Active Team Play

Overview

This 60-minute Physical Education session is designed for 20 KS2 students (ages 9-11) focusing on fun tag games, invasion games, and sport games. The lesson aims to develop physical skills including agility, spatial awareness, teamwork, and strategic thinking through dynamic and inclusive activities. This plan aligns with the UK National Curriculum for PE, which emphasises developing competence, confidence, and creativity in invasion games and physical activity.

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Curriculum Links

• National Curriculum for Physical Education (2014)

  • Pupils should be taught to:
    • Use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and combination.
    • Play competitive games, modified where appropriate, and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending (invasion games).
    • Enable pupils to develop agility, balance and coordination to support skillful movement in games.

• Ofsted Framework (2019)

  • PE should promote physical development alongside mental and social skills through enjoyable team activities.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate improved speed and agility through tag games.
• Understand and apply attacking and defending principles in invasion games.
• Collaborate effectively in teams to develop game tactics.
• Show increased confidence and perseverance in sport-related challenges.

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Resources

• Cones (20)
• Bibs (4 different colours, 5 each)
• Lightweight foam balls (4)
• Stopwatch or timer
• Whistle

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-up (10 minutes)

Dynamic Movement Circuit

• Aim: Prepare the body for activity, increase heart rate, improve coordination.
• Activity: Stations run for 1 minute each, repeated twice.
  • High knees
  • Side shuffles
  • Jogging with quick changes of direction
  • Jumping jacks
  • Arm circles and stretches
• Teacher Role: Model each exercise, encourage effort, and emphasise safe movement.

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2. Fun Tag Games (15 minutes)

Game: “Octopus Tag”

• Setup:
  • Designate an area (20m x 20m).
  • 3 'Octopus' taggers, the rest as ‘fish’.
• Rules:
  • Octopuses try to tag fish by touching them lightly.
  • When tagged, fish become 'seaweed' and stand with arms out.
  • Seaweed can be freed if another fish crawls under their arms.
• Skills Focus: Agility, spatial awareness, team support.

Progression: Add a ‘safe zone’ where fish can rest for 10 seconds, encouraging strategic use of space.

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3. Invasion Game Practice (20 minutes)

Game: “Mini Handball” (Modified for KS2)

• Setup:

  • Two teams of 10, each wearing different coloured bibs.
  • Define a small court approximately 25m x 15m with cones.
  • Use lightweight foam balls.

• Rules:

  • Players pass the ball using hands and aim to score by throwing into the opposition’s goal area.
  • Players must dribble or pass within 3 seconds of receiving the ball.
  • Defending team attempts to intercept or block passes.

• Coach Points:

  • Emphasise teamwork, supporting the player with the ball.
  • Encourage use of space and communication.
  • Highlight the basics of attacking (movement to receive ball) and defending (marking and intercepting).

• Skill Development: Passing accuracy, spatial awareness, attacking and defending tactics.

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4. Sport Game Challenge (10 minutes)

Game: “Choose Your Champion” Relay

• Setup:

  • Divide the class into 4 teams (5 per team).
  • Cones set at 10m and 20m marks for the relay.

• Rules:

  • Each team member completes a leg of the relay with different challenges:
    • Sprint with ball control (dribble with hands or feet depending on the preferred game)
    • Side-step agility run around cones
    • Pass to the next team member before they start running
  • First team to complete the relay wins.

• Purpose: Reinforce cardiovascular fitness, ball handling, teamwork in a competitive fun environment.

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5. Cool Down and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Cool Down:

  • Slow jog followed by static stretches (hamstrings, calves, arms).
  • Deep breathing exercises to promote recovery.

• Reflection Discussion:

  • Ask students what they enjoyed most and what was challenging.
  • Prompt discussion on teamwork and how attacking and defending affect games.

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Differentiation

• Support:

  • Provide visual cues and prompts for rules and positioning.
  • Use smaller playing areas for students needing spatial support.

• Challenge:

  • Encourage advanced players to take on leadership roles within teams.
  • Introduce additional rules or points for tactical play.

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Assessment

• Ongoing formative assessment via teacher observation focused on:
  • Effort and engagement.
  • Ability to apply key invasion game principles (e.g., staying open, marking).
  • Communication and teamwork skills.
• Feedback at end of session to encourage self-assessment and peer encouragement.

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Teacher Tips

• Use positive reinforcement and celebrate all successes to build confidence.
• Rotate taggers in tag games to ensure all students are actively involved.
• Keep instructions concise and demonstrations clear, especially with auditory learners.
• Consider pairing students for peer coaching during invasion games to deepen understanding.

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This session empowers pupils to develop physical and social skills in line with UK PE standards while having high-energy and engaging experiences through well-structured games.