Sport | Sixth Form | Denstone College | Staffordshire

The rugby programme at Denstone continues to thrive and engages over 250 boys, who enjoy playing rugby across the 12 teams from U12 through to the 1st XV. The competitive fixture list includes a number of the best rugby- playing schools in the country, alongside the U14+ age groups competing in National and County Cup competitions.

Fixtures run throughout the season, with 15 a-side fixtures in the Michaelmas term. This is followed by a comprehensive sevens programme in the Lent term, where the school has enjoyed a great deal of success in recent years at the Rosslyn Park, North of England and Solihull competitions.

Pupils at the college are able to access coaching support all year round, helping them to continue to develop their game. This is through a blend of team, small-group and 1-1 sessions with the experienced full time coaching staff. Senior players will have an individual development plan, aiming to drive their development. Players are also supported in their athletic development by our Head of Athletic Development, with tailored programmes helping them to reach their physical potential. Analysis sessions to review game footage ensures that players are well supported throughout.

The rugby programme is led by Dan Hemmingway (Director of Rugby), who has a wealth of experience in coaching school children to the very highest level. George’s proven track record includes roles at Leicester Tigers as U18 Academy Coach and Junior Academy Lead Coach, and at England Rugby as a Player Pathway Officer and Coach Developer. George is supported by our full time rugby coach Max McMinn, previously of Ealing Trailfinders.

Games take place over the 8 rugby pitches on site, on both Wednesdays and Saturdays. After match teas for players and refreshments for parents are served in the dining hall ensuring that the spirit and values of the game are kept well and truly central to rugby at the college.

Performance Pathway

The College is proud of its Partner College status with Leicester Tigers, supporting our Academy rugby players with their educational and rugby development. The partnership recognises the College’s excellence in supporting aspiring rugby players, and the quality and breadth in provision. Rugby and Strength and Conditioning coaches from both environments work together to ensure that players at the College receive high quality opportunities to develop.

Representation of Denstone students within the Leicester Tigers U18 Academy is impressive and growing. With 8 of the 2023-24 1st XV squad members of the Academy. A record 3 players from the 2022-23 squad went on to gain senior contracts at Leicester Tigers, a fantastic achievement. All 3 players also played for the England U18 team. Lower down the school at U15 and U16 there are a large number of players involved with the Leicester Tigers Junior Academy (Developing Player Programme).

Away from the professional pathway, the College continues to hold valued links with Staffordshire Rugby, with boys and girls representing the County at various levels regularly. Our links with Universities and Senior Clubs sees many Old Denstonians continue to play at a high level post College.

Our netball programme is currently flourishing, with players in the England Netball national age group squads and regularly seeing over 250 pupils participating in netball with our teams it is very clear that Netball is a strong part of Denstone. We compete in interschool fixtures on a weekly basis at all ages and are entered into National competitions at U12, U13, U14, U16 and U18 year groups.

Preparation for the main netball season in the Lent term starts in September, with a particular focus upon the U14, U16 and U19 squads who participate in the national age group competitions, beginning with the Staffordshire County Schools Tournaments hosted at Denstone in November each year.

During the Michaelmas term, pupils have the opportunity to select netball within the Activity programme on Tuesdays (Fourth Form to Upper Sixth) or Thursdays (Lower School) and also in the Sport programme on Mondays and Wednesdays (from Fourth Form upwards). There is also a netball club on Saturday mornings for the First and Second Form pupils, which runs from September to March, whilst the U16 and U19 performance squads train on Friday evenings during the Michaelmas term. All of these sessions are coached by our Director of Netball, where a love of netball alongside improved skills and game understanding are the main objectives.

Amy continues to coach at Loughborough Lightning as the U17 National Performance Head Coach and also leads the England Netball Player Development Programme for Staffordshire and is the Lead U15 Coach, and all of our netball players, from the Prep School up to our 1st VII benefit from Amy's experience of performance netball.

Many of our netballers are involved in performance pathways, with a significant number of pupils included in the Staffordshire County Player Development Programme each year, and some progressing to NPL squads and Experience Hubs. For the pupils on performance pathways, we ensure that they are given assistance with their individual programmes, alongside help to manage their commitments and workload. Strength and Conditioning support is provided by our Athletic Development department, working very closely with the netball squads throughout the year.

During the main season in the Lent term, more than 250 pupils regularly participate in school fixtures, from our U9 team in the Prep to our U18 1st VII at the College. As netball is the main school sport during the Lent term, the pupils have netball three times each week within the Sport programme, with all teams receiving a high level of coaching and the programme across all ages and abilities being developed by our specialist netball coaching team. The netball department consists of 14 staff members, all of whom enthusiastically share their experience and knowledge of the game to ensure that the pupils love netball just as much as we do! One of our main objectives is to give as many pupils as possible the chance to represent the school at netball, with our C and D teams playing fixtures whenever opposition schools are able to provide them. Equally, another leading intention for the netball programme at Denstone is to provide pupils with a route to progress, enabling the talented and committed players to be supported in their development.

Cricket is the major sport in the Summer Term at Denstone as we field A and B teams at all age groups, for both boys and girls. The College has a magnificent 1st XI pitch and pavilion that is the envy of many; cricket at Denstone continues to be very popular. Cricket is offered to boys and girls in all years at the College, including a busy and extensive winter programme of training. We are proud to have been named in the Top 100 Cricket Schools as part of The Cricketer's Schools Guide 2026.

The cricket programme aims to offer performance, alongside participation and enjoyment. To this end, all teams have their own dedicated coach who works with the boys and girls throughout the summer. All of our teams have an extensive and competitive fixture list, including matches against local county sides. The College regularly performs well in county and national cup competitions, in both boys and girls competitions. Lots of pupils have achieved County representation at their age group level and many boys and girls go on to play at a high standard of cricket in their years beyond Denstone.

Denstone has produced numerous first class cricketers; most recently Alex Thomson, Greg Cork and Harvey Hosein (all Derbyshire) and Aneesh Kapil (Surrey).

Hockey is thriving at Denstone College. The college regularly puts out 46 teams ranging from our U7s in the prep school right through to our 1st teams who compete in the England Hockey Tier 1 competitions.

The college provides training throughout the year with girls taking the priority in the Michaelmas term and boys in the lent term. Recent developments have allowed the 1st team boys and girls to train and play across two terms. We have regular weekend and midweek fixtures against some of the leading hockey schools in the country.

Denstone hockey is very ambitious, we see ourselves on a journey to becoming one of the top hockey playing schools in the country. The school provides high quality coaching, led by Director of Hockey Wes Durston.

Not only do we provide excellent hockey coaching, the school provide bespoke athletic development, led by Layton-Terry Chambers and his team. Video analysis is provided through the Veo camera, and regular mentoring is there to help out pupils navigate through their busy school lives. Denstone hockey truly believes in educating the whole child and recognises the balance needed for its young athletes between sport, academia, music, drama and the many other things that go on at school.

Denstone hockey is very well connected in the local community. Many of our pupils represent local clubs. Ashbourne, North Staffs, Leek, Belper, Beeston and Lichfield hockey clubs allow our players to gain experience outside of the school environment. We also have many of our athletes involved the England hockey performance pathways with Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester Talent Academis available to our pupils.

Should you be interested in discussing anything about Denstone Hockey, do not hesistate to get in touch via email wdurston@denstonecollege.net