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Year 10
Edexcel

Serving long and short

I can accurately perform long and short serves with variety and deception.

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New
New
Year 10
Edexcel

Serving long and short

I can accurately perform long and short serves with variety and deception.

Download all resources

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Move: the serve requires a solid stance with dominant foot forwards and weight transfer to apply power.
  2. Move: releasing the shuttle with good timing, as the racket hand wrist flicks to apply speed, maximises consistency.
  3. Think: analysing serves with a focus on keeping them low over the net prevents interceptions and reduces response time.
  4. Feel: focus and composure before every serve helps improve accuracy.
  5. Connect: providing a target for others to aim their serve at and counting successful attempts will motivate performance.

Keywords

  • Forehand - a shot made by swinging on the same side of your body as your dominant hand; the right side for right-handed players

  • Backhand - a shot made by swinging the racket across your body; for right-handed players this means swinging on the left side

  • Tramlines - the areas at the side and back of the court that are used for doubles

Common misconception

Having index finger up the back of the racket to try to control the racket in a pan handled grip.

Ensure all fingers are wrapped in a shake hands grip to unlock the ability to hit with more power even if it feels harder initially. Watch out for others making this mistake with their grip and correct them when you see it.


To help you plan your year 10 physical education lesson on: Serving long and short, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Establishing courts of similar ability in this first lesson enables learners to be challenged at an appropriate level and small groups to be responsible for court set up and tidy up. If your group size is too big for 4 per court, additional pupils can officiate/coach and rotate.
Teacher tip

Equipment

1 badminton racket each, at least a shuttlecock between 2 but ideally more, hoops for targets.

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).

Starter quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
If the shuttle hits the line as it lands in badminton, what does this mean?
Correct answer: it’s in
it’s out
replay point
Q2.
Serving in singles in badminton uses which tramlines?
Correct answer: long and thin
short and fat
long and fat
Q3.
If you win the point in singles, who serves next?
your opponent
Correct answer: you do
your partner
Q4.
Hitting the shuttle on which side of the body describes a forehand for a right handed player?
the left
Correct answer: the right
it depends

Exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
What shot is your opponent likely to play if you serve high and close to the net?
Correct Answer: a smash, smash
Q2.
Why should you pause just prior to serving?
Correct answer: focus and composure
to confuse opponent
to decide shot
Q3.
If you start the rally with a low serve, where on the court should you be planning to hit your next shot?
Correct Answer: the back, back, rear
Q4.
What happens if you make contact with the shuttle above your waist on the serve?
Correct Answer: it's a fault, lose the point, you lose point, fault, your opponent

Additional material

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