Cokethorpe School has been awarded Grounds Team of the Year 2026 by the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA), recognising the exceptional quality and management of its football pitches.
The accolade is particularly notable given the scale of the operation. A grounds team of just three staff, led by Head Groundsman Simon Hole, is responsible for maintaining the school’s 150-acre site. This includes nine rugby pitches that are converted into football pitches during the spring term.
Despite limited resources, the team consistently produces high-quality playing surfaces, ensuring pitches remain safe, visually impressive and match-ready throughout the season.
Their work supports a busy football programme for both boys and girls, as well as regular use by approximately 36 community teams across Oxfordshire.
Simon Hole said: “We are incredibly proud to be recognised with this award. Managing and maintaining these grounds is a huge amount of work, but we take extra care in everything we do. It’s the tiny details that make all the difference and ensure that every pitch looks and performs at its best.”
The school’s demanding sporting calendar requires constant adaptability, with pitches transitioning between rugby and hockey in the autumn term, football in the spring, and cricket and athletics in the summer. Maintaining consistent pitch quality throughout near year-round use is a significant achievement.
Dale Baker, Head of Football, added: “This is a fantastic, well deserved achievement for our grounds team. Their incredible commitment and the quality of the pitches they maintain ensure that it is not only our pupils that can train and compete at the highest possible standard but also the wider community”
A proactive approach to maintenance underpins the team’s success. Regular aeration supports drainage and prevents compaction, while high-quality grass seed and structured fertilisation programmes help maintain durable playing surfaces.
The team also works flexibly around fixtures and changing weather conditions. Prolonged dry summers have led to grass loss on some pitches, requiring extensive reseeding during school holidays. Without full irrigation systems, the team relies on experience and careful planning to restore surfaces.
“Everything we do is governed by the weather,” Simon added. “You have to be flexible and make the most of every opportunity, especially when you’re working around a busy school schedule.”
The award highlights both the quality of Cokethorpe’s sports facilities and the dedication of the team behind them.
