Tag Skills to Team Tactics
•Year 8
•Tag Rugby
•Pre-inflate to correct pressure, check for damage, distribute to station areas
Alternative: Size 4 balls for smaller hands, foam balls for students needing confidence
Bright colours for visibility, mark tournament pitch boundaries and station areas
Alternative: Spot markers, rope lines, natural boundaries
Check velcro is secure, organise by size for quick distribution
Alternative: Velcro belts, adjustable flag belts
Ensure all tags attach securely to belts, keep spares accessible
Alternative: Different coloured tags for team identification
Print clearly, attach to clipboards, provide pencils for marking
Alternative: Digital forms on tablets, laminated reusable sheets
Attach assessment sheets securely, provide working pens/pencils
Alternative: Hard surfaces for writing, tablet holders
Organise into team sets, ensure enough for tournament format
Alternative: Coloured tags, team armbands
Fully charged, appropriate apps installed, designated responsible students
Alternative: Smartphones, video cameras on tripods
Set alarms for rotation times, assign student timekeepers
Alternative: Phone timer apps, visible countdown clock
Distribute to confident students selected as referees
Alternative: Air horns for main signals, voice commands
Use for tournament bracket, scores, and key teaching points
Alternative: Flip chart, digital display
The process of measuring and evaluating performance against specific criteria
Making judgements about the quality of performance and identifying improvements
The ability to perform a skill or task effectively and consistently
A competition involving multiple teams playing a series of games
Acting as a referee or umpire to enforce rules and manage games fairly
Behaving honestly and respectfully according to rules and spirit of the game
Showing respect, integrity, and grace in both winning and losing
Taking responsibility for guiding, motivating, and organising others
Understanding game situations and making effective decisions
Thinking carefully about your performance and learning to identify improvements
Understanding where pupils are coming from and where they're going
Oracy: verbal communication during games (calling for passes, defensive communication, referee instructions and decisions), explaining tactical concepts using subject-specific vocabulary, articulating reflections on learning in plenary discussion. Listening: following complex multi-step instructions, listening to referee decisions and explanations, active listening during peer contributions in reflection. Vocabulary development: learning and using technical rugby terminology, understanding terminology for analysis and evaluation (assessment framework language), expanding vocabulary around movement, tactics, and teamwork. Written communication: completing self-assessment sheets with written explanations, writing specific improvement goals, potential extension writing task analysing performance or explaining tactics.
Scoring and statistics: calculating team scores, individual try tallies, tournament points tables using addition and subtraction. Angles and geometry: understanding angles of running lines to create space (obtuse angles for width), passing trajectories, defensive line angles. Measurement: measuring and estimating distances (passing distances at stations - 3m, 5m, 7m), pitch dimensions, spacing between players. Time: calculating game durations, rotation timings, measuring station completion times. Data handling: collecting assessment data, creating frequency tables of skill success rates, analysing patterns in performance data. Ratio and proportion: understanding team formations and ratios (attackers vs defenders), space-to-player ratios.
Forces and motion: understanding forces acting on rugby ball during passing (push force, air resistance, gravity affecting trajectory), friction between hands and ball affecting grip/control, force required for different pass types. Biomechanics: body positioning for power generation in passing (lever systems in arms), muscle groups used in rugby movements (quadriceps in running, core in passing), centre of gravity in evasion movements affecting balance. Cardiovascular system: heart rate changes during exercise (warm-up, game intensity, cool-down), breathing rate responses to exercise intensity, oxygen demand during sustained activity. Energy systems: understanding energy expenditure during games, need for fuel and hydration for sustained performance, recovery processes after exercise.
Optional technology integration: using iPads/tablets to record games for later analysis, using apps for timing rotations or scoring, potential video analysis identifying technical/tactical strengths and areas for improvement. Data recording: collecting performance data at assessment stations, organising data systematically on assessment sheets. Digital literacy: understanding how technology can support PE learning and assessment, interpreting video evidence objectively.
Spatial awareness: understanding positioning relative to boundaries, teammates, opponents, direction and angles of movement to create/defend space, mental mapping of playing area and player positions. Directions: understanding forward/backward in rugby context, lateral movement (left/right), diagonal running lines, using directional language in communication ('pass left!', 'run right!', 'support behind!'). Decision-making about space: analysing where space exists on pitch, predicting how space will change based on player movements, strategic use of space (attack exploiting space, defence closing space).
Teamwork and cooperation: working collaboratively toward shared goals in games, supporting teammates through encouragement, combining individual efforts for team success, resolving disagreements constructively. Leadership and responsibility: student-led warm-ups showing confidence and responsibility, officiating games requiring fair decision-making and confidence, organising teams and tactics, taking responsibility for own learning and improvement. Resilience and perseverance: continuing effort when facing challenges (difficult skills, losing games), maintaining positive attitude despite setbacks, recovering from mistakes and trying again. Respect and sportsmanship: respecting referee decisions even when disagree, treating opponents with respect, accepting wins/losses graciously, celebrating without excessive showboating. Fair play and integrity: following rules honestly, self-assessing honestly not inflating abilities, playing fairly without cheating. Health and wellbeing: understanding importance of physical activity for physical and mental health, developing positive relationship with exercise through enjoyable PE experiences, understanding safety in physical activity.
