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Friday 27th
Term Ends, 12.45pm
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Presdales School
Hoe Lane
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 9NX
Tel: 01920 462210
admin@presdales.herts.sch.uk
Headteacher:
Mr Warren
Year 7 PGL Netball Trip
We had a brilliant sunny weekend at PGL with the Year 7 netballers! The girls have played some excellent netball and supported each other throughout. The girls came in the following positions;
Team 1 – Runners up in Year 7/8 tournament
Team 2 – 3rd place in Year 7/8 tournament
Team 3 – 5th place in Year 7 tournament
Team 4 – Runners up in Year 7 tournament
Team 5 – 3rd place in Year 7 tournament
The girls selected players player from each team and the coaches selected most valuable player for each team over the weekend.
Team 1 – PP – Sophia W & MVP – Scarlet C
Team 2 – PP – Freya E & MVP – Lois D
Team 3 – PP – Jasmine B & MVP – Holly P
Team 4 – PP – Evie R & MVP – Lyla C
Team 5 – PP – Jasmine S & MVP – Daisy F
Well done everyone!
The girls have been doing lots of activities when not playing netball, including, zip wire, giant swing, axe throwing, archery and abseiling and climbing!
News from PE
Badminton
Well done to our badminton players who played a friendly match against Haileybury on 25th February. Some tough games narrowly lost and some great individual matches won against a strong opposition.
Hockey
Well done to the Presdales U18 team who recently beat RMS 6-3. Player of the match was Cara Nolan.
Football
U14s Well done to the U14s football team who, on 25th February, beat Broxbourne 4-3 in the District League. It was a closely contested match between two evenly matched sides. Presdales dominated possession but Broxbourne carried a constant threat so the game was always in the balance. The girls showed their resilience twice coming back from going behind, especially when Broxbourne scored a 3rd to go 3-2 ahead with less than 10mins left.
Presdales equalised with only a few minutes left via a confidently taken penalty from Keira G, then snatched victory with literally the last kick of the game, AJ ghosting in at the front post to turn the ball into the net from a corner! Our other goals were scored by Florence W and Ava M. We now await the results of the other remaining group matches to find out if Presdales go through to the semi finals. Coaches PoTM shared between Ava M and Sienna R. Well done to all the girls!
Congratulations to the U14s Football Team who this week qualified for the County Cup Final following an 8-2 win against St Clement Danes. The girls got off to a lightning fast start going 3-0 up within the first 10 minutes, however Clement Danes came back into it and scored twice in quick succession to reduce the deficit to 3-2 at half time. This left the girls a bit stunned, but they started the second half with renewed purpose and energy, playing some lovely football and taking control of the match. The goals soon started to flow and take the game away from Clement Danes. Some great performances all over the pitch, with special mention for Aleks Iv and Lily F who showed incredible power and energy throughout. Coaches PotM goes to Ava M who was outstanding with 1 goal and 3 assists. Well done to all the girls! The U14s complete the hat-trick of County finals for Presdales, joining the U15s and U16s. The U14s will now face either Croxley Danes or Parmiters in the final.
U15s Congratulations to our talented U15s football team who on 27th February reached the County Cup Final with a 3-1 win against Parmiters! The girls played in their smart new Navy football shirts, generously funded by the Parents Association. Thank you!
The match didn’t have the best of starts with Presdales going a goal behind in under a minute and losing our GK, Poppy W, to an injury in trying to save the shot. Poppy had to come off, but luckily Liv W was willing to take the goalie gloves for the remainder of the half. Presdales began to dominate and limit the threat from Parmiters. The girls came close to finding an equaliser on several occasions but went in 0-1 down at half time.
Poppy W felt ok to return to her goalkeeping duties so this released Liv W to play in midfield for the second half. It literally took Liv only a few minutes to show her quality with a fine finish to level the tie, 1-1. Liv then added a second shortly after with a quite outstanding solo goal to give Presdales the lead.
Presdales took control of the midfield and created chance after chance. This dominance eventually resulted in a well worked 3rd goal from Marlee S to lead 3-1. Presdales then hit the bar, hit the post and kept the Parmiters GK busy, but couldn’t add to their tally. So, after a difficult start, the game ended in a comfortable 3-1 win for Presdales.
