5 Tips for PE Teachers Starting the New School Year

5 Tips for PE Teachers Starting the New School Year

Starting a new school year as a PE teacher is exciting, but getting pupils re-energised and back into a routine can also feel like a big task. The first few weeks are the perfect time to help children settle back into school by planning engaging lessons that set the tone for the months ahead. Whether you’re looking for ways to boost kids’ PE motivation, find fun autumn-themed PE games, or organise your curriculum, these tips will help you start strong.

1. Help Children Settle Back Into School Life

Kick off your back-to-school PE lessons with familiar, low-pressure activities that build confidence. Simple warm-ups and cooperative games can help pupils reconnect with classmates and feel comfortable being active again. Our Connection Board Game is a great way to ease children back into the learning environment through meaningful conversations with friends.

2. Motivate Children After the Summer Break

Boost kids’ PE motivation by mixing up your first lessons with fun challenges and quick wins. Introduce short, high-energy games and praise effort to remind them how good it feels to move and succeed together. Some examples can be found in our Fun PE Warm-Up Games document.

3. Plan Your Curriculum Early

Take time now to map out your PE curriculum for the whole year. Balance core skill areas with seasonal activities and leave room to adapt as you assess pupils’ progress. Check out our curriculum mapping tool at The PE Hub to see what this looks like.

4. Try an Autumn-Themed PE Game: Leaf Relay

Celebrate the new season with an autumn-themed PE game like Leaf Relay. To play this game:

• Split the class into 5 teams, each in a single line behind a cone in a relay formation.
• Scatter beanbags or cones as ‘leaves’ around the playing area.
• The challenge is for teams to gather as many ‘leaves’ as possible for their team.
• They must go one at a time, collect a leaf, and bring it back to their team in a relay format.
• The winning team has the most ‘leaves’ after all have been collected.

5. Get Creative With Harvest Tag

Add a twist to tag games with Harvest Tag.

• Split the class into 4 teams. Each team has a hoop for their harvest.
• Select 2 players to be the taggers, who start in the middle.
• Spread a range of ‘harvest’ around the playing area. This might include beanbags, small soft balls and quoits.
• One at a time, the children leave their hoop and run to ‘harvest’ one piece of equipment, which they then bring back to their team.
• If the taggers manage to tag a player holding some ‘harvest,’ they must drop it immediately and return to the hoop, and the next player can go.
• If a player returns to their hoop with some ‘harvest’, they drop it into their hoop and the next player.
• The winning team is the one with the biggest ‘harvest’.
• Play again, swapping the taggers each time.