Physical Education
A message from the Director of PE & Games
"As you browse this section, I hope that you will sense the sporting pride and achievement we feel here at Queen Elizabeth’s. We are a school blessed with outstanding sports facilities, enthusiastic pupils and a committed staff keen to promote and foster all that is to be applauded in school sport."
"As a 'Sportsmark Gold with Distinction' school, we are nationally recognised for our commitment to Physical Education and sports provision. QEGS offers a strong out of hours extra-curricular programme plus breadth and balance in its curriculum and has developed key partnerships with local community sports clubs. Our philosophy is for every pupil to have the range of opportunity needed to achieve an ‘active lifestyle’, thereby easing the transition from school sport to sport in the community. The drive towards achieving and encouraging excellence through the code of fair play continues to remain at the forefront of our sporting policy."
Dr Mark Butler
Director of PE & Games
The Physical Education department comprises five teachers, four full-time and one part-time, supported by four ancillary staff. In addition, over 30 teaching colleagues assist on a regular basis with games, extra-curricular activities and sporting fixtures.
The department’s approach caters for pupils of all differing physical abilities. Whilst it is driven by the philosophy of ‘Sport for All’, excellence is pursued wherever possible. Every student is exposed to a wide variety of physical and sporting disciplines: opportunities to participate in school and house sport are available in abundance. Those displaying potential are encouraged to develop; those with talent and ability are pushed on.
QEGS offers a traditional games afternoon for both boys and girls each six-day working cycle. Games are compulsory for all students in Years 7–10. Most students undertake a different sporting activity every five cycles, while members of school football, rugby, netball, athletics and cricket teams are withdrawn from the schedule to receive additional specialist coaching. Games are compulsory in Years 11-12 and optional for Year 13. A wider range of sporting activities is available with facilities and expertise hired as appropriate. Additional activities currently on offer include aerobics, climbing, squash, sailing, ice-skating, skiing and snowboarding.
Pupils can opt for the academic study of Physical Education at both GCSE and A level in addition to their regular weekly PE lessons (AQA Examination Board). The study of the subject is interesting, stimulating and rewarding at a time when Olympic Games preparations are being made for London in 2012.
On-site facilities include a large gymnasium with a climbing wall, a fully equipped fitness studio, and a six lane 25-metre swimming pool, one of the principal training venues in the north-west and used by several local swimming clubs. The pool is equipped with an Olympic standard Omega timing system. In addition, some PE lessons incorporate the use of the local park and the cricket ground at the East Lancashire Club, both adjacent to the main school building.
The school’s Harrison Playing Fields, a mile away at Lammack, have 
extensive indoor and outdoor facilities. There are two rugby and four soccer pitches, three cricket squares and courts (opened in 2005) for netball and tennis, plus a sports hall large enough for six badminton courts and two cricket lanes.
The school has links with Manchester United FC, which uses the Lammack facilities as a satellite centre. The school's 1st XI pitch is acknowledged as being one of the finest within the county and the pitches are also used from time to time by Blackburn Rovers Ladies football team and by Lammack Juniors football club, with whom the school enjoys an excellent ongoing partnership.
QEGS competes against other schools in more than twelve sports and enjoys a national reputation in football, cricket, swimming, table tennis and most recently golf. QEGS regularly provides players who represent the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA) at under-16 and under-19 level. The school has historical and daily links with Blackburn Rovers FC (old boys of the grammar school helped form the club in 1875) and Lancashire County Cricket Club: both acknowledge QEGS as a centre of excellence.
Sport England, the country’s leading sports development agency, recognised the school’s commitment to Physical Education and sport by 
awarding QEGS Sportsmark Gold status in 1999. In 2002, the school became one of only 15 nationally to receive 'Sportsmark Gold with Distinction', an award which was renewed in 2005.
The school, winners of the Independent Schools FA Cup for the third time in 2004 (QEGS is the only school to have ever won this prestigious trophy twice, let alone three times) has an enviable record of partnership links with local sporting clubs. It maintains a strong relationship with Blackburn Rovers Academy and Frank Fielding and Josh O'Keefe have become senior players at Ewood Park. Frank is currently on loan at Rochdale, after previous loan spells with Wycombe Wanderers and Northampton Town). James Beattie, formerly with Blackburn, became a full England international while playing for Southampton and now plays for Stoke City. Chris Porter has played for Bury and Oldham Athletic and was the leading goalscorer for Motherwell in the Scottish Premier League before moving in January 2009 to Derby County.
Professional golfer and former World Junior Champion Nick Dougherty has tasted success on the European Tour and won the Alfred Dunhill tournament in 2007, while athlete Matt Wood achieved England under-18 honours while still in the Sixth Form at QEGS. Michael Brown, now at Surrey County Cricket Club has regularly opened the batting for Hampshire CCC and his brother David Brown is becoming a regular in the Gloucestershire county cricket team.
