A non-selective state school in the heart of an East Midlands market town is hoping to make school sport history tomorrow.

Northampton School for Boys rugby team will take to the field at Twickenham for the England Rugby U15 Schools Cup Final against Wellington College.

For a state school to reach the final of a competition traditionally dominated by the bastions of school’s rugby from the independent and selective grammar school sectors is a fantastic achievement.

But Northampton’s rugby success is not the end of their sporting season as the NSB U15 football team have reached the final of their national competition the ESFA Playstation Elite Schools’ Cup, this season also.

That final will be played at a football league ground following the close of season matches in May.

It is believed to be the first time a school has reached the final of the national competitions for football and rugby with the same age group in the same season.

Jamie Wilcock, director of sport at NSB, said: “This is a remarkable achievement for a school with a rich tradition of sport which has seen unprecedented success in recent years.

“Since 2010 alone, the school has appeared in multiple national finals in sports including basketball, athletics, cross country, golf and water polo.

“The school has run out twice at U18 age group rugby finals at Twickenham since 2013 and has appeared in no fewer than six national football finals since 2011.

“School Sport Magazine, the leading professional publication for the physical education industry has named NSB ‘State School of the Year for Sport’ three times in the past six years and runner up on the other three occasions.

“This U15 ‘golden age group’ have already appeared in the ESSA National Water Polo Championship Finals and the basketball team remains in the U15 England Basketball Conference, playing for a place in the quarter finals later this week.

“It is remarkable that one age group should be experiencing success at this level in one year, made all the more unusual by the fact that no single student has appeared in multiple teams.”

Former students of the school include England, British Lions and Northampton Saints second row Courtney Lawes, Glasgow Rangers winger Glenn Middleton, England cricketer David Willey and Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson.

Jamie Wilcock added: “There are students in this U15 age group who hope to one day emulate the achievements of their sporting heroes. Several of them have the talent to do so and that prospect will feel all the more achievable when they run out onto the pitch at Twickenham.”

The other rugby cup final tomorrow sees Warwick School tackle Whitgift School in the U18 Cup.

Wirral Grammar School for Girls (U14), Parrenthorn High School (U16) and Worthing College (U19) claimed the spoils at the England Netball National Championships at Stanborough School in Welwyn Garden City.

(To read the full report in the new edition of School Sport Magazine out next month, subscribe for just £29 a year by emailing [email protected])

Taunton School will be among almost more than 50 sides taking part in the England Netball National Championships at Stanborough School in Welwyn Garden City this Saturday.

The biggest event in the schools’ netball calendar, 54 school teams from across the country representing three separate age categories – U14s, U16s and U19s – will go into battle across 25 rounds before the semi-finalists are confirmed.

Taunton’s head of netball Lisa Manley says: “This is the second year in a row that a Taunton School netball team has made it through to this prestigious national final. Good luck to all the girls involved.”

It has already been a remarkable journey for the schools that have qualified, with the top two sides in each age group from nine regions securing their place at the prestigious national event.

Of the 54 schools competing, 17 are repeat qualifiers from last year’s tournament. In the U14 category, local team Berkhamsted will be hoping to retain their crown while Godolphin & Latymer School will provide a danger once more having finished in fourth place last time out.

The U16 age group is wide open with none of the top four returning this year. Grammar School at Leeds are the highest-placed team (joint seventh) to return from the 2018 competition.

Back to defend their U19s title will be Queen Ethelburga’s from Yorkshire. Meanwhile, Bromsgrove will be looking to go one better after finishing as runners-up last year.

It could be a historic day for Berkhamsted or Grammar School at Leeds as they have representatives across all three age groups, the only schools to achieve this at the 2019 finals.

Play commences at 9am with the semi-finals starting from approximately 4.15pm and finals from 4.45pm.

Repton School completed a remarkable clean sweep at the 2019 Investec Girls' Schools Championships by winning all three national titles at Lee Valley Hockey Centre.

It was the first time a school had won all three girls’ titles in a same year in the history of the competition.

(To read the full report in the new edition of School Sport Magazine out on Jan 22, subscribe for just £29 a year by emailing [email protected])

Wellington College have squeezed through to the final of the RFU’s U15 Schools’ Cup after scoring more tries than Whitgift in their last four clash.

The sides finished 15-15 in a tense tie at Saracens’ Allianz Park but progressed to the Twickenham final on March 21 on the tries rule.

They will play Northampton School for Boys, who saw off Rugby School 21-0 in the other last semi-final clash.

Earlier Whitgift’s U18 side produced one of the most devastating performances seen in a semi-final with a fantastic 57-15 victory against Marlborough College.

They will tackle Warwick School on March 21 in the U18 final after Warwick overcame Yorkshire’s Woodhouse Grove School 36-24.

Twickenham places are up for grabs this weekend as the best rugby schools in the country go head to head in the RFU’s Schools’ Cup last four.

In the U18 cup semi finals at Allianz Park today, Warwick School tackle Woodhouse Grove while Whitgift play Marlborough College.

In the U15 cup tomorrow, Northampton School for Boys take on Rugby School while Whitgift School face Wellington College.

The prizes at stake are places in the Twickenham finals on March 21.

