Hockey Takes Centre Stage in School Games

England Hockey is thrilled that hockey has been chosen to be part of the Youth Sport Trust ‘wave one’ launch for School Games activity.

The inclusion has allowed the national governing body to share the new School Games offer to help make hockey more visible, relevant and accessible to young people in education.

England Hockey has taken on feedback from School Games Organisers, teachers and young people to address some of the real and perceived barriers that stand in the way of hockey being delivered in primary schools, and have created a new, safe and inclusive skill station format.

This incorporates 10 key skills-based activities which are flexible to suit all abilities and skill levels, and can played on multiple surfaces. Each challenge is designed to build confidence and develop essential skills like agility, balance, and coordination, and can be easily modified in terms of space, equipment, and difficulty to meet the needs of all players, including those with special educational needs and disabilities.

The activities are supported by a Young Leaders course, game/activity cards to deliver a six-week session, and a new scheme of work to allow the teaching of the skill station content within curriculum time.

Last summer, we tested the new format and the range of games in different areas of the country, one of which was in Redbridge, London, where 60 children from local schools attended the festival, supported by Young Leaders from a secondary school and volunteers from Redbridge and Ilford Hockey Club.

Teresa Scully, School Games Coordinator and Teacher at Mayfield School said, “The festival ticked all the boxes in School Games and grassroots development. The knowledge passed from England Hockey to Young Leaders, and then passed on to the potential players of the future… fabulous! The participants went from zero knowledge of the sport to wanting to play more and hopefully one day, go on to represent England!”

“As a ‘wave one’ sport, we have now been able to add our skill station festival alongside our original School Games offer of Quicksticks 4 vs 4, providing more options for schools looking to participate in hockey. This is a significant development for school hockey. By adding skill station festivals to our School Games offer, we're making the sport more accessible and exciting for students of all levels. From beginners learning the basics to experienced players looking for a challenge, there's something for everyone.” Chris Lock, England Hockey Development Team Manager 

Visit the refreshed School Games website to download the new formats and take the steps to deliver safe hockey within your school, or visit our website to access the supporting resources.