Inclusive physical activity that develops confidence, teamwork, fitness and healthy habits for life.
Explore Physical Activity
Learning at Orange Tree School
Inclusive physical activity that develops confidence, teamwork, fitness and healthy habits for life.
Physical Activity lessons at The Orange Tree School are designed to support students in leading active, balanced, and healthy lives. Through participation in a wide range of physical activities, students will develop their motor skills, teamwork, resilience, and confidence. They will explore the benefits of regular exercise for mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and develop lifelong habits that promote overall health.
Developing competence in a variety of sports and physical activities
Understanding the importance of fitness, health, and well-being
Demonstrating teamwork, leadership, and competitiveness through exercise
Applying rules, tactics, and strategies in competitive and cooperative contexts
Understanding the long-term benefits of regular physical activity
Being able to plan and reflect on personal physical activity and fitness goals
Experiencing inclusive or adaptive activities that promote cultural awareness and community spirit
The Physical Activity curriculum is carefully sequenced to allow progression in key physical skills, knowledge, and confidence over time. Students are given opportunities to explore individual and team sports, as well as fitness training and outdoor adventurous activities, all mapped across the academic year.
Lessons are inclusive and adapted to meet a wide range of needs, with an emphasis on positive engagement, health education, and skill development.
Advanced Skill development and Tactical Awareness
Teamwork, Leadership and Competitive Team sports
The Years 9 and 10 programme develops coordination, aiming, tactical awareness, teamwork and leadership through inclusive and adapted physical activities.
Hand/Foot to Eye coordination and aiming.
Core skills: overarm throw, underarm throw, accuracy, power control, tactical decision making, hand-eye coordination.
Learning objective: Can you choose the best target and score consistently under pressure?
Assessment: Point-based competition. Bonus points awarded for accuracy streaks and selecting higher-value targets.
Equipment needed: beanbags, softballs, hoops, target mats, cones.
Core skills: accuracy, control, tactical planning, decision making.
Learning objectives: Can you block opponents while positioning your own balls for maximum points?
Assessment: Closest balls to the jack after three rounds.
Equipment needed: boccia balls, chairs, target mats.
Core Skills: Seated throwing, bounce calculation, targeting, turn-taking.
Learning Objective: Can you bounce or curve the ball around obstacles to land closest to the target?
Assessment: Closest balls to jack after 3 rounds; bonus for creative shots.
Equipment: Boccia sets, mats, raised cones, ramps or barriers for bounce play.
Core skills: shooting accuracy, power control, concentration.
Learning objectives: Can you select high-value shots while maintaining consistency?
Assessment: First player to 21 points wins.
Equipment needed: basketballs, hoops.
Core skills: aiming, focus, decision making, accuracy.
Learning objectives: Can you balance risk and reward to maximise your score?
Assessment: Points-based competition.
Equipment needed: archery kit, beanbags, targets.
Core skills: underarm throw, overarm throw, spatial awareness, seated posture, eyesight and turn taking.
Learning objectives: Is red or blue team going to win?
Assessment: Team based sport, closest colored ball to the white ball wins (3 rounds).
Equipment needed: boccia balls, chairs
Teamwork and Strategy
Core skills: speed, agility, spatial awareness, evasion, communication, decision making.
Learning objectives: Can you work with teammates to create space and avoid being tagged?
Assessment: Last student standing or team with the most successful escapes.
Equipment needed: cones, bibs, tagging bands.
Core Skills: Speed, agility, evasion, strategic thinking, reaction time.
Learning Objective: Can you navigate zones while activating safe zones or collecting power-ups?
Assessment: Most effective strategies + tags. Players reflect on tactics.
Equipment: Cones (for zones), tagging bands, safe zone mats, visual markers for power-ups.
Core skills: speed, dodging, spatial awareness, reaction time, turn taking.
Learning objectives: can you avoid being tagged or caught and stay in the game?
Assessment: last student standing or most successful tags within a time limit. Focus on safe movement and fair play. Focus on strategic movement and safe contact.
Equipment needed: cones for boundary, tagging bands or soft tags, optional music timer. Bibs for bulldog rules, clear safety rules for tagging
Objective: One team hides players (prisoners), the other searches and brings them back to base while avoiding being tagged.
Skills: Stealth, planning, zoning
Modifications: Seated/silent version or visual-only signaling
Equipment: cones
Core skills: Silent strategy, color matching, evasion
Objective: Players are assigned colors and must swap cones without speaking while avoiding “chasers.”
Assessment: Time to complete full color swap
Inclusive Twist: Use shape or texture-based Identifiers
Core skills: Agility, evasion, spatial awareness, tactical thinking, communication
Learning objectives: can your team capture the opponent’s flag and protect your own.
Assessment: team-based strategy game – the first team to successfully capture the opponent’s flag and bring it back to their base without being tagged wins
Equipment needed.
2 flags (or cones, bibs, beanbags), bibs for team colors, cones for dividing zones, optional tagging bands or noodles.
Team sports (Introduction)
Core skills: dribbling, passing, defending, shooting, communication, teamwork.
Learning objectives: Can your team create attacking opportunities using movement and quick passing?
Assessment: Match play with bonus points for assists, communication and tactical awareness.
Equipment needed: basketballs, hoops, bibs, cones.
Core skills: dribbling, passing, shooting, positioning, teamwork.
Learning objectives: Can your team maintain possession and create goal-scoring chances?
Assessment: Match outcome plus bonus points for successful passing sequences.
Equipment needed: footballs, goals, cones, bibs.
Core skills: hand-eye coordination, timing, grip control, focus, reaction time, positioning.
Learning objectives: can you successfully shoot different types of shots? Front, backhand and swerve or serve shot?
Assessment: consistent rallying, accurate serving, or winning points through placement. Focus on sportsmanship and strategic shot choice.
Equipment needed: table tennis bats, balls, tables (or table-top versions), optional barriers for ball control.
Core Skills: Catching, dodging, deflecting, decision making, teamwork.
Learning Objective: Can your team balance attack and defense by deflecting incoming balls or saving teammates?
Assessment: Points for catches, deflections, and reviving teammates.
Equipment: Foam balls, deflection paddles/shields (optional), bibs, cones.
Core skills: passing, catching, movement, shooting.
Learning objectives: Can your team attack and defend effectively?
Assessment: Match play with bonus points for teamwork.
Equipment needed: handballs, goals, bibs.
Core Skills: Passing, catching, movement into space, goal-scoring, communication.
Learning Objective: Can you transition quickly from defense to attack using coordinated team movement?
Assessment: Match outcomes + bonus for team plays and transitions.
Equipment: Soft handballs, cones for zones, foam goals, bibs.
