New
New
Lesson 4 of 6
  • Year 5

Volley

I can perform a volley under control by 'blocking' the ball and understand when and why a volley is used in a rally.

Lesson 4 of 6
New
New
  • Year 5

Volley

I can perform a volley under control by 'blocking' the ball and understand when and why a volley is used in a rally.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: a successful volley requires hitting the ball with power before it bounces.
  2. Move: using a bvolley the ball towards space away from our opponent increases our chances of success.
  3. Think: understanding the importance of hitting a volley into space helps increase our chances of winning rallies.
  4. Feel: striving to improve our volley technique even when we make mistakes show excellent self-motivation.
  5. Connect: treating others as we would like to be treated shows we are respectful when playing against our opponents.

Keywords

  • Volley - a shot in which the ball is struck before it hits the ground

  • Opponent - a person or team we are playing against in a game situation

  • Technique - the way in which a skill is performed

Common misconception

Pupils often swing their racket at the ball generating too much power when hitting a volley. Pupils hit the volley with their feet square to the net rather than side on.

The volley technique involves blocking the ball rather than swinging the racket back to hit the volley. Pupils should step into the volley so their bodies turn to the side when they hit a volley.


To help you plan your year 5 physical education lesson on: Volley, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Encourage pupils to hit a forehand volley with one hand on the racket. The backhand volley can be performed with two hands for more control. Make sure pupils are not too close to the net so they have enough time to react and move their feet to be able to hit an accurate volley.
Teacher tip

Equipment

1 tennis racket per pupil, 1 tennis ball per pupil (or alternative), 30+ cones of different colours, 20 hoops or alternative

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - physical activity

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What are you demonstrating when you congratulate your partner for playing a good shot in tennis?

patience
Correct answer: respect
tactics

Q2.
If the ball travels towards our body, what do we need to do to prepare to hit a shot?

turn around
Correct answer: move our feet
stand still

Q3.
What are you showing when you try your best to hit a backhand shot even when you find it hard?

Correct answer: self-motivation
communication
trust

Q4.
If we hit a backhand shot, which hand should be at the top of the grip?

either hand
dominant hand
Correct answer: non-dominant hand

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

4 Questions

Q1.
What direction should we hit the ball when we play a volley shot?

Correct Answer: downwards, down

Q2.
When we hit a volley, what action are we trying to use?

Correct answer: block
swing
bounce

Q3.
If you hit a volley on the right side of your body, what do you do with your left foot when you hit the ball?

step backwards
step sidewards
Correct answer: step forwards

Q4.
When you communicate well and play by the rules against your opponent in tennis, what are you demonstrating?

recklessness
Correct answer: respect
resourcefulness