The girls can now look forward to another County Final! They are such a talented group and it’s a real pleasure to work with them. All the girls performed brilliantly and played football to an incredibly high level. I could award Coaches PoTM to several players, but it goes to Liv W for her outstanding performance in a combination of GK and midfield roles to help Presdales secure the win. Well done to all the girls!!
The U15s journey in the Football National Cup unfortunately came to an end on Friday, losing 3-0 to a very strong Shenfield team (National Champions) in the Qtr Finals.
All three of Shenfield’s goals came direct from corners in the first half. Aside from this, it was an evenly balanced game with Presdales competing well.
In the second half especially, Presdales were the better side. The girls found their stride, playing more confident football and taking control of the game.
Unfortunately, despite creating a number of chances, we couldn’t quite find the back of the net. The momentum was definitely with Presdales and getting one goal could easily have led to more. The girls should all feel extremely proud of themselves. It was a gallant effort and they played their hearts out. They now have the Final of the Hertfordshire County Cup to look forward to in a few weeks time.
Coaches PoTM goes to Annabel G who made lots of great runs and was a constant threat on the left wing. Well done to all the girls, I’m incredibly proud of you.
U16s Well done to the U16s football team, who reached the Final of the County Cup with a 2-1 win against Royal Masonic (RMS)!
It was a close match throughout and could have gone either way. Presdales led 1-0 at half time through a goal from Amy L but RMS came out very strongly in the second half putting Presdales under a lot of pressure.
RMS deservedly equalised with about 20 minutes of the match remaining. Both teams then missed chances to take the lead, but Annabel G managed to put Presdales ahead 2-1 with less than 10mins to go. RMS pressed hard to equalise again but Poppy W pulled off a couple of great saves, including one where she dived at the strikers feet, to keep Presdales ahead and see out the game. Coaches PoTM goes to Poppy Ward for a fantastic performance in goal. Considering that Poppy does not normally play in goal, it shows what a talented, brave and versatile athlete she is. Presdales is very grateful that Poppy is willing to play GK for the school teams. Indeed, she filled in at the last minute today after Teairra L suffered an injury at the weekend. Thank you Poppy and well done to all the girls on a fantastic achievement!
Presdales win now play either Herts & Essex or Ashlyns in the final.
Handball
First ever handball experience for the U13s last week. They loved it!
Some tough opposition but Presdales soon found their flow learning every step of the way. Hertfordshire Runners Up
Netball
Year 8 Congratulations to the Year 8 netball team who played a tough county cup semi final on the 4th March against Herts & Essex. The score was very evenly matched throughout but the girls dug deep in the final quarter to win the match 23-21.
POTM Sophia P for her excellent determination and resilience on court!
This means we are through to the CC Final on Thursday 13th March held at STAHS.
UPDATE : On 13th March, the Year 8 netball team competed against Queenswood School in the County Cup Netball Finals at STAHS. The first quarter was very close with Queenswood leading by 1 goal but as the game continued, Presdales found their well known stride and dominated the game.
Our non stop teamwork and determination led to us winning the match 36-20 meaning we are YEAR 8 COUNTY CUP NETBALL CHAMPIONS!!
POTM as voted by Queenswood was Maisy W and CPOTM was Leah H.
Amazing work girls, so proud of you all and truly deserved!
Year 9 Pure grit, drive, versatility, and teamwork on display from our Presdales teams this week at the Year 9 District tournament.
Congratulations to the B team for coming Runners up in the plate competition.
Superb performances and only dropping two games all afternoon (one of which was against the winners).
The A team dug deep suffering from another injury, and playing the majority of their games with only 6 players. The determination to still do their best for each other, despite being out of position, was really admirable. Their reward…. DISTRICT CHAMPIONS!!!!
Year 10 Well done to the Year 10 Netball team who recently played their County Cup semi final against Herts and Essex. It was a close, tough game from the start. The girls worked hard in every quarter but unfortunately lost 27-33. Star player was Clemmie.
This brings to an end our netball for the season. It has been a successful season with a district title, runners up in the STAHS league and County Cup semi finalists. The girls should be very proud of themselves and the quality of netball they have produced game after game. I am looking forward to the challenges of next season! I know the girls will come back even stronger!
Indoor Cricket
Well done to the Year 10 indoor cricket team who held their own at indoor tournament last week.