Primary position: centrally located between two tournament pitches at distance allowing full view of both games simultaneously (approximately 10-15m from each pitch, elevated slightly if possible). During stations: rotate continuously between four stations, spending 60-90 seconds observing each station in turn, never stationary in one location. During warm-up: position at corner or edge where all students visible, allowing clear sightlines while students spread across space. During cool-down/reflection: within circle as equal participant (not outside/above circle) to promote open discussion. Key principle: always position for maximum visibility of all students, never turn back on any group, anticipate where incidents likely (high-intensity areas, complex skill areas) and increase observation there.
Systematic observation across three domains: SAFETY (primary): tagging technique, spatial awareness, surface hazards, equipment positioning, student wellbeing signs (excessive fatigue, breathing distress, pain indicators). SKILL QUALITY (secondary): technical execution of passing, catching, evasion, defensive positioning, try-scoring using criteria from assessment framework. TACTICAL APPLICATION (tertiary): decision-making quality, positioning in attack/defence, team organisation, communication. SOCIAL BEHAVIOURS (continuous): sportsmanship, teamwork, leadership, resilience, respect for officials. Use scanning pattern: sweep visual field continuously left-to-right, focus briefly on specific interactions/moments, return to whole-picture scanning. Mental note-taking: identify exemplar performances for public praise, note students struggling for intervention/support, assess lesson flow and engagement levels for pacing decisions.
Immediate intervention required for: any safety concern (unsafe tagging, aggressive play, surface hazards, student distress), rules violations creating unfairness, disputes between students escalating, completely off-task behaviour. Brief intervention appropriate for: technical errors that are persistent (demonstrate correct technique, provide analogy, physical guidance), tactical errors showing misunderstanding (pause and question to reveal thinking, provide guided prompt, demonstrate alternative), student frustration building (encouragement, reframe challenge, offer modification). No intervention needed when: students self-correcting errors showing learning, student referees handling situations competently (trust their judgement), productive struggle occurring (challenge appropriate, engagement maintained, safety not compromised), peer support happening effectively. Intervention style: positive language ('Do this...' not 'Don't do that...'), specific not generic ('Bend your knees in ready position' not 'Better defending'), questioning to reveal understanding ('Why did that pass go forward?' not just 'Forward pass!'), demonstration showing correct technique clearly, checking understanding after intervention ('Show me what you're going to do differently').
Demonstrate at appropriate times: before new activities (show clear model of expectation), when verbal explanation insufficient (complex movements need visual), when errors persistent (show correct vs incorrect side-by-side). Demonstration quality: exaggerate key points for visibility (extra knee bend, extra follow-through, obvious weight transfer), face students so technique visible, move slowly first then full speed, repeat 2-3 times from different angles if complex, use 'freeze frames' pausing at key positions. Commentary during demonstration: explain what you're doing as you demonstrate ('Watch my hands making W shape behind ball... now I push toward target... see my arms extend and follow through...'), highlight critical points ('This is the moment where...''), indicate common mistakes to avoid ('Don't do this... [show mistake]... that makes the pass go forward'). Use students as demonstrators: select competent students to model for peers (builds confidence, provides peer learning), set up demonstrations with student performing and others analysing ('Watch Emma's sidestep - what makes it effective?'), demonstrate incorrect then correct with students identifying difference. Demonstration efficiency: keep brief (30-60 seconds maximum), demonstrate only what's necessary at that moment (not everything about a skill at once), immediately into practice after demonstration (practice while model still fresh in mind).
Minimum space: large sports hall (approximately 30m x 40m) or outdoor playing field with adequate run-off areas beyond boundaries (5m clear space around playing areas). For tournament with two simultaneous pitches: minimum 50m x 40m total space. Surface must be flat, even, and appropriate for running with direction changes. Indoor: sprung wooden sports hall floor or appropriate synthetic surface. Outdoor: grass field (dry, well-maintained, no holes or uneven ground) or synthetic turf. Adequate space between activity areas to prevent collisions between groups (minimum 3-5m buffer zones).
Pre-lesson surface inspection mandatory: Check for hazards including holes, protruding objects, wet/slippery patches (indoor floor moisture or outdoor puddles), debris (stones, litter, glass), uneven areas, line markings that could cause slips. Outdoor: check grass length is appropriate (not too long impeding movement or too short exposing hard ground), no waterlogged areas, no ice in cold weather. Indoor: check floor clean and dry, no spilled water near equipment areas, line markings intact and not peeling. During lesson: continuous monitoring for developing hazards (equipment moving, water spillage from bottles).
Immediate stop: loud whistle blast and raised hand with call 'EVERYBODY STOP!' All activity ceases immediately and students remain still. Assess situation: teacher moves to incident location, assesses injury/issue severity, determines appropriate response. Minor issues (small bumps, caught breath): brief on-site assessment, student sits out briefly if needed, monitored for progression, returns to activity when ready. Moderate issues (potential injury requiring assessment): student moved to safe area away from activity, seated/lying as appropriate, teacher assessment or designated first aider called, other students continue activity under supervision (if safe) or engage in alternative calm activity. Serious issues (significant injury, medical emergency): emergency services called immediately (site emergency procedures followed), student not moved unless immediate danger requires it, first aid administered by qualified person, other students moved to safe area with supervision, lesson concluded. Incident recording: all injuries/incidents recorded according to school policy, parents informed as appropriate, risk assessment reviewed if incident reveals previously unidentified hazard.
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