ATHLETICS & CROSS COUNTRY
Athletics is a major sport throughout the Summer Term. Various athletics disciplines are taught during PE lessons and pupils can choose to participate and develop their skills at the afterschool Athletics Club. Athletes compete in the Macclesfield & District Athletics Championships and the ESAA Schools’ Cup Athletics competition.
King’s pupils regularly qualify to represent Macclesfield at the Cheshire Schools’ Athletics Championships and our junior and inter teams annually qualify for the Regional Finals of the ESAA Schools’ Cup competition. Several successful athletes who have gained national qualifying standards at the Cheshire Schools’ Athletics Championships have competed for Cheshire at the ESAA National Schools’ Track and Field Championships, including Sam Danson, who won the senior boys long jump at the 2022 Championships.
Each year King’s runners successfully compete in the Macclesfield and District Cross Country Championships and ESAA Cross Country Cup. Junior and Inter teams regularly reach the Regional Finals of the ESAA Cup, and each year individuals are selected to represent Cheshire in Inter- County and National competitions. In 2024, Bobby Tomlinson and Jamie McCabe represented Cheshire in the ESAA National Schools Cross Country Finals, and Hugo Irving and Henry Talbot represented Cheshire in the David Sunderland Inter Counties cross country competition.
BOY'S HOCKEY
Our campus boasts some of the best hockey facilities in the North West with two full-sized floodlit artificial pitches. The pitches, hockey pavilion and changing rooms are in constant use throughout the Autumn and Spring Terms.
As well as superb facilities, the school also benefits from a number of highly successful coaches who are able to pass on their knowledge and expertise to the players.
King’s teams from 1st XI down to U12 are regularly competing in the latter stages of regional and national competitions. In 2023, the U14s were Tier 2 NW Champions and came 4th in the National Tier 2 competition. In 2024 our U12 Boys were 3rd in the North Hockey Finals, our U14s were County runners-up and our U11 Boys were IN2 NW Hockey Champions and AJIS Hockey Champions.
Our pupils regularly achieve selection in regional representative hockey and the school has produced a number of exceptional players who play internationally and at the very highest level of club hockey. The school takes great pride in the fact that so many former pupils continue to play the game at all levels through their adult life.
NETBALL
Netball is a major sport at King’s, played with huge success in the National Schools and County competitions. An excellent fixture programme allows the squads to compete at a high, competitive level.
Qualified coaches and specialist PE staff ensure that all girls are given the opportunity to play netball, especially in Years 7–9 where it is taught in games lessons. In addition, a strong extra-curricular programme for pupils from Years 7–13 ensures pupils are coached and challenged to compete at a high level with considerable success.
For the past 3 years the current Year 10s have been crowned Cheshire schools County Champions, and achieved 4th place at National Schools in March 2024, replicating the success of the U16s in 2021. The U12s and U13s have also been County runners up for the last 2 years. Individual achievement is hugely important to us and we have many girls representing their counties, as well as selected for Manchester Thunder or Loughborough Lightning, which is the route for the England performance pathway. Indeed, one individual Lydia Hine was part of the U17 & U19 England Roses Academy for four years.
King’s boasts six new, floodlit allweather netball courts. In addition, there are two indoor courts in the Sports Centre. These comprehensive facilities allow for local and national competitions to take place, along with regular netball coaching sessions and workshops. Overseas tours broaden the sporting experience of pupils and King’s has toured Barbados, Spain and Gibraltar and South Africa in recent years..
CRICKET
Cricket is the major summer sport for both girls and boys at King’s. The school fields up to 14 teams, with fixtures ranging from U12B to 1st XI. King’s teams regularly reach County Cup finals, and many pupils achieve county and district representative honours. In recent years, the school has had two players participate in the prestigious Bunbury Festival, representing the North U15s, a player in the Super 4s Festival representing the North U18s, and a pupil representing England U19s.
King’s has been named one of the Top 100 cricket schools in the country. Over the last three seasons, teams have won a National Cup, reached another National Final, and lifted seven Cheshire Cup trophies. The 1st XI also has a proud record at the end-of-season inter-school Cricket Festival. Girls’ cricket features weekend block fixtures, with the U14 team reaching the Cheshire Final in 2024.
A team of dedicated Games staff and expert coaches work closely with pupils during lessons and practices. Our pupils benefit from outstanding facilities, including a state-of-the-art indoor cricket centre and outdoor nets. Matches take place on five grass pitches at Derby Fields and Brocklehurst Field, as well as the impressive new Wilson Field. Sports tours have visited destinations such as South Africa, Barbados, Grenada, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Dubai.
GIRL'S HOCKEY
We offer an extremely strong girls’ hockey programme that includes county, national school (U14/16/18) and Independent Schools (U13, U15, U19) competitions, as well as competing in invitational tournaments.
Recent seasons have produced many Cheshire Cup champion teams with the U18 winning in both 2022 & 2023. The U14s have reached National T2 Finals for the past two years after winning the NW Finals and the U12 & 13s were crowned County Champions over the past couple of seasons. The U16 team progressed through to the ¼ final of the National Cup in 2023/2024 season and the U18s have been NW indoor runners up for the past three years.
We have many girls representing East Cheshire, Derbyshire and Greater Manchester at County Level, with some progressing to Talent Academy squads. The pitches are regularly used for county training and gifted and talented workshops and external club fixtures.
Sports Tours have included Barbados (2014), Spain & Gilbralter (2016), South Africa (2018), South Africa (2024) and Senior pre -seasons to Loughborough and Nottingham Hockey festival..
RUGBY
King’s continues to gain both national and international recognition for the pedigree of its successful players and teams. We have outstanding facilities at Derby Fields with seven pitches and a pavilion. Each Saturday morning sees around 200 players representing the school either home or away. The boys are coached by a dedicated and experienced coaching staff.
Recent rugby successes have seen the U14s crowned National Champions, the 1st VII reach the Rosslyn Park Vase Final, having previously won the Bowl competition, and the 1st XV and U15s reach the quarter finals of the National Schools’ Cup. The 1st XV were the 2022 and 2023 Cheshire Cup winners, and there have been numerous 7’s successes across the age groups.
King’s can boast age group Internationals, North of England and Independent School Lambs players, in addition to dozens of Sale Sharks Academy and county representatives, as well as current professional & international players such Cameron Redpath, Toby Wilson and Ollie Davies.
Rugby tours include a Year 8 trip to Edinburgh, plus exciting overseas Senior Tours to places such as Australia, South America, South Africa, New Zealand and Malaysia.