News from PE
Netball
Senior Netball Team
Well done to our senior netball team who played outstandingly against Haileybury in their final county cup match on 30th January.
Despite a narrow loss of 40-34, I was extremely impressed with the determination, skill and team work the girls displayed.
For our year 13’s, it was their last game representing Presdales and I couldn’t be prouder of the amazing 7 year journey we’ve had together and the incredible netball players & beautiful young ladies you’ve become.
Year 10
Congratulations to the Year 10 netball team who remained undefeated in the District Netball Tournament this week and are therefore DISTRICT CHAMPIONS!
POTT was Hannah M for her excellent shooting! Well done girls!!
U14s
Our U14s are going to the NATIONAL SCHOOL NETBALL FINALS!!!!
What an incredible day…
The girls were undefeated in the group stages progressing to the semi finals in top spot. The hardest (and most stressful!) game of the day lay ahead of us with Bedford Girls’ School as our opposition.
The game went goal for goal but Presdales kept their cool (teachers and parents not so much!) patiently waiting and working hard for that turnover. A nail biting but all round fantastic game ended 14-12 in our favour sending us through to the Regional finals, and a ticket to the NATIONAL FINALS!!!!
Roll on the 22nd March. Sheffield we’re coming to get you!
Year 8
Well done to the Year 8 netball team who recently beat Haberdashers 34-15 in the STAHS netball league.
POM – Sophia P for her excellent versatility and impact on court!
Football
U16s
Congratulations to the U16s football team who recently reached the semi final of the County Cup, beating Onslow St Audrey’s 7-0.
The girls had to play the entire match with only 10 players after a few late call offs and they did brilliantly! The game was finely poised at half time with Presdales leading 1-0 from a goal scored in the first minute. Onslow created a number of chances and Teairra pulled off some fantastic saves to protect our lead.
It was a soft, heavy pitch and I expected the girls to tire in the second half playing with only 10, but they must have eaten their weetabix! They came out all guns blazing, controlling the match and scoring a further 6 goals. Goals were scored by Lali x 2, Honey x 2, Lucy, Ruby and Donya.
What a terrific performance and such a lovely group of girls to work with! We now look forward to the semi final against Royal Masonic.
Coaches PotM shared between Lali and Teairra. Well done to all the girls!
U15s
Wow! What a fantastic performance from our talented U15s football team who, on Monday, reached the Quarter Finals of the National Cup, beating Kingsdale School 3-2 in extra time!
This was a very tough match against an extremely strong opponent who fought for every ball. The girls worked tirelessly to secure the win. I can’t be prouder of this group of girls. They are amazing!
This is an outstanding achievement to reach the Quarter Final stage in a tournament that started with over 400 teams. The girls have now won 6 matches in the competition and require another 2 victories to reach the U15s Final at Wembley. This is a marathon for sure! The girls should feel extremely proud. They were deserved winners today.
Goals were scored by Marlee S and Mia SR x 2. Today, I simply can’t award a PoM as it was a true team effort. Coaches PoM goes to the whole team!
In the Quarter Finals, we face either Thorpe (Norwich) or Shenfield (Essex), who are the current holders. It will be an away match. We are very much looking forward to this next challenge!
U14s
Congratulations to the U14s Football Team who beat Ridgeway School 5-2 and join our U15s and U16s in the semi final of the County Cup. The girls faced a tough opponent, playing away from home, and had to be at their best to win the tie.
The girls showed their quality, grit and determination throughout, working extremely hard against an energetic opponent who fought for every ball.
All our goals were of the highest quality with some clinical finishing. Liv W scored a hat trick and others goals scored by Ava M and Flo W. Lots of great performances all over the pitch.
Joint Coaches Player of the Match goes to Liv White who showed exactly why she’s just been selected for England Schools U15s and Jess Botheras who put in a faultless performance in defence.
We now look forward to the semi final against St Clement Danes or John Henry Newman. Well done to all the girls!
News from PE
Football
vs St Albans High School
Well done to the U15s football team who reached the semi finals of the County Cup beating St Albans High School (STAHS) 2-0.
This was an accomplished performance with Presdales dominating throughout. STAHS defended exceptionally well and it proved difficult to find a breakthrough despite our control of the game. The first half ended 0-0.
