Invasion Games — Year 6 Lesson Plan
National Curriculum: PE KS2 — play competitive games; apply principles for attacking and defending; compare performances and demonstrate improvement to achieve personal bests
Overview
Pupils develop their understanding and performance in invasion games (football, netball, basketball, or tag rugby). They apply tactical principles — creating and exploiting space, switching play, and supporting the ball carrier — in competitive team games.
Learning Objectives
- Apply at least two attacking tactics: creating width, moving into space, overlapping runs.
- Demonstrate defensive principles: tracking runners, pressing the ball carrier, marking space.
- Communicate effectively with teammates during competitive play.
- Analyse performance — own and others' — and suggest tactical adjustments.
Key Vocabulary
Suggested Lesson Structure
Rondo: 5 vs 2 in a defined area — the 5 must make 5 passes without the 2 intercepting. Swap the two defenders in every time possession is lost or after 5 passes. Builds quick decision-making, spatial awareness, and communication under pressure. Debrief: what made it easy for the 5? What made it hard?
Introduce 'creating width': demonstrate how spreading the team forces defenders to choose — if defenders follow width, space opens centrally; if they hold central, wide passes are available. Use a diagram or cone demonstration with pupils. Practise: 4 vs 2 in a wide rectangle — attacking team scores by reaching the end line; must use at least one wide pass per attack.
Demonstrate overloading one side: defenders are drawn across; then a quick switch to the other side exploits space before defenders recover. 3 vs 3 in a short wide grid: switching earns a bonus point. How quickly can teams move the ball wide?
Full small-sided game (4 vs 4 or 5 vs 5). Teams are given a tactical target — e.g. 'score at least one goal from a switch of play' or 'prevent the other team from scoring down the right side'. Pause game once to make a team tactical adjustment ('coaching timeout'). Pupils lead their own team discussion.
Stretch and debrief. Ask teams to evaluate: did you achieve your tactical target? What worked and why? What would you change? Introduce the concept of adaptation: the best teams adjust their tactics based on what the opposition is doing.
Common Misconceptions
- The player with the ball should decide all tactics — invasion games require all players to read the game and move, not just the ball carrier.
- Defending means chasing the ball — positional marking and holding shape are often more effective than pressing.
Prior Knowledge
Pupils should already be able to:
- Year 2 PE: teamwork and basic invasion games.
- Year 4/5 PE: competitive games, decision-making, positional awareness.
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