Key Stage 2 PE · Flexibility, strength and technique

KS2 athletics: technique, control and strength for parents

Athletics is one of the two examples the National Curriculum gives for developing flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance at Key Stage 2. Children run, jump and throw in a range of ways, learn the technique behind each, and measure their own results so they can see themselves improving. The focus is on how well a skill is done and how a child gets better at it, not only on who finishes first.

Athletics, explained

Athletics gathers together three types of activity: running, jumping and throwing. In school they are usually taught as a series of events. Running includes sprints, longer-distance running, relays and sometimes low hurdles. Jumping includes the standing and running long jump, the triple jump (hop, step and jump) and sometimes the high jump. Throwing includes a push throw with a soft, light shot, throwing a foam javelin-style object and slinging a ring or a soft disc. Which events a school offers depends on equipment, space and staff, so your child’s school may teach only some of them.

Each event is broken into parts so children can concentrate on technique. In sprinting, they work on posture, arm drive and quick feet. In a relay, they practise passing a baton smoothly at speed and starting to run at the right moment. In jumping, they learn the stages of run-up, take-off, flight and landing. In throwing, they learn how to turn the whole body and use the legs and hips, not just the arm. Teachers often use short drills, such as skipping with high knees, to practise one part of the movement at a time before putting it together.

Strength, flexibility, control and balance are developed along the way, rather than as separate topics. Leg strength comes from repeated jumps and sprint starts, and core strength from holding the body steady while moving. Flexibility is helped by warm-ups that move joints through their full range and by the gentle stretching that ends some lessons. Balance and control matter in landing from a jump, changing direction in a relay and holding a steady throwing position. Lessons start with a warm-up that raises the heart rate and prepares muscles, and finish with a cool-down.

The second objective, learning how to improve and recognise success, is central in athletics because results can be measured. Children time a sprint, measure a jump or count how many throws land in a target area, and keep a record. The idea is to beat your own previous result rather than to beat another child. Teachers also ask children to look at a partner’s technique and give feedback, which builds understanding. Children learn that improvement comes from practice and from changing one thing at a time, and that results vary from day to day, so one attempt does not tell the whole story.

Words your child will hear

Technique: The correct way to perform a movement, so that it is efficient and safe.
Sprint: A short, fast run done with maximum effort.
Relay: A running race for teams, where a baton is passed from one runner to the next.
Baton: The short stick or tube that relay runners carry and pass on.
Warm-up: Gentle exercise before activity that raises the heart rate and prepares the muscles.
Personal best: Your own best result so far in an event.
Strength: How much force your muscles can produce, built up through regular activity.

What the National Curriculum says

The programme of study for Key Stage 2 says:

Pupils should be taught to develop flexibility, strength, technique, control and balance [for example, through athletics and gymnastics]
Pupils should develop an understanding of how to improve in different physical activities and sports and learn how to evaluate and recognise their own success.

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

Try it: beating a personal best over 30 metres

A child runs 30 metres in 6.8 seconds. How can they use technique to try to improve, and how do they know whether it worked?

Warm up. Jog gently, then do some skipping, high knees and arm swings so the muscles are ready. Never sprint cold.
Record a baseline. Mark a 30-metre track and have a partner time the run. Run it a couple of times and use the best, as one run can be affected by a slow start or a slip. Here, the best is 6.8 seconds.
Pick one thing to change. The partner notices that the child’s arms barely move. The focus for the next run is “drive the elbows back and forwards”, because a strong, quick arm action helps the legs keep a fast, balanced rhythm.
Practise it. Do a few short runs of about 10 metres, thinking only about the arms. Rest between runs, since tired muscles make technique worse.
Run again and compare. Time two or three more runs, and the best is 6.5 seconds. That is 0.3 seconds quicker (6.8 − 6.5 = 0.3).
Evaluate. Talk about what changed. Was it the arms? Was the start different? Avoid saying it was definitely the arms, as rest, warm-up and effort could also play a part.

The child improved from 6.8 to 6.5 seconds, a gain of 0.3 seconds, after focusing on arm drive. A fair conclusion is, “My arms probably helped, but I need to repeat it on another day to be sure.” Cooling down with gentle jogging and stretching finishes the session.

Common mistakes and how to help

Thinking that athletics is only about being fast or strong

Children see results lists and winners, so they believe the sport is only for the quickest or the biggest.

What helps: Point out the personal best idea and the many events: a child who is not the fastest may have a great throw or jump technique. Celebrate improvement, not only position.

Skipping the warm-up because it feels boring

Children want to get straight to the exciting part, and don’t realise that cold muscles are more likely to be strained.

What helps: Make the warm-up part of the game. Use short, lively activities such as skipping, jogging and arm circles. Explain it as getting the body ready.

Believing that throwing is all in the arm

The arm is the part you can see moving, so children try to throw harder by using only that.

What helps: Show how the legs and hips start the throw. Practise a standing throw with a step and a turn of the body, and notice how much further the object goes.

Judging improvement from a single attempt

Results change from run to run. A child who is slower on the second attempt can feel they have failed, or one lucky attempt can seem like real progress.

What helps: Take two or three attempts and use the best, or compare across several weeks. Talk about why results vary, for example tiredness, a poor start or the weather.

How to help at home

Home sports day. Set up a mini multi-event challenge with a sprint, a standing long jump and a throw of a bean bag or rolled-up sock. Record each result and repeat it a few weeks later to see the improvement.
Sprint and rest. In a park or garden, mark a short sprint of 20 metres. Run it three times with a good rest between and record the fastest time using a stopwatch or any timer you have.
Relay with a sock. Use a rolled-up sock as a baton and practise passing it to a family member while moving. Experiment with when to start running and how to hold out the hand.
Warm up properly. Before any activity, do a few minutes of jogging, high knees and arm swings together. End with a slow jog or walk and gentle stretches. It is the same routine school lessons follow, and it becomes a habit.
Keep a progress diary. Write down your child’s best results every week or two. Looking at a chart of improvement shows them that practice works and builds motivation.