Key Stage 1 PE · Fundamental movement skills

KS1 running skills: a guide for parents of 5 to 7 year olds

Running is one of the basic movements the National Curriculum asks schools to teach in Years 1 and 2. The aim is not to produce the fastest child in the class but to help every child run lightly and with control: starting, changing speed, changing direction, stopping safely and avoiding other people. Children also begin to use running in games, races and obstacle courses, which builds confidence as well as fitness.

Running skills, explained

Most five-year-olds can already run, so it can be surprising to hear that running is “taught”. In PE the word used is “master”, meaning that a child can do the movement well enough to use it in many different situations. Young children often run flat-footed with their arms flapping or held across their body, and they find it hard to stop without stumbling. Over Years 1 and 2 teachers help them refine these habits, so that running becomes smoother, safer and more purposeful.

Lessons are usually short, playful and built from small challenges in a hall, playground or field. Children might jog on the spot, run in a straight line, zigzag round cones, run on a curved path, then stop on a signal. They practise running at different speeds, such as a slow jog and a fast sprint, and learn that being able to change pace is more useful than always going flat out. They also learn to run in a shared space without bumping into anyone, which is harder than it sounds.

Teachers give a few simple cues rather than a long list. You may hear: look ahead, not at your feet; bend your arms and swing them forwards and back, not across your body; push off with your toes; land lightly; lean forward a little to start and sit back a little to stop. Children are not expected to remember all of these. They are expected to notice that a small change, such as swinging the arms properly, makes running feel easier.

The curriculum also asks pupils to begin to apply basic movements in a range of activities, and to compete both against themselves and against others, as well as co-operating. In practice that means chasing and dodging games, relay races, obstacle courses and running to get into position during a team game. Schools choose which activities to use. Many make a point of comparing a child’s run with their own earlier attempt rather than with the fastest child, so that every child can improve and feel successful.

Words your child will hear

Jog: A slow, steady run that you could keep up for a while.
Sprint: A fast run over a short distance, with the arms and legs working hard.
Pace: How fast you are moving. Changing pace means speeding up or slowing down.
Direction: The way you are heading: forwards, backwards, sideways, or round a curve.
Control: Being able to start, change and stop your movement when you choose to.
Personal best: Your own best result so far, which you try to beat next time.
Space: The empty area around you. Good runners look for space and avoid crowding other people.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 1 says:

Pupils should be taught to master basic movements including running, jumping, throwing and catching, as well as developing balance, agility and co-ordination, and begin to apply these in a range of activities
Pupils should develop fundamental movement skills, become increasingly competent and confident and access a broad range of opportunities to extend their agility, balance and coordination, individually and with others.

Objectives from the National Curriculum in England, © Crown copyright, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Try it: a run, change and stop game

In a clear garden or park, how can your child practise running with control and show what they have learned?

Choose a flat, dry area about ten big steps wide and check the ground for holes, stones or anything slippery. Mark the edges with two shoes or cushions, and make sure your child is wearing shoes that fit and are properly fastened.
Warm up for about a minute: march on the spot, then jog lightly, then reach up high and stretch. Explain that running starts with warm muscles.
Ask your child to jog from one edge to the other. Point out one cue only, for example “bend your elbows and swing your arms forwards and back”. Repeat once more and notice whether it feels different.
Add signals. Call “fast” for a sprint, “slow” for a gentle jog and “stop” for a freeze. A good stop is on two feet, knees slightly bent, arms out for balance. Praise the slowing down before the stop, not just the stop.
Place three shoes in a line and ask your child to run round them in a zigzag, then in a curve. Talk about looking ahead to the next shoe rather than down at their feet.
Finish with a reflection and a personal challenge: “Which was hardest, stopping or turning? Can you do the zigzag faster than last time, without knocking a shoe?” Try once more and compare.

A confident run at this stage looks like this: light steps on the balls of the feet, eyes looking ahead, elbows bent and swinging, a clear difference between jogging and sprinting, a controlled stop within a step or two of the signal, and a child who can say what they would like to improve. Wobbly stops and turns are normal at this age and simply need more play.

Common mistakes and how to help

Thinking running well means running as fast as possible

Sports day races and playground chasing make speed the only thing that seems to count, so children charge off with no control and often collide or fall.

What helps: Name different speeds (snail, jog, fast) and practise moving between them on a signal. Praise good stopping, steering and changing pace as much as speed.

Running with the arms across the body, or looking down at the feet

Young children’s co-ordination is still developing. Their arms swing across to balance each step and they watch their feet because they are not yet sure where they will land.

What helps: Give one cue at a time, such as “look at the gate” and “elbows bent”. Practise the arm swing standing still first, with bent elbows and hands moving from hip to chin, then add it to a slow jog.

Believing a stop can happen instantly

Children go from sprint to stop without slowing first, so they stumble forward, fall over or crash into someone else.

What helps: Practise “fast, slow, slower, stop” so they feel the body slowing down. Bending the knees and spreading the arms helps them stay balanced as they stop.

Deciding “I’m a slow runner” and avoiding running games

Children compare themselves with the quickest classmate and a few weak races can quickly turn into a belief that they are bad at PE.

What helps: Compare only with their own previous try: more steps without a stumble, a tidier turn, a faster zigzag. Running games that don’t eliminate children keep everyone involved.

How to help at home

Stop and go in the garden. Play the signal game from the worked example for five minutes. Swap roles so your child calls the signals and you have to run, which they usually love.
Build a mini obstacle course. Use cushions, a rolled towel and chalk lines on a safe, flat surface such as grass. Ask your child to run round the cushions, step over the towel and weave between the lines, rather than treading on anything that could slide, then try to beat their own time using a simple count aloud.
Follow the leader. Take turns leading a run that changes direction and speed, with skips and tiptoes mixed in. It teaches looking ahead, watching others and sharing space.
Use a park trip. Pick a tree or bench as a goal and ask your child to jog slowly, then run quickly, then jog back. Repeat and count how many steps it takes. Always stay in sight, away from roads, water and car parks.