Volleyball Basics

Overview

This 45-minute Physical Education session is the fifth lesson in the "Active Adventures in PE" unit for 25 students (age 9-11). It focuses on building fundamental volleyball skills: serving, passing, and setting. Using cooperative games and practical skill challenges, students will develop motor skills, teamwork, communication, and game understanding aligned to the UK National Curriculum for Physical Education key stage 2 (KS2).

---

Curriculum Links

• National Curriculum for PE (England, KS2)
  Pupils should be taught to:

  • Use running, jumping, throwing and catching in isolation and in combination
  • Play competitive games, modified where appropriate, and apply basic principles suitable for attacking and defending
  • Develop competence to excel in a broad range of physical activities
  • Take part in team games, developing simple tactics for attacking and defending

• Physical Education Program of Study (Wales KS2, Curriculum for Wales)
  Pupils should:

  • Develop skills in a variety of movement sequences
  • Perform actions with precision and control
  • Work collaboratively with others to plan, perform and evaluate

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate basic volleyball serving technique (underarm serve).
2. Perform a controlled underarm pass (forearm pass).
3. Practice the basic overhead set with correct hand positioning.
4. Work cooperatively in small groups to reinforce these skills through games.
5. Show understanding of how to communicate effectively while playing volleyball.

---

Equipment Needed

• 4 volleyball nets or low portable nets (adjust height for KS2) OR cones to mark "net" boundaries
• 8 soft volleyballs or beach balls (safer for beginners)
• Markers/cones to divide playing areas
• Whistle and stopwatch
• Name tags or coloured bibs for small teams (5 per team)

---

Lesson Structure

Time	Activity	Details / Teacher Notes
0-5 mins	Warm-up: Dynamic Movement Circuit	Jogging, side-shuffles, high knees, arm swings, light stretches. Include volleyball-specific movements like reaching overhead and low scoops to prepare muscles. Encourage pupils to become physically and mentally ready for volleyball actions.
5-10 mins	Teacher Demonstration & Explanation	Clear, visual demo of: underarm serve, forearm pass, overhead set. Emphasise key teaching points: feet placement, hand position, eye focus, follow-through. Use simple language and check for understanding by asking pupils to demonstrate hand positions.
10-20 mins	Skill Stations (3 groups, rotate every 3 mins)
	1. Serving Station: Practice underarm serve at target cones	Encourage pupils to aim consistently, experiment with accuracy and power. Teacher or TA to support and provide immediate positive feedback.
	2. Passing Station: Focus on controlled underarm passing with a partner or against a wall	Focus on platform formation with forearms, good posture, controlling the ball.
	3. Setting Station: Practice overhead set technique (hands in diamond shape, pushing ball upwards)	Use balloons or light balls initially for better control. Teacher models hand shape and timing for extending fingers and pushing upwards.
20-30 mins	Cooperative Game: “Volleyball Keep-Up Challenge”
	Groups of 4-5 keep the ball off the floor using only the skills learnt (serve, pass, set). Each pupil must touch the ball before it crosses the "net" cones (marked area). Add challenges such as: max 3 touches per side, communication rules (call names before pass). Score points for consecutive passes without dropping.
30-40 mins	Mini Matches: Modified Volleyball	5-a-side games, no net or lower net to allow easy rallies; focuses on using skills cooperatively and communication. Teacher circulates giving targeted feedback, encouraging teamwork and positive behaviour. Rotate teams to ensure equal playtime.
40-43 mins	Cool-Down & Reflection	Gentle jogging on spot, followed by stretches focusing on arms, shoulders, and legs. Circle time discussion: What skill did you enjoy? What was tricky? How did you work as a team? How can you improve? Encourage pupils to self-assess their performance.
43-45 mins	Teacher Summary & Next Steps	Praise effort and progress, recap key skills. Outline what to look forward to in next volleyball lesson (Lesson 6: Attacking and Defending Tactics).

---

Differentiation & Inclusion

• Support: Use visual aids (hand shape diagrams on posters), paired peer support; stationed TAs to give extra assistance.
• Challenge: Encourage some students to serve with more power or move faster between stations; introduce a “volleyball quiz” on rules for quick brain breaks.
• Physical/Accessibility: Use beach balls for pupils with limited coordination, allow rolling the ball to practice passing or setting movements for inclusion.
• EAL/SEN: Use clear, concise language and demonstrations; visual cards with key vocabulary (serve, pass, set, net).

---

Assessment & Feedback

• Formative: Ongoing teacher observation during stations and games with verbal praise and corrections.
• Peer: Encourage pupils to provide positive feedback to each other during cooperative games.
• Self-assessment: Whole class reflection to identify personal strengths and areas to improve.
• Use simple tick sheets or emoji cards for pupils to self-rate their skill confidence post-lesson.

---

Extension Ideas for Home or Extra Time

• Practice a family game of catch using “volleyball style” passing and setting.
• Try serving into a bucket or marked target area for fun accuracy challenges.
• Watch short clips of professional volleyball matches and discuss teamwork and communication seen.

---

Teacher’s Top Tips

• Use enthusiastic and clear instructions; keep explanations brief to maximise activity time.
• Foster a supportive atmosphere — mistakes are learning moments!
• Mix up groupings weekly to encourage new friendships and teamwork dynamics.
• Emphasise the joy of playing and being active over competition and winning.
• Use positive reinforcement and celebrate all progress, no matter how small.

---

This plan meets key UK PE aims at KS2, combining skill acquisition, cooperation, communication, and physical activity through engaging, varied practice and games. It is ready-to-use and adaptable, helping pupils develop lasting interest and competence in volleyball.