Whats sport like at Alleyns School? Post Reply

[ElFen]

We are in the very fortunate position of having a number of secondary school offers and now trying to decide which is the best suited for our son. He is a very sporty boy and has a sports scholarship offer from Alleyn’s. Can anybody tell me more about the quality of the sports offer having experienced it? We’re very impressed with the personal nature of the director of sport Mr Shedwick but just slight concerned re level of sport played compared with single sex boys schools (but love the co-ed aspect of Alleyn’s & the school in general). Just want to ensure our son’s sporting ability can be nurtured in a co-ed setting. Any insight most welcome. Thanks!

[Goldhawk]

Key questions are what sports and at what level?
If you are looking for national level then the single sex schools are probably better
Bear in mind your now sporty boy may drop his sports in the teenage years for other pursuits

[coldatchristmas]

Agree with Goldhawk.

Unless he is really really sporty, then he'll be fine. They don't play the all-boys school at most sports but those places are quite excluding. So unless he wants to be a rugby pro etc then it won't matter.

I've always divided the schools into:

1. good club players (Emanuel, Trinity, Alleyns)
2. county standard (Dulwich, Whitgift)
3. country standard (Whitgift for hockey/football/rugby), Dulwich (for rugby)

so it depends where your son fits in.

good luck

[Roundandaround]

I don't agree with the above poster re classifying the schools in that way.

My experience is that Whitgift, Trinity and Dulwich are all high performers in sport, although who is at the top fluctuates according to the sport and the year group, of course.

What these three schools all have are massive playing fields right next to their buildings. Alleyn's and Emanuel don't have this to the same extent, and this means the children have to walk or take a bus to sports grounds elsewhere. This seems to work pretty well, but it does mean that the schools with onsite pitches can fit in more sport around other lessons, and it is also easier for before and after school sport. It is one of the things my (very sporty, but not county level) children have really noticed and appreciated.

[Roundandaround]

Forgot to say...

Something else to consider is that Y12-13 at Trinity are co-ed. Although Y7-11 are single sex you should not underestimate the trickle down effect on school culture of having girls as part of the looked-up-to Sixth Form. They are not segregated, just present around the school, in drama productions, orchestras, choirs, being cheered on by everyone at sports day, etc.

[Luckycow]

Roundandaround - I totally agree. I have a boy at Whitgift and both Trinity and Dulwich regularly beat us, and then we regularly beat them. I would say these three schools are definitely in the same group and, as you say, it all depends on which sport and which year group. It changes from year to year and I would struggle to say which one is top. All equally great for sports. Definitely above Alleyns and Emanuel. We've played against both schools and there is no comparison in level, from what I've seen. I appreciate other people's personal experience may be different.

The proximity of sport grounds is massively important. It makes everything easy and more clubs are organised as it's so easy and no transport is necessary. It also means that kids finish any clubs earlier because they don't have to travel there and then back to school. Yes, Trinity has a coed Sixth Form and, from what I've heard from friends with boys there, it definitely has a softer more coed feel about it

[Greenbee]

Can I ask whether you are talking about all sports when you say that T/W/D are better?
I think from SOCS it looks like alleyns are pretty good at hockey, not bad at football and fairly bad at cricket relative,(and don’t play rugby).
Thanks

[FAP]

Alleyns don’t do rugby or rowing which Dulwich do so if those are your son’s bag it’s a non-starter. My DD was at Alleyns and although she wasn’t involved much in sport I’d say they are really good (ie national winners) at less mainstream sports like water polo and fives. I think the football is very good there too (as they don’t play rugby so have more time to devote to it) with a former pupil now playing for a premiership team. So again if he’s into football then a very good choice.

My DS went to Dulwich as a non-sporty person and ended up very sporty in an almost life-changing way. I was disappointed that my actually originally more sporty DD wasn’t encouraged to do more sport at Alleyn’s so of the two Dulwich gets my vote.

[BARNEY]

I totally agree with both of those posts by Roundandaround.

Trinity regularly beat Whitgift and vice versa. Whitgift hockey is definitely stronger than Trinity's at the senior level and has been for a while. Trinity had the best U18 school rugby team in the UK (with England Internationals and Harlequins players) a couple of years ago. Dulwich has stepped up its hockey focus in the last 2 or 3 few years and it is now available to pupils under the age of 15. These things are often cyclical, that said I can't see the Whitgift hockey dominance fading anytime soon.

Probably the best way to approach it is to think about which sports your son is best at / likes the most at this stage (although that may change with time).

AND

6th Form girls is always such a positive addition for everyone. One headmaster jokingly mentioned to me that their presence can help improve the boys' general hygiene and appearance.

[2SW17boys]

Alleyn's have a decent sports offer and motivated staff but as there's only around 75 each of boys and girls per year their teams are often just not in the same league as the larger single-sex schools mentioned above.  If you want to do a lot of sport at Alleyn's you absolutely can and it is valued by the school but the strength of teams across the various sports fluctuates from year to year - there are some strong years which win lots and others where it is a lot weaker.  There are county players but not as many as at the single-sex schools.  The specialist provision for sports scholarship and exhibit holders has been good and my son has had a lot out of it.  We really like the school but we are not there for the sport.  We continued a lot of club sport outside school and found that the separate routine and friendship group was useful in the transition to secondary. 

[coldatchristmas]

Alleyn's have a decent sports offer and motivated staff but as there's only around 75 each of boys and girls per year their teams are often just not in the same league as the larger single-sex schools

I agree - this is what I was trying to say earlier. It's not that they are "bad" at sport it's just that some single sex schools, or bigger boarding schools (Millfield) are machines built around winning national competitions.

Alleyns is a great great school, but it doesn't have the same pedigree at producing national champions, that isn't bad it's just different.

[readysteadycook]

I would definitely choose Dulwich over Alleyns for the sport.

Also, Alleyns has also got very woke and I wouldn’t send my child there for that reason. They are on the wrong side of history now.