The PE Department aims are twofold; providing and encouraging both participation and excellence in sport and physical activity.

The department promotes a ‘sport for all’ policy and encourages everybody to join in, recreationally or competitively, fostering a long-term positive attitude towards health, fitness and physical recreation. Everyone who wishes to represent the school is offered the opportunity and our ‘no trials’ policy results in there being space for everyone in our teams. We also encourage and aid the pursuit of excellence in those who choose to pursue a sport to a higher level. Our MAT (KS3) and High Performance Programme (KS4+5) is designed to give support to our more elite athletes in order to help them balance the competing demands on their time. The programmes include talks on nutrition, goal setting and sports rehabilitation.

Our excellent facilities plus additional off site grounds enable a wide range of sports and activities to be offered. We have a large astroturf and a well-equipped sports hall, as well as an eight-acre sports ground in Lower Sydenham and local facilities such as Crystal Palace National Sports Centre and Dulwich Prep London are also used. Rowing has gone from strength to strength and we row on the Thames at Putney and are fortunate to row with with Dulwich College.

A number of our pupils play for local clubs or are selected to play at regional/county level for a number of different sports. The main sports played or enjoyed competitively at Sydenham High School include: netball, hockey, football, cricket, rowing, cross-country and athletics. We also offer opportunities to compete in trampolining, swimming and host an annual dance show.

As well as countless opportunities to represent the school in competitive fixtures at all levels, we also take part in annual residential tournaments such as the GDST Netball Weekend at Condover Hall, as well as other local and national tournaments and sporting events. We have had great success including becoming U19 netball county winners, Regional Junior and Inter Athletics Finalists and making it to the quarter-finals in the GDST U13 football rally.