Incorporating sequences in KS1 gymnastics lessons is not only an exciting way to engage young learners but also aligns with the goals set by Ofsted. Gymnastic sequences develop key physical skills, including balance, coordination, and spatial awareness, while fostering creativity and teamwork. Ofsted values activities like this because they demonstrate a clear progression of skills, structured planning, and opportunities for pupils to explore and evaluate their performances—key elements of an outstanding PE curriculum.
What should I teach first?
Over the first 4-5 weeks of your half term you shuold start with the core skills/shapes/movements already planned out in your roadmap, like balances, rolls, and jumps.
By gradually introducing difficulty over each session you can create a seamless progression across all year groups. This progression not only builds physical literacy but also supports pupils in developing confidence, problem-solving abilities, and resilience, helping to meet curriculum objectives and ensuring lasting enjoyment of physical education.
What should I do now?
In KS1 gymnastics, a key focus should developing pupils' ability to memorise and perform simple sequences by linking the skills they have learned over the half term and previous units. This involves encouraging children to remember and execute movements in a specific order, promoting both physical technique and cognitive recall. Here are a few things you could do:
Building on Shapes: Begin with pupils practicing individual shapes (like a tuck, pike, straddle, front support, back support). Gradually, have them sequence these shapes in a specific order, adding one shape at a time. For instance, they might start with a tuck, then add a straddle, and finally a front support, creating a short routine. Depending on your classes recall you could add more shapes you have learnt over the half term.
Station-Based Sequences: At a station, pupils can be tasked with performing a sequence of 3–5 actions, such as a roll of their choice, a jump they love, and a balance learnt from the unit they are in. This could include a forward roll, a half term jump, and tree balance for three seconds.
Travel and Transition: Incorporate locomotion into sequences, such as transitioning from a log roll to a bear walk and finishing with a balance. This adds variety and helps pupils understand how to link movements fluently. This should mainly be done with the older ages of KS1 and works better when the whole class work together.
Pattern Repetition: Challenge pupils to repeat a short sequences several times, like jump, roll, balance, roll, and balance again. Then chage the sequence to something different. This reinforces memory, rhythm and physical technique.
Creative Exploration: Encourage children to create their own sequences. At HSSS we find that if you set out 3 mats in the row, and ask the children to move from one end of the mats to the other end using 3-5 gymnastics skills learnt over the half term, or skills they have learnt outside of your sessions, they become creative and their own personalities come out.
Partner Work: This section focuses on introducing paired balances, laying the groundwork for concepts children will encounter in later school units (KS2). It serves to "plant the seed" of ideas pupils can draw upon when they progress to KS2 sequences and creative movement sessions.
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