The heart of the Super6s school competition lies in its potential for the Cinderella story, perfectly exemplified this year by The Island Free School from the Isle of Wight, despite the continued dominance of the powerhouse schools, writes Calum Crichton.
In a stunning display, they overcame established independent schools to win the Hampshire competition and even took points off giants from Oxford in the regional round.
The ability of smaller schools to compete against established powerhouses for a spot at the prestigious National Finals is what makes this tournament so compelling, echoing the incredible nearly-pulled-off upset by King’s School, Winchester at last year’s finals.
The Super 6s School Tournament Team was created by the Super 6s community to celebrate and acknowledge its elite talent following the 2025 review.
England Hockey Schools Super 6s U16 Boys National Finals Review
The England Hockey Schools Super 6s U16 Boys National Finals concluded with high-intensity matches, crowning a new champion after a day of competitive indoor hockey.
Final Standings
| Team | Final Standing |
| Whitgift | 1st |
| St George’s College | 2nd |
| Ipswich School | Joint 3rd |
| Dean Close School | Joint 3rd |
| Repton School | 5th |
| King Edward VI Southampton | 6th |
| Yarm School | 7th |
| Cheadle Hulme School | 8th |
Semi-final 1: St George’s College v Ipswich School
St George’s College, having successfully navigated a challenging group stage, faced Group Winners Ipswich School. St George’s started strong, securing an early goal in the 2nd minute, and doubled their lead just before the half-time whistle. Ipswich School demonstrated resilience, finding a breakthrough past the St George’s goalkeeper in the 17th minute. However, they were unable to find an equaliser, leaving St George’s College to progress to the final.
Semi-final 2: Whitgift v Dean Close School
The second semi-final pitted hosts, favourites, and four-time reigning champions Whitgift against a determined Dean Close team. Dean Close had only conceded two goals prior to the semi-final, signalling a tough defensive challenge for Whitgift. Dean Close capitalized on a strong counter-attack, taking an early lead in the 1st minute. Whitgift quickly responded in the 3rd minute leveling the score, which remained unchanged at half-time. Whitgift found the net again in the 13th minute to take the lead, and a third goal in the 17th minute sealed the victory, securing their place in the final.
Final: Whitgift v St George’s College
The final was a highly anticipated rematch between St George’s College and Whitgift, who had battled in the pool stage where Whitgift came back from two goals down to level the score in the 18th minute.
Whitgift started the final with great momentum, scoring in the 5th and 6th minutes to establish a two-goal lead which they held until half-time. St George’s College managed to break through the Whitgift defence, narrowing the deficit. This left an exciting final two minutes with the game hanging in the balance. As St George’s pressed for the equaliser, they left space open, which Whitgift used to score a third goal in the 20th minute, putting the game beyond reach.
Whitgift successfully defended their title, completing their fifth consecutive U16 National Championship victory.
Top Goal Scorers
| Player | Team | Field Goals (FG) | Penalty Corners (PC) | Penalty Strokes (PS) | Total Goals |
| ENGLAND Mattias | Whitgift | 3 | 6 | 4 | 13 |
| VINCENT Will | KE Southampton | 3 | 4 | 0 | 7 |
England Hockey Schools Super 6s Finals: U18 Boys’ Championship
The England Hockey Schools Super 6s Finals culminated in a day of intense competition, with the U18 Boys’ Championship decided in a closely fought final. The event saw eight top school teams battle it out for the national title.
Final Standings
| Team | Standing |
| Repton School | 1 |
| Whitgift | 2 |
| Scarborough College | 3 |
| St George’s College | 3 |
| Taunton School | 5 |
| Manchester Grammar | 6 |
| Haileybury | 7 |
| King Edward VI Southampton | 7 |
Top Goal Scorers
| Player | Team | FG | PC | PS | Goals |
| BOND Sam | Haileybury | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| HEINEMANN Max | Repton | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Semi-final 1: Whitgift v St George’s College
The first semi-final saw Whitgift face St George’s College, a pairing familiar in national semi-finals. Despite an uncharacteristic pool-stage slip-up, Whitgift had regrouped with renewed focus. St George’s, fielding a talented squad, ensured the semi-final was a hard-fought contest.