Children’s sports charity Chance to Shine is marking a major milestone on International Women’s Day today reaching its two millionth girl to play, learn and develop through cricket since 2005.

Nine-year-old Keira McDermott from Langley Primary School in Staffordshire has become the two millionth girl to pick up a cricket bat and ball through the Chance to Shine programme.

Former England captain Charlotte Edwards revealed the news during a special school assembly at Langley Primary, awarding Keira with a certificate to celebrate the achievement.

Meanwhile chief cxecutive Laura Cordingley today announced funding for a new Chance to Shine cricket programme in state secondary schools, reaching over 14,000 girls through 120 schools.

Currently only one in ten teenage girls get the physical activity they need each day and one in ten play for a sports team, as opposed to one in three boys.

The new scheme, launching next month, will provide a comprehensive programme of coaching, leadership training and competition to teenage girls.

It will include:

• Girls-only after-school clubs in 120 state secondary schools aimed at building confidence, skilling teams and developing role models for 3,500 young people.

• Leadership training to 1,200 girls aged 14-16, building the skills to support and run their own after-school cricket club, volunteering alongside their coach in their old primary school and setting up and running a cricket festival for local primary schools on their secondary school site.

• Engaging 3,500 year 6 girls to experience cricket through festivals organised by young leaders.

• County and regional competitions and festivals for 7,000 girls.

• Digital resources to support schools nationally to engage girls and boys in Chance to Shine.

Speaking at Langley Primary School, Charlotte Edwards said: “It’s such a proud moment for me to meet Chance to Shine’s two millionth girl, Keira, and to celebrate on International Women’s Day this massive milestone with the charity.

“For me, when I was young, there were absolutely no opportunities for girls to play cricket in school – zero - and I played for the boys’ team. It’s therefore really inspiring to see so many girls not only playing the game at school, but also learning valuable skills like teamwork, leadership and self-confidence; as well as improving their physical and mental health.”

Chance to Shine chief executive Laura Cordingley added: “When we visit schools and ask girls about having equal sporting opportunities as boys they all speak passionately and, without missing a beat say, ‘Girls are just as good as boys and should have the same opportunities to play cricket’. As one head teacher told me, ‘Our girls don’t want to be making the cricket teas, they want to play’

“Each year we are giving hundreds of thousands of young girls the chance to play the game and now, with our exciting new secondary schools programme launching in April, we can inspire even more. To reach two million girls is a phenomenal effort and a credit to everyone who is involved in Chance to Shine.”

Chance to Shine works with 39 county cricket boards to fund high quality cricket coaches to deliver cricket to around 500,000 children in 4,000 state primary schools each year (15,000 since 2005) and urban community areas nationally through its Chance to Shine Street initiative.

Chelmsford's year 4 students competed in an Olympic-style sports tournament with New Hall School, Chancellor Park Primary School and St Pius X Catholic Primary School taking the first three places.

Six competitions, 43 schools and 2000 students competed in the tournament organised by the Chelmsford School Sport Partnership.

Sara Robson, school games organiser for the Chelmsford SSP said: “Through the Superstars Festival, we wanted to create an inclusive event where any child can come and compete in a positive environment, while also being encouraged to develop good sporting attitudes.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to support so many young leaders and develop their confidence and skills to lead and officiate. To see such large participation numbers and to develop values such as friendship, determination, courage and respect is one of the partnership’s main aims.”

The Chelmsford School Sport Partnership was launched in September 2003 and, despite Government cutbacks, continues to develop and work with all 61 schools in the area, including eight secondary state schools, two special schools and 50 primary schools.

The organisation is committed to improving sporting opportunities for young people and meeting the new targets for the School Games programme.

It offers support to all schools on competitive high quality PE, leadership opportunities, support for students identified as gifted and talented, coaching, INSET and access to funding.

The 2019 National Schools Lacrosse Championships kick off today from March 2-5 at a new venue the Aldershot Garrison Sport Centre in Hampshire.

Defending U19A champions Lady Eleanor Holles, who won the tournament for the first time in thirty years in 2018, have been drawn with St James’ Girls, Westonbirt, Heathfield, Bolton, Canford and St George’s Ascot.

The U19A tournament will see 56 schools compete for the title with a total of 223 teams competing across the seven different age categories at the championships.

(For a full report and pictures check out the next edition of School Sport Magazine)

Northampton School for Boys will be flying the flag for the state sector in the final stages of the RFU’s National Schools U15 Rugby Union Cup.

Northampton earned their place in the last four on the away side rule after drawing 10-10 with Wakefield’s Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and will now face Rugby School, who overcame Kirkham Grammar 17-7.

The other semi final will see a battle of two schools’ heavyweights with Whitgift, who pipped Millfield 32-22 in their last eight clash, taking on Wellington College, who edged past Harrow School 26-19.

In the U18 Cup, Whitgift remain on course for the double with a last four clash against Marlborough College after proving too strong for Ivybridge Community College 40-12.

The other semi final will see Warwick School take on Woodhouse Grove School after Warwick defeated Rugby School 29-20 in the quarter finals and their Yorkshire rivals overcame Wirral Grammar 27-16.

The U18 semi finals will be held on Saturday March 9 while the U15 ties will take place on Sunday March 10 at Allianz Park.