Showtime and Reflection

Overview

Age Group: Reception (4-5 years)
Duration: 30 minutes
Class Size: 25 students
Unit: Gymnastics Fun Foundations – Lesson 7 of 7
Theme: Performance and Reflection
Curriculum Links:

• Physical Development – Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework:
  • Moving and handling: children show good control and coordination in large and small movements.
  • Health and self-care: understanding the importance of physical activity.
• PE Programme of Study (Key Stage 1, National Curriculum 2014):
  • Pupils develop fundamental movement skills and can perform simple dance and gymnastic routines.
  • Pupils learn to describe how their bodies feel during exercise and recognise the importance of activity.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of the session, pupils will be able to:

• Confidently perform a self-created mini gymnastics routine in front of peers.
• Express thoughts about their performance and learning journey using simple sentence structures.
• Identify one thing they enjoyed and one challenge faced during the gymnastics unit.
• Demonstrate positive listening and respectful audience behaviour during peer performances.

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Resources Needed

• Soft gymnastics mats allocated for performance zones
• Visual prompts with performance steps and reflection questions (simple images and keywords)
• A “Reflection Talking Ball” or a soft toy to pass around during discussion
• Timer or stopwatch (discreetly used to manage performance time)
• Stickers or ‘Well done!’ stamps for positive reinforcement

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Lesson Structure

1. Warm-Up and Welcome (5 minutes)

• Gather children in a circle on the mat.
• Quick physical warm-up (e.g., ‘Simon Says’ with stretches, wiggles, and jumping).
• Briefly recap the gymnastics skills developed over the unit using simple, engaging language:
  • “Remember how we jumped, balanced, rolled and stretched?”
  • Use a quick show of hands or thumbs up/down to check confidence with each skill.

2. Mini Routine Performances (15 minutes)

• Explain the performance part:
  • “Today, we get to show our friends what we can do! You’ll have a little turn to perform your routine.”
• Divide the class into groups of 5, each group performs in rotation.
• Each child performs their mini-routine (approx. 30 seconds), focusing on:
  • Balance, simple jumps, rolls or stretches they have practised.
• Encourage supportive audience behaviour: clapping, smiling, watching quietly.
• Teacher to model positive feedback ("Well done, [Name]! I liked how you held your balance!") and encourage peer encouragement.
• Use the timer to keep performances brief and smooth transitions.

3. Guided Reflection Circle (7 minutes)

• Gather children in a circle with the Reflection Talking Ball/toy.
• Use these accessible prompts, supported with picture cards:
  • “What was your favourite move to show today?”
  • “Was there anything tricky or hard to do?”
  • “How did it feel to perform for your friends?”
• Encourage responses with sentence starters: “I liked…”, “It was tricky when…”, “I felt…”
• Support quieter children by modelling answers or using paired talk before whole circle sharing.

4. Cool Down and Celebration (3 minutes)

• Gentle stretches lying on mats – pretending to be sleeping animals, slow breathing, calming bodies.
• Celebrate the whole class for their effort with stickers or verbal praise.
• Reinforce key messages: “Moving our bodies is fun and helps us grow strong!”
• Explain that they are gymnasts now and can keep practising at home!

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Ensure space is arranged so all children can see and participate comfortably.
• Use visual and tactile supports for children with additional needs.
• Offer alternate movement options for children who find gymnastic moves challenging (e.g., more supported balances or seated performances).
• Pair children strategically to encourage peer support.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Use observational notes to assess:
  • Confidence during performance and reflection.
  • Physical control in routine execution aligned with EYFS and KS1 criteria.
  • Communication skills in expressing feelings and challenges.
• Completed through informal observation and teacher anecdotal records.

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Teacher’s Reflective Prompts

• How did children demonstrate confidence and enjoyment during their performance?
• Which gymnastics skills were strongest across the class?
• Were there common challenges that could inform future PE planning?
• How effectively did children engage in reflection – did they link physical activity to feelings?

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Extension Ideas

• Organise a “Gymnastics Showcase” for parents or other classes to watch.
• Create a simple class book with photos and children’s quotes about their favourite gymnastics moments.
• Link with creative arts by asking children to paint or draw their gymnastics routines or favourite moves.

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This final lesson is designed not only to celebrate physical skills but also to nurture social, emotional, and communication development, fulfilling the holistic aims of the EYFS framework while laying foundations for KS1 PE. The integration of performance and reflection supports children’s confidence and metacognitive awareness in playful, age-appropriate ways.