Sports Department

A wide range of sport activities are on offer at Tom Newby School.  We believe that participation in sport helps our learners to adopt healthy and active lifestyles and develop good social skills.  The sport component of our school is divided into three main categories: Curriculum activities, Smart Sport lessons and School and Private extra-curricular programs.

Curriculum activities

Curriculum content and skills education takes place during prescribed Physical Education periods and is guided by the national curriculum – CAPS.

Extra-curricular activities

Extra-curricular sports offered by the school include soccer, athletics, netball, softball, swimming, T-ball, cricket and table tennis as the seasonal sport program dictates. 

Private extra-curricular activities

These activities include tennis, karate, speech & drama, tumbling (gymnastics) and dancing and they are managed by private service providers. Parents are required to pay for their services. 

A schedule of days and times for practices/matches is published on a quarterly basis.  Achievement in school related extra-curricular activities is acknowledged through an Accreditation and Colours Policy.  The policy for each code is revised annually and is published on the school website. 

Swimming: The Bubble Club

Synopsis: The Bubble Club is a three-phase swimming programme that teaches beginner, intermediate and advanced swimming skills.

Tom Newby School is fortunate enough to have a swimming pool on school premises.  From the time that the pool was installed in the mid-1980s Tom Newby School became a force to be reckoned with and produced many swimmers of excellence – including Princess Charleen of Monaco.  Until around 2010, our school had enough swimmers to enter teams into the A, B and C Benoni Swimming League.

In the last decade, the number of competent swimmers enrolling at our school has dwindled to around 20% of learner enrolment.  In 2019, our school was only able to enter one team of swimmers in the Benoni B League and although the Tom Newby School swimming team won, this achievement was a far cry from our former glory days.

A 2-year break from competitive swimming due to Covid-19 restrictions on school sport has had an adverse impact on learner interest in competitive school swimming and swimming skills.  In 2022, our school was only able to enter one team of swimmers into the Benoni Schools C-League and the team placed 5th out of 6 schools.

To ensure that our school reclaims its rightful place as a formidable contender in the Benoni Swimming League, a strategy was devised to teach young learners to swim and to help them develop and master their skills.  The Bubble Club is the culmination of this strategic planning and 2026 Interprimary Gala results are a strong indicator that this project is having a positive impact- The swimming  team placed 2nd out of 9 schools in the Benoni C-League.

Phase 1 of The Bubble Club equips Grade 1, 2 and 3 learners with skills that make them water safe.  Phase 2 lays the foundations for future swimming competence and Phase 3 develops confidence and skills. 

The Bubble Club Phase 1 takes place in Term 1.  Learners who do not yet know how to swim/float are taught basic water safety skills.  These swimming sessions are generic and serve primarily to help learners overcome their fear of water, grow in confidence and develop some basic ‘floating’ skills. 

During Phase 2, which takes place in Term 3 and 4, learners can build on the foundations that were laid in Phase 1. Phase 2 forms part of the school’s Smart Sport program.  Bubble Club lessons are more individualised and take place during Physical Education periods. By the end of Phase 2, learners are expected to swim without the use of a flotation device or coach’s assistance.

Phase 3 requires learners to participate in the school’s extra-curricular swimming program.  These training sessions are structured to develop swimming ability and include stroke training and endurance.

Trained swimming coaches are appointed to assist with The Bubble Club program and a local swimming school allows our learners to use their facilities for a nominal fee.  Parents are required to make a financial contribution to offset the facility hire and coaching fee for Phase 1 and 2 but there is no charge for Phase 3.  The cost for Phase 1 is R100.00 per child.  In Term 3 and 4, the cost for Phase 2 is R300.00 per Term.

Goal setting and acknowledgement of achievement in sport

Coaches discuss the goals and strategies for each activity at the start of the season and evaluate performance at the end of the season. Acknowledgement of achievement in school-based sporting codes is governed by policies that are point-based to ensure objective evaluation of performance.  Participants may be acknowledged for participation, commitment and distinction.