The Cricketer Schools Guide 2024 has included Notting Hill & Ealing High School as one of the Top 20 UK Girls’ Schools for cricket. 

The annual guide lists the top 100 senior schools, top 50 prep and junior schools and top 20 all-girls schools that have the best cricket provision and this is the second year we’ve been included in the exclusive list. 

“We received a huge number of entries this year and it was heartening to read how schools are ensuring that cricket remains central in their summer curriculum,” says Huw Turbervill, editor of The Cricketer. 

Entries were judged against an extensive set of criteria, including a compelling commitment to cricket in the curriculum, facilities, fixtures and coaching. 

Cricket at NHEHS has been going from strength to strength in recent years. NHEHS played 26 fixtures in 2022/23 and we have U12, U13, U14 and U15 hard ball cricket teams and U10, U11, U12, U13, U14 and U15 soft ball cricket teams. Approximately 70 girls attend a weekly after-school session in the winter and spring terms, and we run five after-school sessions and four lunchtime sessions in the summer terms. 

Nine of our pupils currently play for Middlesex squads and alumnae Jenny Dawson, who left school in 2022, is now playing for U20 Middlesex Ladies squad. 

U11: Anna O, Sienna P, Swara D, Mehr A

U13: Lana G, Nishka P, Suhana C

U15: Lilly B

U18: Sofia Y

Last year, to help pupils progress from soft ball to hard ball, we introduced intermediary aeroball sessions to build confidence with Year 8 and 9 pupils. In the winter term we also do a weekly windball after-school session with the Senior School on a Friday and two weekly after-school Junior School sessions.

Andy Bennett, Head of Sport, said: “Since cricket was re-started at NHEHS in 2017, participation has grown from a handful of girls to approximately 70 pupils. We are seeing an ever-increasing demand to provide cricket and our aim is to increase participation across the school at every level. We are fortunate to have partnerships with quality local cricket coaches and clubs with world-class facilities that enable us to run an extensive year-round coaching programme. We also support the initiatives run by Middlesex Cricket and the England Cricket Board and participate in all local competitions. Our girls love cricket and we want to support each individual to take it as far as they can – with us and beyond.”  

Wimbledon High School and Putney High School, both of which are also GDST schools, have also been included in the 2024 list, along with Godolphin & Latymer School.