Prep Sport

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

Sports Portal

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

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.

Although predominantly playing separately against other girls’ teams, 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.

During the Lent Term, our girls eagerly take to the netball courts three afternoons a week, with most fixtures played on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mount Kelly proudly competes in prestigious tournaments such as Exeter School, Bryanston, and the IAPS at Millfield, offering our players exciting opportunities to test their skills.

Training sessions are designed to sharpen individual abilities—like precise throwing and catching—while also diving deep into the technical aspects of the game. Beyond the basics, netball teaches vital skills such as hand-eye coordination, quick decision-making, and strategic thinking. Players learn to read the game, anticipate opponents’ moves, and make split-second choices.

Perhaps most importantly, netball nurtures teamwork, communication, and understanding of positions and roles on the court. It fosters leadership and cooperation, helping each pupil develop confidence and a sense of belonging within the team. Through netball, our girls grow not only as athletes but as resilient, strategic, and supportive players both on and off the court.

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.

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 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 regional Prep and Junior schools.

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

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

Weekly swimming lessons for pupils in Reception and 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.

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. Pupils from Year 5 are able to join the swimming programme, progressing through Swim Stars, to the Prep squads and onwards as they progress through the College.

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.

Pupils are selected to 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 which enable great cross country, steeplechase and colour run courses to be created.

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

Athletics, Tennis, Cross Country, Squash, Badmington, Gymnastics, Basketball, Football, Fives and Rugby Sevens 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.

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