Rounders

Rounders has a long and prolific history in PE and school sport, and has been part of School Games since its inception.

Rounders is a fully inclusive sport that can be played by all genders, abilities, and age groups. It is easy to learn and highly adaptable. For primary children, it builds fundamental physical and social skills in a fun way. For secondary students, it provides a foundation for more tactical, skilful, and competitive play. It is an opportunity to engage all young people in sport and is an ideal sport for development competitions in the School Games - plus it’s really enjoyable!

Primary formats

The Rounders Fest Primary format introduces children to the basic skills of rounders using activity stations alongside a fun rounders tournament. Children will take part in the activity station during their rest time from the tournament.

These activities help to develop children’s core skills and create a personal challenge for each child:

• Bullseye – to help improve children’s throwing skills
• Keepy Uppy – to give further practice at developing hand-eye coordination
• Batting Bash – to help children start to develop their directional hitting.

Secondary formats

Similar to the Primary format, the Rounders Fest Secondary format further develops children of all abilities' striking and fielding skills, whilst giving them the experience and thrill of a rounders tournament:

• Speed and Agility Station – challenge the children in a team situation
• Bowling Accuracy – help the children develop different styles of bowling
• Crazy Catch Challenge – help the children build their reaction skills.

Sensory formats

Co-designed with Sense, Sensory Rounders reimagines the way traditional rounders is delivered to ensure disabled people with complex needs can engage in an inclusive, engaging, and person-centred way. Students can participate in Sensory Rounders formats through the activities provided and have the opportunity to participate in three types of adapted competition formats:

• Sensory Rounder festivals
• Tee Ball competitions
• Virtual Sensory Sport programmes

Equipment needed

• Indoor space (can include a sports hall)
• Outdoor school yard or sports field
• Rounders bats (e.g. wooden, plastic, or aluminium) and variations of bats, paddle bats, tennis rackets, flat bats, etc.
• Balls (e.g. rounders, tennis balls, larger balls, audible balls)
• Cones/markers/posts
• Crazy catch net/reaction balls
• Hoops

If schools wish to buy Rounders England-approved equipment, they can do so via their web shop.