It seems that we always begin by saying that we have had another good year in swimming, but actually that really undersells what has been a vintage year in swimming. Success has been internal, local, regional and national, made all the more impressive by having small squads, many of whom swim in addition to competing in other sports.

For the girls, Chandos won the senior House Pots and Queen’s the junior House Pots. Our girls were runners up behind Cheltenham Ladies’ College in the Cheltenham Challenge Cup and our junior girls secured a win in the triangular gala against Bromsgrove School and Marlborough College.

Teams have competed in both the English Schools Swimming Association (ESSA) regional trials at Millfield School, (breaking the College freestyle relay record held since 2009 in the process), and the Otter relays at the Olympic Pool in London.

For the boys, Newick House won the senior House Pots and Christowe the junior House Pots. In the district relay event in September, the junior boys broke the College record, but the senior boys not only broke the College record, but also the longstanding district record for both medley and freestyle. They went on to perform well at the ESSA regional event at Millfield, earning them a national finals spot at the Sandwell Aquatic Centre, (the Commonwealth Games Pool) in Birmingham. They came 14th in the medley final and seventh in the freestyle final, which is an amazing result. We went on to swim in the Otters and the National Schools Gala at the Aquatic Centre in Queen Elizabeth II Park in London, but as a ‘large school’ this year. We performed well, but just not quite well enough to make the finals.

On an individual level, we have also seen five of our swimmers win Gold, Silver or Bronze medals at county level this year, which is testament to their hard work and effort and that of our wonderful Head Coach Mr Andy Osborne.

Half Colours: Felix Duggan, Liv Greenwood, Zach Hitchcock-Smith, Pia Nichol, Georgina Scott, Matthew Wright

Mrs Zoe La Valette-Cooper