It will come as no surprise that we have experienced around 40 consecutive days of rain across the UK since the start of 2026, which has unfortunately impacted our ability to fulfil all of our planned sports fixtures. Despite this, where conditions have allowed, our students have still enjoyed a busy and successful programme of competitions and sporting opportunities.

In netball, our teams have performed brilliantly: the U12 A team came first in the Haringey Netball League Finals, while our U14 B team secured an impressive second place! Our U14A team will soon be on their way to Loughborough to compete in the quarter-finals of the Sister n Sport Bowl.

In football, our U13A team progressed to the Middlesex County Cup semi-final. Meanwhile our U13B are through to the next round of the ESFA quarter-finals. Our U15 team have progressed to the Haringey League semi-finals after some tough competition.

In lessons, our Key Stage 3 students have been engaging enthusiastically in trampolining, gymnastics and dance and it has been wonderful to see their confidence grow and their enjoyment of participation.

We were also delighted to collaborate with the Careers Department for Careers in Sport Week. Students in Years 7, 8, 9 and 12 had the opportunity to hear from members of our Channing community about their varied careers within the sports industry. These talks provided valuable insight into the diverse pathways available in sport and helped students to better understand the wide range of opportunities beyond school.

Finally, preparations are underway for our Junior and Senior School Cheer, Dance and Gymnastics Showcase, which will take place in the summer term. We are very excited to continue rehearsals after half-term and look forward to celebrating our students’ talents on stage.

We are looking forward to brighter days and more sporting action after the half term!

U12 Girls Haringey Football League Report

Our U12 girls team have now completed their Haringey League campaign, finishing with a competitive match against Fortismere School in their final fixture.

Although the result did not go in our favour, the girls can be extremely proud of their efforts throughout the competition. Notably, the team competed against opposition who were predominantly a year older, which presented an additional challenge in terms of physicality and experience.

Despite this, the girls consistently demonstrated outstanding resilience, determination, and a positive attitude in every match.
In the final game against Fortismere, the team worked tirelessly for one another, showing excellent teamwork and togetherness. Their communication, support for each other, and willingness to keep fighting until the final whistle reflected the strong team spirit that has developed over the course of the league.

This experience of competing against older teams will undoubtedly benefit the girls in future competitions. The resilience and unity they have built this season provide a strong foundation for continued growth and success moving forward.

Well done to all the players for their commitment and effort throughout the Haringey League campaign.

Careers in Sports Week

In collaboration with the PE Department, we celebrated Careers in Sport Week.
We were delighted to welcome back Daniel Geey, who spoke to our Year 12 students about careers in sports law. Miss Corbin, a member of our PE Department and an international netball player and coach, also shared her inspiring journey.

Additionally Ava Peers, a Channing alumna, returned to speak with our Year 9 and GCSE PE students about studying Sport, Health and Exercise Science at university.

The sessions were incredibly valuable for our students. Thank you to all our speakers, we greatly appreciate your time and support.
The Sixth Form welcomed Daniel Geey, a sports lawyer, offering the opportunity to hear about his unconventional route through law to following his long-standing interest in the world of football. Mixing practical and mindset-related advice, he explained how he managed to combine his day job in a law firm with his side-hustle of blogging about the rules and workings of the football industry.

Daniel Geey – Sheridan’s Sports Partner and Football & Career Author

Although Mr Geey repeatedly encountered challenges in his journey to his current position, he explained the value of perseverance and preparation, and shared a favourite quote of his: Seneca’s ‘luck is where preparation meets opportunity’. He talked about the fact that regretting past choices is almost always unproductive, and that setbacks are just opportunities in disguise that can be manipulated and used to grow from. This motivational message clearly resonated around the room. Year 12 extends its gratitude to Mr Geey, as well as to the Careers and Sports departments, for such a compelling talk.

Written By Siana C, Year 12

Kadeen Corbin – International Netball Player and Coach
As part of sports career week, Miss Corbin, one of our PE teachers, spoke to all of Year 7. She talked to us about her amazing sporting career, and some of the struggles she encountered.

She started out in gymnastics when she was three years old and represented London at the age of 10. At 12 she switched to what would become a glittering netball career, including 72 caps for England and winning a gold medal in the Commonwealth Games! That was one of the happiest moments of her life. Another highlight was being part of the England team who beat Australia for the first time in 74 years!

As a gymnast who has represented London in the Nationals, just as she did, her speech captivated me. I wanted to know more and more! As a young athlete striving to go forward, there were so many things I could relate to and so many things I wanted to learn from.
Miss Corbin inspired me to have a mindset of never giving up no matter how many setbacks there are. Competing sports at a high level has many risks and challenges. Injury is a big, and common one. Miss Corbin, like me, has faced many injuries that have set her back, but she never gave up.

She also experienced racism and online bullying as an athlete of colour, and this had a big emotional impact on her. However, she did not sit back and hope the problem would go away, she sought help and took action. This included sports psychotherapy.

I feel that we are very fortunate to have Miss Corbin as one of the teachers at Channing and I hope we all take the same mindset and put it into practice in our academic and sporting lives. Gotta be 10% braver!

Written by Kiana M, Year 7

On Tuesday, my class and I were very lucky to have the opportunity to have a talk with Miss Corbin about her life as a female athlete. Miss Corbin had played for England women’s netball first team 72 times and won many things. It was such an inspiring experience that taught me a lot about being a female in sports, and balancing school work and sports. She said how she went to Bath University and graduated and still played at the highest possible level of netball. It really showed me how much I could achieve with the most amount of commitment.

She shared how she had had setbacks in her career and it was reassuring to know that even professional athletes go through that. Whether it’s a bad training session or an injury, she explained that you still have to work really hard to get to the highest level in your sport. She also mentioned how she trialed for the England U16s but didn’t make it into the team that year, however, she worked on the feedback they gave her and came back next year to get in and that was the start of her England journey, all the way from their youth teams to the first team.

I can relate to getting rejected but then working hard to trial again. I trialled at Arsenal Academy and got through the first few rounds, but in the final round I didn’t get in. So I worked really hard and got into the Tottenham Hotspur Women’s ETC and made my way up to the U14s Academy where I currently have a 2 year contract. Her story also inspired me because my dream is to represent my country in football, for the youth team all the way up to the first team, and seeing Miss Corbin do this I felt very inspired that with the same amount of hard work and determination I could achieve my goals.

Written by Poppy L, Year 7

Ava Peers – Channing Alumna Studying BSc Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at University

We were delighted to welcome Ava back to speak to our Year 9 students and GCSE PE students about her first year at university and how she is finding the experience so far.
It was incredibly interesting to hear about her transition from Sixth Form to university, and how she is balancing the demands of academic study with the independence that comes with university life. Ava spoke honestly about the challenges and opportunities she has encountered, giving students a real insight into what the next stage of education can look like.

She highlighted the importance of choosing GCSE and A Level subjects that you genuinely enjoy, explaining how these choices can support your future goals and open doors to university pathways. Ava also encouraged students to be open to new experiences, particularly by joining sports clubs and societies to make the most of university life. She shared how joining the university football club has helped her settle in, meet new people, and maintain a healthy balance alongside her studies.

Ava also spoke about the different pathways available through a Sport Science degree, helping students understand the range of careers and opportunities linked to this field.
Our students were inspired and fully engaged throughout the session. We are extremely grateful to Ava for taking the time to come in and share her journey so far, and we wish her every success as she continues her university journey.