It has been a busy and exciting half term for sport at NLCS, beginning with the fantastic news that the school has been ranked 31st nationally in School Sport Magazine and 7th among girls’ schools.
This remarkable achievement reflects the hard work, talent and commitment demonstrated across all our squads. Despite persistent rain disrupting many plans, teams have continued to train and compete with determination, taking part in a wide range of fixtures and competitions throughout the term.
Lacrosse
Weather related disruptions led to the cancellation of several fixtures, but the girls remained enthusiastic and focused throughout. We were able to play one fixture this half term, with our A teams delivering excellent performances and securing strong wins across the board. B and C teams also gained valuable match experience, with a mixture of results that reflect their ongoing development.
Our U19A team competed impressively at the South East Finals, earning a place in the championship bracket. Their campaign concluded with a narrow 2 to 1 quarterfinal loss to a strong LEH side, securing an overall top six finish. Training has continued with great commitment and energy, and we look forward to the upcoming U12 and U13 Tri Counties tournaments as well as the National Schools tournament at the start of March.
Netball
The weather has also played havoc with netball fixtures, but teams have still managed to compete in Saturday block fixtures against LEH and Haileybury, along with evening block fixtures against Channing and South Hampstead High. Across all age groups, approximately 200 girls have represented the school in netball this half term. We now look ahead to February and March when all teams will compete in the Middlesex Finals, having qualified back in October. A special mention goes to the U12s, who reached the fifth round of the cup and narrowly missed out to Highgate.
Skiing
Twelve girls travelled to Flaine in January to compete in the British Schoolgirls’ Races. After two days of intensive training, they showed impressive improvement in both slalom and giant slalom. NLCS secured a bronze medal in the novice dual slalom and celebrated several outstanding individual performances in the giant slalom. Next half term, seven girls will travel to Verbier to compete in the British Interschools Championships. We wish them the very best of luck.
Indoor Athletics
Our indoor athletes have enjoyed a successful half term, particularly on the track. Year 8 comfortably won their first round and placed third in the second, securing a place in the London Youth Games final on 17 March in Redbridge. Year 7 narrowly missed qualification by the smallest of margins. Well done to all who competed. We look forward to an exciting summer athletics season next term.
Gymnastics
The U13 gymnastics team competed at the National ISGA finals at Haberdashers, performing excellent routines and demonstrating particular strength on vault. Their performances marked an excellent achievement in their first ever national team competition. We now look forward to watching the U15 team compete in their national final in three weeks’ time at Tormead School.
Cheerleading
The Cheer Squad and Development Squad have been training weekly in preparation for their first competition in June and the annual display. The quality of stunting this year has been particularly impressive and we are excited to see the new routine come together.
Badminton
It has been another busy and successful term of badminton. Our U16 team are one match away from reaching the School Sports Magazine National Cup Final and will face Guildford High School after half term in what promises to be an exciting fixture. Teams across all age groups continue to perform strongly in the league. Both the U14 and U16 squads narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Badminton England National Championship Finals by only a few points, a testament to their determination and progress.
Football
It has been an action packed term of football. The U13 team made an outstanding start in the England Schools FA competition with a 12 to 0 first round victory. Although they faced tough opposition in the second round and did not progress further, the squad demonstrated resilience and should be proud of their development and performances.
Cricket
The indoor cricket season is well underway, with teams travelling to Lord’s to compete in the MCC Indoor Tournament. Our U12 teams have already competed and delivered strong performances, finishing third in their groups. With the summer term approaching, preparations for outdoor fixtures are in full swing and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.
Dance
This half term has been exceptionally busy and rewarding for dance. On 4 February, the girls delivered a spectacular Dance Display with performances that captivated the audience. From junior school through to sixth form, every group came together to celebrate talent, creativity and dedication across the community.
Swimming
It has been an exciting half term for our swimmers, with excellent attendance at squad training and clear progress in performance. Both junior and senior teams have qualified for the Herts League finals on 25 February, a fantastic achievement particularly as one gala was missed due to entrance examinations. Our Year 7 and 8 swimmers also competed in the final of the North of the River competition, delivering determined and hard fought performances as we await the final results.
Cross-country
Despite the challenging, waterlogged conditions this term, the cross-country runners have delivered strong performances. At the Harrow Championships, both the Minor Girls and Junior Girls teams achieved first place in their races. In addition, one Senior runner and one Intermediate runner secured individual first-place finishes. Overall, these impressive results led to fourteen runners earning the honour of selection to represent Harrow at the Middlesex Championships. One senior runner was selected to represent Middlesex at the English Schools Cross Country.
Geraldine Castle, Director of Sport and Exercise