Whitgift secured an early lead, finding the net twice before half-time to take a 2-0 advantage into the half-time break. St George’s pushed to close the gap in the second half, but Whitgift’s defence held firm, allowing them to progress to yet another final.
Semi-final 2: Repton v Scarborough College
The second semi-final between Repton and Scarborough College proved to be a tense affair. Repton broke the deadlock in the 7th minute and successfully defended their lead until the closing moments of the first half.
Scarborough College increased the pressure in the second half, forcing Repton to rely on counterattacks and deep defence around the circle. With time ticking, Scarborough finally found a way past the Repton defence, levelling the game on the stroke of full-time. The match proceeded to a thrilling shootout, much to the excitement of the crowd. Repton scored their first two attempts while Scarborough missed theirs, sending Repton to the final.
Final: Repton vs. Whitgift
The final was a rematch of a Pool A encounter between Repton and hosts Whitgift. Anticipation was high for a closely contested game, and neither team disappointed, with both sides unwilling to concede. The intensity of the match led to several heated exchanges on the pitch.
The score remained deadlocked, 0-0 at half-time. With only ten minutes left in the match, Whitgift broke the deadlock, taking a 1-0 lead with five minutes to go. Whitgift appeared to be controlling the match, offering Repton few opportunities to strike. However, Repton capitalised on a break against the run of play, finding the equaliser in the 19th minute.
The game looked destined for a shootout until a moment of individual brilliance from the Repton captain. Executing an unbelievable solo effort, the captain scored in the final seconds of the match. This spectacular goal secured the win for Repton School, crowning them the National U18 Champions after a truly special piece of play from their leader.
England Hockey Schools Super 6s U16 Girls Finals
Final Placings
| Team | Standing |
| Repton School | 1st |
| Clifton College | 2nd |
| Haileybury | 3rd |
| Sevenoaks School | 3rd |
| Sir William Borlase | 5th |
| The Tiffin Girls’ School | 6th |
| Newcastle Royal Grammar School | 7th |
| Cheadle Hulme School | 8th |
Tournament Top Goalscorers
The tournament saw exceptional performances in front of the goal, with the leading scorers being:
| Player | Team | Goals |
| Caitlin White | Clifton College (CLI) | 11 |
| Elinor Wagner | Repton School (REP) | 10 |
Semi-final 1: Haileybury v Clifton College
The opening semi-final saw Haileybury take on Clifton College. Clifton started strong, with tournament top scorer Caitlin White netting two quick field goals to give her team a 2-0 lead at half-time. Haileybury responded with a goal with just five minutes remaining, setting the stage for a tense finish. Clifton College’s defense held firm, securing the 2-1 victory and their place in the final.
Semi-final 2: Repton School v Sevenoaks School
In the second semi-final, hosts Repton School faced a formidable Sevenoaks side. The match was tightly contested, remaining level at the half-time break after both teams created multiple scoring opportunities. Repton broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, with a goal from Elinor Wagner, the tournament’s second-highest scorer. This solitary goal proved sufficient, as Repton edged the contest to advance to the final.
U16 Girls Final: Repton School v Clifton College
Finals in Super 6s are traditionally closely fought, low-scoring affairs, often decided by a single goal. However, this match provided exceptional drama and plenty of goal action.
Clifton College set the tone early, taking the lead in the 2nd minute. Repton quickly rallied, scoring two goals before the half-time whistle to take a 2-1 lead into the half-time break. Repton extended their lead just after the restart, making the score 3-1.
The game then saw a remarkable comeback effort from Clifton College. With just two minutes remaining, tournament leading scorer Caitlin White scored two rapid goals to level the match at 3-3, setting up for a nail-biting conclusion.
In the final minute, Repton’s Elinor Wagner scored the dramatic winner, completing her hat-trick and securing the U16 Girls title for Repton School in a memorable final.
England Hockey Schools Super 6s Finals: U18 Girls Tournament Review
The England Hockey Schools Super 6s Finals for the U18 Girls division took place, showcasing high-level indoor hockey and intense competition. The tournament culminated in a thrilling final, with Repton School claiming the title.
