The College offers a wide range of sport and other physical activities and the majority of
our students choose to participate in one or more of them. Many take part for exercise and
enjoyment alone whilst others are members of one or more of our successful College teams.
Team sports at the College go from strength to strength. We run the following men’s and women’s
teams:
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Football
- Hockey
- Netball
- Rounders
- Rowing
- Rugby
- Squash
- Table Tennis
- Tennis
- Volleyball
Many of these teams compete in the Cambridgeshire leagues, the university inter-colleges leagues,
and national schools competitions. We also take part in British Colleges’ competitions, which gives
students the opportunity to compete at national level and be selected for British Colleges’ national squads. You can
see from the current honours list that the College has been successful at national level in badminton, hockey,
football, table tennis, tennis, and swimming. Many sportswomen and men from the College have represented
Cambridgeshire, and in recent years we have had national representatives in cricket, hockey, rowing, triathlon
and tennis. The department organises sporting tours (both home and abroad) and trips to major sporting events,
e.g. Wimbledon, and we host numerous touring sides including schools from Australia and South Africa. The netball
squad and sports leaders toured South Africa in February 2008, including a visit to our partner school in Ndamase.
Students may choose to follow the Sports Leadership award. Students have gained much from this course, particularly those
considering sport or teaching as a career. There is also the opportunity to gain various governing body coaching
and officiating awards. Whilst promoting sporting excellence, there are numerous opportunities to play just for fun,
such as fun five-a-side football, badminton and basketball tournaments. Social players and elite performers alike
have access to some of the best indoor and outdoor sports facilities in the region
Drama in the Robinson Theatre has always been one of the College’s strengths, where students can get involved both on
stage and behind the scenes. Through the Enrichment programme, performers, directors and technicians will be offered
many opportunities to develop their skills. Dedicated technical training is offered under the guidance of
our staff theatre technicians. A team of student technicians runs the theatre and its up-to-date, computerised sound
and lighting systems. Some students may involve themselves with the administration of the theatre, while
others, normally in Year 13, may be offered the chance to direct their own production. Last year saw a range of
productions, including:
- A staff-written and directed production The Parched Lament of Child Farrago (returning from the Edinburgh
Fringe Festival)
- A student-written and directed play Swimming with Goldfish (Estrella Theatre Company)
- A cross-college production of Fiddler on the Roof
- A staff-directed production of Charlotte Bronte’s tale of unlikely love, Jane Eyre
- A student-directed production of Dennis Potter’s witty and exhilarating Blue Remembered Hills
- A staff-directed production of Steven Berkoff’s expressionist masterpiece The Trial
Hills Road’s experienced dance teachers run a weekly jazz technique class and a performance group called Up and Running.
These offer a fun way of getting fit, staying fit and developing your creativity. The class will offer a regular session
in which to learn new skills and develop existing ones. Up and Running will provide keen students with a chance to
learn about choreography and with opportunities to perform on stage. In recent years we have performed at Cambridge Arts
Theatre, The Junction, The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, and have been back stage at Covent Garden. Music, dance and drama
staff and students often work closely together. Examples of work this year include:
- Collaborations – an arts event with exciting collaborations between dance, sculpture and music.
- Two evenings of performances of dance practical examination work.
- New dance pieces created alongside student textiles work
Hills Road Sixth Form College Sporting Honours 2008–2009
Badminton (men) British Colleges East, singles – runners-up
Badminton (women) British Colleges East, singles - champions
Badminton (mixed) British Colleges East – champions
Basketball (men) County Championships – league finalists (3rd place overall)
Basketball (women) British Colleges East – 3rd
Cross Country (men) British Colleges National Finals – one qualifier
Cross Country (women) British Colleges National Finals – two qualifiers
Football (men) British Colleges Elite National Knockout Cup – finalists, British Colleges Elite East
Knockout Cup - champions, British Colleges East and South East League - champions
Football (women) British Colleges East five-a-side – semi-finalists
Hockey (men) British Colleges East – 3rd
Hockey (women) British Colleges National Finals – champions, British Colleges East – champions
Netball County Cup – champions, British Colleges East - champions, British Colleges East League – runners-up
Rugby (men) British Colleges National Knockout Cup – semi-finalists, British Colleges East Knockout Cup – champions,
Daily Mail under-18s Colleges National Cup – 4th round, Cambridgeshire 10s – runners-up
Rugby (women) British Colleges East Knockout Cup – 2nd round
Squash (men) British Colleges East – runners-up
Swimming British Colleges National Finals - 3 swimmers selected
Table Tennis (men) British Colleges East, singles – 4th, British Colleges East, doubles – champions
Table Tennis (women) British Colleges East, singles – 2nd
Table Tennis (mixed) British Colleges National Finals, doubles – bronze medal, British Colleges East - champions
Tennis (men) British Colleges East, singles – champions, British Colleges East, doubles – champions, Senior Students
Winter League National Finals – 3rd, Cambridgeshire Schools Senior Students League - champions
Tennis (women) British Colleges East, doubles - champions, British Colleges East, singles – runner-up
Tennis (mixed) Cambridgeshire Schools Senior Students League - champions
Trampolining (women) British Colleges National Finals – qualifier
Volleyball (mixed) British Colleges East – runners-up
A large variety of musical activities are offered as part of the
Enrichment programme. These activities are open to all students regardless of subjects studied.
Some of the ensembles are auditioned and some are open to all:
- Symphony orchestra
- Chamber orchestra
- Wind orchestra
- College choir
- Chamber choir
- Jazz choir
- Jazz/funk band
- Folk/roots music
- Brass ensemble
- Music technology
- Radio shows
- DJ workshop
- Live electronic performance.
There are regular concerts, both formal and informal, held at West Road Concert Hall and in the
Recital Room at Hills Road, with plenty of opportunities for ensemble and solo performances.
There is an annual carol service which takes place at Great St Mary’s church. The chamber orchestra and
chamber choir tour every two years, and visited Tuscany, Italy in July 2008. Instrumental and vocal
tuition is offered at the College, with specialist teachers employed by the College. These lessons are
timetabled in free periods, lunchtimes or after college, so they do not clash with academic commitments.
Practice room facilities are good and are available to all students. We encourage students to create
their own ensembles and support musical enterprise amongst the student community!
Activities provided in the Art and Design centre always prove very popular and include
ceramics, life drawing, fashion, photography and an architecture project (ideal for
those contemplating architecture as a career).