The breakthrough came early in the second half with Sienna R winning a penalty which was coolly dispatched by Mia SR. The girls left it late to secure the result but a great header from Amy L direct from a corner put the game beyond STAHS.
Lots of great performances from the girls. Joint Coaches PotM goes to Mia SR and Amy L, who were outstanding throughout. A well deserved win and we now look forward to the semi final against either STAGS or Parmiters. Well done girls!
vs Ashlyns
An outstanding performance from the U15s football team beating Ashlyns 11-1 in the 5th round of the National Cup to reach the Round of 16. This is a fantastic achievement by The girls started a little bit slowly for the first 10 minutes, but started to find their rhythm.
A beautifully worked goal between Mia SR and Liv W gave Presdales a 1-0 lead. The girls never looked back after that and went into the half time break 6-0 ahead.
The second half continued much the same with Presdales playing some wonderful flowing football and some great goals. We are now looking forward to the Round of 16 and the chance to reach the Qtr Finals.
Goals were scored by Mia SR x 5, Ava M x 2, Marlee S x 2, Liv W x 2.
Very difficult to pick a PoM with so many accomplished performances, but it’s hard to overlook a 5 goal tally plus a fantastic all-round performance. Coaches PotM is Mia SR! Well done to all the girls. I’m really proud of all of you!
Indoor Athletics
On Monday 20th January, a handful of our talented athletes took to the track at the Lea Valley indoor athletics centre.
Here they competed against 12 other schools in a variety of events in the annual LVSSA Champs.
Notable performances from the minor girls included:
Millie 800m 1st place
Sky LJ 2nd place
Layla 60m hurdles 3rd place
Overall position 3rd – well done girls!
Junior girls notable performances included:
Sophia 60m hurdles 1st place
Jess shot putt 1st place
Skye 60m sprint 3rd place
Lilianna TJ 3rd place
Anna 800m 3rd place
Overall position 1st! Champions!
Student News
Please see more student achievements in non-school sporting activities on our PE Facebook page. We have recently had student successes in Football and Swimming!
Student Success
Congratulations to D’arcy Wright, Year 13, who has been selected to represent GB at the 2025 Horseball World Cup and has previously competed at the European Championships.
Please find below D’arcy’s article explaining what Horseball is and outlining the experiences that she has had.
What is horseball?
Horseball is a fast-paced, team equestrian sport that demands high levels of skill, agility and determination from its players. While riding horses, two teams of four compete to score goals by throwing a small ball (which is covered in leather handles) into a 4.5-meter vertical hoop. The game requires players to pick the ball up from the ground at speed (known as a pickup), make three passes between three different players on their team and head towards the goal – all whilst avoiding the defence and keeping excellent control of their horse by mainly using their legs (or at least trying to anyway).
Originating in France, Horseball remains a hidden minority sport globally. However, with its fast-growing community and endless explanations to others why someone would willingly swing their body vertically off a galloping horse to grab a ball, the sport is steadily gaining popularity.
Representing my country in Horseball has been a deeply rewarding and extraordinary experience. Competing at the European Championships in 2023, training and competing with teams in Barcelona and Canada in 2024, and now preparing to represent my country in the World Cup and second European Championships in 2025 have provided me with some of the most enriching, valuable experiences of my life.
The camaraderie among the players has always enhanced my love for the sport. Every player feels part of one slightly chaotic family, all united in our shared love for the crazy adrenaline rushes and horses. Travelling to different countries, experiencing diverse cultures and bonding with international teammates has provided me with the most unforgettable experiences.
That said, competing on the international stage demands rigorous training for both horse and rider. It’s a partnership built on trust, discipline and countless hours of practice. My journey has included many 6am rides before school, late-night training and countless weekends away, dedicated to perfecting my game. Balancing the demands of an international sport with studying for A-levels may sound like a recipe for stress, but competing in Horseball has given me more than just physical and mental skills- it has instilled me with discipline, resilience and strong communication skills.
Being part of a minority sport like Horseball, has meant continuously advocating for its recognition and growth, which has boosted my confidence and public speaking skills. Thus, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities Horseball has offered me so far and all the constant support from my family, friends, teachers and teammates. All their support has been, and always will be invaluable.
D’arcy Wright (Year 13)