Woodlands School’s sporting talents continue to lead the way in Essex after storming to a host of county competition triumphs.

Based in Takeley End, Basildon, Woodlands pupils are competing at the top of their game across a range of sports including rugby union, football, netball and basketball.

Six of the school’s boys and girls teams reached Essex Cup finals in four different sports, the first school to achieve such a feat, with two further teams falling just short at the semi-final stage.

The Year 10 Boys were crowned champions after winning the Essex County rugby final, defeating Upminster’s Coopers’ Company and Coburn School in the final.

The Year 7 Girls defeated Southend High School for Girls in the netball final and the Year 7 Girls saw off Shenfield in the basketball final

The Year 7 Boys are still to compete in the Essex Cup football final as are the Year 9 Boys and Year 9 Girls in the basketball final.

The Year 10 Boys and Year 8 Girls were agonisingly beaten in the semi-finals of the Essex County basketball competition.

And Head of Elite Sport Jon Bonnett said to achieve such wide-spreading success across more than one sport is a superb achievement.

“Schools are often good at one sport so to do what the pupils have done is brilliant,” he said. “The rugby, netball and basketball teams have all been successful already but there is scope for so much more.

“Although all the teams have done well I am pleased at the progress the football team has made as it must be about 10 years since we reached a county final in it.

“Billy Manners, Head of Football, has been working hard with the teams as has everyone involved.

“It’s partly a result of the Elite Player Development programme. a specifically designed programme to nurture the school’s aspiring athletes in a range of different disciplines. as the guys in programme are in teams in finals.

“Their hard work is being rewarded. We have a partnership with West Ham ladies and an athletics programme run by Leigh Cann, a Basildon Athletics Club and Essex coach.”

And Bonnett says he has aspirations for the school to continue hitting new highs.

“It has been full on but we are growing every year,” he concluded. “Reaching all these finals proves you are doing the right thing. Not many schools can say they have such broad success and we are well placed to keep delivering. The upcoming Year 6 pupils are looking very good too.”