Athletics

Turnbull School’s physical education and athletics programs strive to develop our students’ physical literacy, lifelong commitment to and an intrinsic motivation for regular physical activity, and healthy lifestyle.

These goals are achieved through:

• daily physical education classes for every grade, from Grade 1 to Grade 8 (daily physical activity classes for Kindergarten)
• intramural sports that promote participation and inclusion for all students
• leadership opportunities for our senior students in helping to organize and deliver the intramural program
• extramural tournaments with other schools, beginning at Grade 3
• opportunities to be involved in more advanced play with other schools as a member of a Turnbull Tornadoes school team, such as soccer, running, volleyball, hockey, basketball and badminton
• offering a variety of sports and physical activities at both the individual and team level to promote enjoyment of regular exercise, skill mastery and fitness
• emphasis on the enjoyment that can be derived from physical activity, no matter one’s skill level
• developing in our students a healthy understanding of sports competition, both team and individual, and its value in developing cooperative skills, leadership and self-confidence while promoting good sportsmanship
• teaching a health component in Social Skills and senior BRIDGES/TLC classes that promotes healthy eating, the benefits of regular exercise and positive life style choices
• continuing to provide our leadership in the Ottawa Independent Schools Athletic Association (OISAA), which we founded in 1992, to offer competitions with other local private schools

Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada) bestows certain levels of excellence on schools across Canada. Turnbull School has been recognized by this association and given their highest national level of achievement, the Quality Physical Education Award, every school year since 2003-2004. The standards are established by this association and recommended by the Canadian Medical Association. This honour of QDPE recognition is based on having the highest quality of program and must include:

• daily physical education classes for students (daily physical activity classes for Kindergarten students)
• teaching by specialized physical education teachers
• a wide range of activities and sports
• an extensive extramural program and
• a diversified intramural program that encourages participation for all students

Turnbull School is the only Ottawa private school to have achieved both PHE’s Quality Physical Education Award and CIRA’s Outstanding Intramural Achievement Award (see Sports).