities to train and compete. We want every child to enjoy the benefits of sport and an active, healthy lifestyle.

Staff

Mr Nick Benwell

Prep Housemaster, Assistant Director of Sport

BSc

Mr Bobby Skelton

Director of Sport, Newton Housemaster

skeltonb@mountkelly.com

Bobby Skelton is the Director of Sport at Mount Kelly. He has an impressive track record of involvement in independent school sport; and success in both playing and coaching sport at a high level.

In his youth, Bobby was awarded a rugby scholarship to university. He has a proven track record of playing semi-professional rugby at academy, regional and national league level for various clubs, ultimately winning the National County Cup in 2002 at Twickenham with Hampshire. Bobby studied Sport Science at Chichester, and subsequently completed his PGCE in secondary Physical Education. After retiring from playing, he went on to coach in the Sussex set up with the U20’s age group before moving to Brighton Blues Men’s 1st XV – where he was instrumental in their winning of the National Intermediate Cup at Twickenham in 2013.

In his teaching career, Bobby has been Director of Sport of various independent schools, one of them a leading prep school in the South East. This experience has given him a clear understanding of developing grassroots sports while maintaining the developmental transitions all the way through a pupil’s sporting career. He has overseen National title runs at school level in both girls and boys sport and overseen the introduction of numerous players into elite pathways and representative sport at regional and national level. Bobby’s focus remains on creating varied sports programmes in which pupils of all abilities can access competitive sport.

Fixtures

To find out about Fixtures and Teams please visit or Sports Portal by clicking the link below:

Sports Portal

Games

Pupils are offered a fantastic range of opportunities and enjoy three games sessions per week. Whilst developing performance is a key focus, each child is taught the importance of teamwork, good sportsmanship and fair-play.

Major Sports

Michaelmas Term	Boys’ Rugby and Girls’ Hockey
Lent Term	Boys’ Hockey and Girls’ Netball
Summer Term	Boys’ and Girls’ Cricket / Athletics / Tennis

Cricket

Cricket is the main summer sport for boys and girls at Mount Kelly with pupils enjoying two to three sessions per week plus regular access to the nets during their free time.

The Under 8s and 9s play pairs cricket where all players are required to bat and bowl. Pupils start by using a ‘windball’ and progress on to a hardball as they develop their skills. Fixtures are played against other schools, mainly in the second part of the term.

Under 11s play mainly eleven-a-side matches with the occasional pairs hardball match. This age group has fixtures on most Wednesdays throughout the term.

Older pupils only play eleven-a-side hardball cricket, with regular matches on Wednesday afternoons; some of these matches are limited overs and some are the traditional ‘time’ matches where declarations and draws are possible.

Girls sides will play varying forms of cricket whilst at the Prep School. Some girls are selected to play for Boys Cricket sides when appropriate.

In recent years we have had a number of players represent the Devon Cricket Board at various age levels from U9 – U13.

MCCF Cricket

Mount Kelly is proud to be working in partnership with the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation (MCCF). Mount Kelly was recently nominated as an MCCF Hub, joining 38 other Hubs around the country. The aim of the MCCF Hubs programme is to boost cricketing opportunities for talented children from state schools in the UK. Specialist sessions include technical, tactical, strength and conditioning and game based learning. The cricket training is free of charge for state educated children in Year 7 (11 to 12 years old) and if interest is high, trials will be held to select participants. The high quality coaching for the Hub is delivered by Brenden Worth, who has been coaching cricket for many years and has won the Outstanding Services to Cricket Award for his community engagement coaching. Mount Kelly is delighted to be supporting the development of cricket and young people in the local community through the MCCF programme.

For more information or to register your interest please contact Brenden Worth at worthb@mountkelly.com or 07889518433

Netball

In the Lent Term the girls’ play netball on three afternoons a week with most of their fixtures taking place on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The School enters several tournaments throughout the term such as Exeter School, Bryanston and the IAPS at Millfield.

In training sessions the children receive coaching to improve individual skills such as accuracy of throwing and catching as well as being taught the more technical elements of the game. Equally important are topics such as teamwork, positions and roles.

Hockey

The girls play most of their hockey in the Michaelmas term and the boys play in the Lent Term.

They are coached in skills and drills on the all-weather pitches or in the sports hall on two afternoons a week. The U11s concentrate on individual stick skills and positional play whilst the seniors receive much more coaching in team play and advanced individual skills. The U9s often receive one session per week focussing on stick skills.

Many of our pupils play for local clubs in Tavistock and Plymouth and the School enjoys an excellent relationship with Tavistock Hockey Club which provides opportunities for children to play hockey throughout the year.

Tom.Honey

Mr Tom Honey

Conway Housemaster, PE, Head of Hockey

After spending his childhood playing all sports on offer it wasn’t until secondary school that Mr Honey picked up a Hockey stick and fell in love with the sport that he is so heavily involved in today. After quickly progressing through his local clubs Men’s section he was playing senior 1st XI standard by the age of 14, county and regional level soon followed.

Whilst at Plymouth Marjon University studying an Applied Sports Science & Coaching Degree he had the opportunity to represent one if the largest clubs in the south west at 1st XI level, Plymouth Marjon Hockey Club. Here he was able to develop as a player representing at regional and national league level.

