Phyllis Light commented on the interhouse sporting competitions. A bus was provided to away fixtures; girls played netball and hockey. Boys played football and cricket. In the summer tennis and rounders were played and there was athletics. Alan Saunders remembers a lot of sporting activity with some particulary good athletes at the school. The Head Boy, Wilfred Rose, from Newport Pagnell went on to play for Wolverton Town at football. There was also a girl who excelled at hight job who came from New Bradwell (in 2001 she was still in the local area). Alan also remembers the enjoyment that was to be had playing the Masters Eleven at hockey as this was a good opportunity to 'crack the masters round the ankle with the hockey sticks'. The girls had a tennis tournament every year on their tennis court - the boys school were given time to watch which they enjoyed.

1940s

Jim Skipper was a teacher during this period. He reports that boys did cross country, cricket and soccer. Both girls and boys did hockey and athletics, and the girls also did netball and tennis. The school sports day was held in the Summer term. The event involved a full range of running, jumping and throwing events with races organised for separate year groups. In 1944 the Yellow house won in all age groups that year. Girls did not take part in unladylike events such as 440 yds, hurdles or long jump. There was an annual staff verses school hockey match which must have been great fun.

Rene Healey reported that during war time it was difficult to arrange inter school competitions but soccer, hockey and cricket matches for the boys and hockey netball and tennis for the girls were played where possible.

P.E. was held in the gym (now the library at Bushfield) and tennis was played on the hard courts (where the lower school is now). There were also netball courts, a cricket pitch and nets, two football pitches, a hockey pitch and athletics track, nets and jumping pits.

Courtesy of Mr Skipper: 1944 Yellow House with their trophies: Jim Skipper, Bernard Young, Jean Greaves, Shiela Owen, Tony Parker, Arthur Herrington, Muriel Keene, Barry Gidman, Frak Coe, Pat Hancox

Sylvia Saunders winning the skipping race in the interhouse sports 1948 (courtesy of Sylvia Saunders)

1950-60s

Glenda Flynn remembers that pupils who played for the school were awarded one colour and pupils who played more than one sport were awarded a striped colour silk.

Peter Goodwin tells how the boys did football rugby and cross country running also swimming for all. The girls had netball and hockey all did P.E. He remembers the new swimming pool in the grounds which meant that the pupils did not have to go over to Stony (to a private school called Fegans) for their swimming lessons.

Ron Goodwin recalls the long distance cross country route which took the boys over to Blue Bridge and which was notoriously muddy.

Janet Cook talked about inter house sports competitions with a cup for winning house. Tennis grass courts were still in use and hockey lessons were held at Old Wolverton "over the black boards".

1970s

Margaret Persaud and others remember the school being very competitive with first second and third teams for the different sports and regular fixtures with schools across the county. The school was very successful in such competitions. There was swimming at the Watling Way School and in the summer weeks the pupils also swam in the school's small open air pool.

Photo from school archives of sports day

Tracy Greys particularly remembers some real athletes at this time. Theresa Doddy, Rita Avill and Mark Everitt lwyas won the cross country and Rita ran for the county. The Red House always won sports day at this time (like the Yellow House did in the 1940s).

1980s

With a change in headship (Mr Peter Sudworth) and a general trend away from competition, the inter school fixtures and games competitions within school dwindled. A decision was also made that school sports day would no longer consist of competitive individual events this was to make it more fun for the less competitive.

In May 1884 the teams netball tournaments held and Bushfield were runners up. In the same year the school cross country team won the Milton Keynes Athletic Club Trophy at the Radcliffe school - the first time it had been awarded to the school.

1990s

Louise Gaynor told that there were a boys' year 7 football team and a mixed cross country team. They also swam in the school swimming pool. Sports day was non competitive sports a team selected by teachers for the day - fun sports.

Nicola Scott remembers that school sports day was in the format of non competitive sports or " fun" sports like obstacle courses, dribbling the football and tin can alleys. The teams were chosen by staff members so that each team had an equal balance of sporty and non sporty children in them and were just for sports day.

In 1999 the school cross country team was particularly successful with Abby Roskilly and Scott Goodwin coming top of all the pupils in Milton Keynes in the Senior races which were help on three Saturdays at different locations in Milton Keynes.

Pupils are encouraged to learn to swim with classes held at Watling Way School for half terms alternating between classes. Those who acquire the set skills are rewarded with a certificate signed by the Director of Education. This keeps them motivated and more interested in succeeding.