Primary School Gymnastics
Key Stage 2 (7-11 Years)

by Val Sabin

This Gymnastics Teaching Manual, now in its fifth edition, gives primary school teachers practical and definite guidance on material, skills, lesson structure and the handling, construction and use of apparatus. It enables teachers to implement The National Curriculum, achieve a high quality of delivery and provide satisfying and progressive work for the children.

This manual is designed to answer problems in a thoroughly practical way; appropriate selection of themes; composition and suitable presentation of lessons; delivery of material in a progressive way; teaching basic specific skills safely; handling construction and use of apparatus; the need for a simple assessment scheme. It provides a complete tool kit of 92 ready-made lesson plans with all the material and resources you need. These include a detailed section on teaching, specific skills, 48 cards for ideas, skill teaching, check lists and core tasks, a CD containing 36 tracks of music and a CD containing a wall display to help with independent learning and assessment. It has been constructed to develop and progress children logically through a unit of work, through a year, through one year to the next and from one key stage to the next.

The temptation with a manual such as this is to turn immediately to the units of work and select one for use! However, whatever the temptation, may I suggest that you initially read the introductory sections because they contain very important information on lesson structure, presentation, teaching gymnastics skills and apparatus handling, which will help you deliver the lessons in a more satisfying and enjoyable way, both for the children and yourself.

Every lesson plan contains enough material for the delivery of at least two lessons, and if occasionally you wish to select one, two, or three lessons and develop them into a half-term unit, the sections at the front will explain the best way of doing it.

Music for the fifth edition includes warm-up music with guidance on how to use it and a mixture of specially designed short tracks for sequences at the end of each unit. Extra tracks have been provided to give greater choice and encourage more complex sequences.
SPECIAL NEEDS; There is no special needs section in this teaching manual. Tasks and activities have been designed to allow for achievement and success within a wide range of abilities. Slight adaptation of any of the tasks or going back a stage(s) in the teaching of skills would include any children with physical impairment or disability. Both the detailed, logical, build up of skills and the challenging extension cards in the “specific skills” section of the manual will prove very effective in developing the skills of all children right up to the gifted and talented.

This manual was originally produced and published to answer a specific need in primary schools. All the material is thoroughly tested and proven and is now used in schools all over the United Kingdom and internationally with excellent results. I am sure you will find it a very practical aid in the construction and delivery of a progressive scheme of work for gymnastics in your school.