Final Standings
The top eight teams battled it out, resulting in the following final placings:
| Team | Standing |
| Repton School | 1 |
| Haileybury | 2 |
| Clifton College | 3 |
| Epsom College | 3 |
| Wellington College | 5 |
| Manchester High School For Girls | 6 |
| Alleyns School | 7 |
| Yarm School | 8 |
Top Goal Scorers
The competition saw some impressive individual performances, with the leading goal scorers demonstrating clinical finishing:
| Player | Team | Goals (Field/PC/PS) | Total Goals |
| BECKER Laura | Haileybury | 5 / 2 / 0 | 7 |
| WONG Martha | Repton School | 0 / 6 / 0 | 6 |
Semi-final 1: Repton School v Epsom College
The first semi-final saw host school Repton take on Epsom College. Epsom took an early lead, but Repton quickly equalised. With the score locked at 1-1, Repton pulled ahead, scoring their second, third, and fourth goals in quick succession. Epsom managed to score a second goal, but time ran out, resulting in a 4-2 victory for Repton, who advanced to the final.
Semi-final 2: Haileybury v Clifton College
The second semi-final featured Haileybury and Clifton College. Haileybury established an early lead, which they held until half-time. Clifton found an equaliser through a penalty corner (PC). Haileybury responded swiftly with a PC goal of their own to regain the advantage. Haileybury extended their lead in the final minutes to make it 3-1, and then sealed the match at 4-1, despite Clifton’s efforts to force a shoot-out leaving Haileybury progressing to the final.
Final: Repton School v Haileybury
The final was a highly anticipated rematch of the first game of the day, which had ended in a 1-1 draw. The stage was set for an excellent tactical battle between two experienced coaches: Rob Schilling (Haileybury) and Michael Hoare (Repton School), both with National League indoor experience.
Repton started strong, capitalizing on their chances by scoring in the 4th, 6th, and 8th minutes to take a dominant 3-0 lead into half-time. Haileybury managed to get on the score sheet in the 17th minute. However, Repton went on to score once more, securing a convincing 4-1 win and claiming the U18 Girls Schools Super 6s title.
The 2025 Super6s School Tournament Team
This annual team provides well-deserved public recognition to the players whose exceptional performances lit up the tournament.
We received fantastic nominations from schools across the country and are incredibly proud to present the inaugural Super 6s School Tournament Team. Congratulations to every player listed below for their outstanding dedication, teamwork, and phenomenal indoor hockey play! This is a major achievement and a tangible reward for being one of the best in the nation.
The selected Super 6s School Tournament Teams for their respective age groups are as follows:
U16 Boys
| School name | U16 Boys |
| Yarm School | Monty Proctor |
| St George’s | Sam Greayer Smith, Carter Sobey |
| Whitgift School | Mattias England, Noah Speck |
| KES, Southampton | Oscar Cowburn |
| Ipswich School | Richard Byford, Charlie Buchanan |
| Repton | Alex Bond |
| Dean Close | Ed Willshire, Tim Smyth |
| Cheadle Hulme School | Jack Ballinger |
U18 Boys
| School name | U18 Boys |
| St George’s | Sam Wood, Adam Franks |
| Scarborough College | Monty Burlinson, Emil Britze |
| Whitgift School | Freddie Pettifer, Harry Bostelmann |
| KES, Southampton | Edward Bulstrode |
| Taunton School | Ben Barnett |
| Repton | Hugh Ormond, Max Heinemann |
| Manchester Grammar | Jack Mcauliffe |
| Haileybury | Sam Bond |
U16 Girls
| School name | U16 Girls |
| Sir William Borlase | Rachel Townley |
| Clifton College | India Kanavanam-Lovell, Caitlin White |
| The Tiffin Girls’ School | Lexi Higginson (GK) |
| RGS Newcastle | Isabella Quigley |
| Cheadle Hulme School | Kitty Savill |
| Repton | Anna Webster , Elinor Wagner |
| Sevenoaks School | Elisa Hippe, Imogen Smith |
| Haileybury | Scarlett Blakeney-Edwards, Florence Pidduck |
U18 Girls
| School name | U18 Girls |
| Wellington College | Charlotte Malone |
| Yarm School | Mara Morrison |
| Epsom College | Amelie Carter, Laoise Nelson |
| Manchester High School for Girls | Georgia Carroll |
| Haileybury | Lettie Hughes, Laura Becker |
| Clifton College | Carys Davies, Finia Schulz |
| Repton | Martha Wong, Anna Metcalf |
| Alleyns School | Isy Key |