His love of the game soon transferred onto a coaching and teaching platform where he then completed his teacher training at Mount Kelly in 2013. Mr Honey was appointed as Head of Hockey for the Foundation in 2017 where he currently teaches both at Prep and College. Mr Honey is also the head coach for Tavistock Hockey Club as well as coaching within the England Hockey single system at multiple age groups.

Mount Kelly Hockey is going through an exciting period of time. We now have more children playing than ever before and have the most fixtures being played against a variety of different opposition, both school and local clubs. The partnership that the school is fostering between school and Tavistock Hockey club has led to brand new playing and changing facilities as well as an increase in the number of children representing in club level hockey. The standard in players at the school has never been so high with multiple children representing at county as well as international level. Our target at Mount Kelly Hockey is to further increase the number of children participating in the sport and support them on their journeys at whatever level that may be.

Rugby

Rugby is the main sport played by boys in the Michaelmas Term.

Rugby is introduced to pupils at the Prep in a sensible and controlled manner, with an emphasis on learning and an enjoyment of the game. Younger pupils start with tag rugby, and progress to contact rugby. We follow the Rugby Football Union (RFU) Continuum and Core Values. Regular fixtures take place against a variety of West Country prep and junior schools.

During the Lent term, Rugby 7s is a favourite of many of the Upper Prep Boys and the school attends tournaments across the South West, including the IAPS 7s.

Mr Palepoi (Pale) Nonu

Head of Rugby, PE

I was born and raised in New Zealand and have played rugby at representative level in different age groups for the Wellington province. I moved to the UK in 2005 and have played at a professional level in the English Championship and in the All Ireland League. I have a first-class honours degree in Sports Performance which I undertook whilst playing at Plymouth Albion RFC. I am a qualified teacher of PE and previously taught at Camborne Science International Academy, Cornwall. Alongside this role I was also Head Coach for Redruth RFC National League Rugby.

I am an experienced and passionate rugby professional and educator, and am extremely interested and enthusiastic in developing individual skills and team performance through coaching and management of players ensuring that core values are paramount. My philosophy is just as much about helping pupils develop as people as it is about developing their sport.

Prep Swimming

Weekly swimming lessons for pupils in Years 1-6 take place in the 25m and 50m pools at the College, where the emphasis is placed on swimming style, stroke and breathing techniques in conjunction with enjoyment and play.

Children are observed to ascertain their individual needs and, although the range of abilities can be varied, we always ensure that every child is taught to stay safe, but to try their very best at all times.

Pupils in Years 7 and 8 swim in the outdoor pool as part of the Summer Term sports programme. Nursery and Reception swim in the indoor 25m pool.

Each year we hold an Inter-House Swimming Gala with every pupil taking part. Parents attend to cheer on and support all the children.

The Prep is very fortunate in having a beautifully positioned outdoor heated swimming pool, which pupils enjoy when the weather permits in the Summer Term. Our boarders take full advantage of the long summer evenings to have a quick dip during the working week, whilst at weekends they and the staff enjoy BBQs and swimming fun days.

The 50m and 25m indoor pools at the College are home to Mount Kelly Swimming, the internationally renowned elite training programme led by our Director of Swimming, Emma Collings-Barnes. The Performance Swimming programme offers our younger and less experienced swimmers the opportunity to train with professional coaches and to begin to compete at local, regional and national levels.

Athletics

Athletics is a sport in which every child participates during the Summer Term.

Each pupil is encouraged to develop their running, jumping and throwing ability. All children represent their house at Sports Day, where they have the opportunity to utilise the skills that they have developed, for the honour of their house.

Some pupils represent the School at a number of athletics events throughout the Summer Term including the National Preparatory Championships for which we host the ‘Drake’ regional qualifier entitled the ‘Mount Kelly Trophy’.

Cross-country training takes place throughout the year. We are very lucky to have the most beautiful grounds comprising of over 50 acres.

The children develop stamina, teamwork, goals, achievement and a positive attitude towards general fitness.

Minor Sports

Athletics, Tennis, Cross Country, Squash and Rugby 7s are Minor sports are played at representative level throughout the year.

We arrange regular sporting fixtures against other Prep and junior schools. Fixtures are followed by a post-match tea, where children from both teams eat together to encourage a mature attitude to winning and losing, and encourage proper sporting companionship.

Physical Education

We offer a high quality Physical Education (PE) programme, delivered by specialist staff, which includes a weekly swimming session for all pupils up to Year 6.

The curriculum is broad and balanced with a key theme of skill development running through all activities, which include:

Invasion Games
Net and Wall Games
Gymnastics
Dance
Health and Fitness

Facilities

Mount Kelly offers first-class sporting facilities, including three all-weather pitches (two of which are floodlight), grass pitches for rugby, football, cricket and rounders, a 700m² indoor sports hall, four squash courts, indoor and outdoor cricket nets including a permanent all-weather training facility, three cross-country courses, netball courts (one indoors), a nine-hole golf course, 50m and 25m indoor swimming pools and a heated outdoor pool.

Simply Outdoors, our outdoor adventure centre, features a high ropes course and a shooting range.

Our location on the edge of Dartmoor National Park provides an excellent facility for our keen cross-country runners.