SPORT provision at Wellington School made the national headlines recently when the Sunday Times ran a story headlined ‘Zumba puts team games on the bench at top school’.

The school says it is incorrect that it has decided to ‘abandon competitive sport in favour of Zumba, mindfulness and yoga’.

But it says it is true that the school has a fresh approach to PE lessons – dubbed Wellbeing lessons – delivered by a team led by Steffan Jones, an ex-professional cricket and rugby player. Pupils are taught a healthy lifestyle which will serve them at school and in adult life.

Headmaster Henry Price said: “Wellington School believes passionately in the well-being of our pupils and will keep striving to provide an education and range of opportunities that benefit them while they are at Wellington and long into the future.

“Our evolved PE programme is now called Wellbeing and includes fitness testing, fundamental movement and hand-eye co-ordination. There is plenty of physical activity but also classroom sessions based around nutrition, mindfulness and leadership, which links into our PSHE programme.

“Our aim is not only to increase fitness and confidence at school but also to teach pupils how to look after themselves long after they leave school.”

A full programme of competitive sports fixtures is still on offer. On the elite performance side, Ben Howe, captain of the First XV rugby team, has been selected to represent Belgium at Under-18 level. Ben, who qualifies as his mother is Belgian, will play against other international sides including Japan, Canada and USA in a tournament in France at Easter.

On the wellbeing side, students attended the Devon and British Judo Western Area competition recently. Edward Nuttall-Owen won gold in his category and is the under 90kg Green belt champion. Harry Humphreys, Charlie Hodgkinson, Freddie Renyard and Frank Zhang all achieved bronze medals in their categories.

In the younger groups, Sammy Caygill and Henry Pocock won gold in their age category, Harriet Sanders-Debenham won a silver medal and Genevieve Altoft and Barnaby Howell won bronze medals.

“The diverse nature of these two separate instances illustrates the breadth of the school’s offering,” Mr Price added. “The judo lessons are part of the wellbeing programme, while Ben’s international selection is as a direct result of an intense strength and conditioning training programme over his time in the school.

“I am immensely proud of all these achievements and the many more we will witness as a result of the innovative Sport and Wellbeing Department.”