It’s spring, so there’s no better time to give your school sports cupboard a spring clean to filter out the PE equipment that’s worn or no longer used in favour of something new.

The best place to start? The essentials.

These five items can see sports equipment stretching further, saving both storage space and budget by offering plenty of opportunities for a range of ages and abilities.

Balls 

They can be bouncy or soft, big or small, thrown, kicked or hit with a racket. Balls are a pillar of sporting activities and a piece of equipment you’ll be hard-pressed to go without. 

They’re great for children to work on gross motor skills and controlling their movement, with students able to practise catching and passing – something that also opens ample opportunities for teamwork.

The number of activities that can be created around a ball is endless, with them being used in both training exercises and competitive games.

Here are just a few ball-based sports for you to browse:

• Dodgeball
• Football
• Netball
• Handball

You may be seeing a pattern, but these only scratch the surface, games such as rugby and rounders also require a ball too. They’re a versatile piece of equipment that can be used from a child’s early years all the way to professional development in sports.

All in all, they’re well worth having in stock.

Cones

They may not be as exciting as a ball, but cones are a staple when it comes to sports equipment and will make set-up a whole lot easier.

They can be used to set boundary lines and pitches for sports matches and can be easily manoeuvred according to space and the number of participants.

What’s more, they can form the basis of an activity themselves. Getting students to perform shuttle runs between cones is not just great for a warm-up activity, it increases fitness and improves direction agility, essential for sports that require quick footwork.

Rackets 

Rackets provide a step up from the throwing and catching games that balls provide. Entering a bat or racket into the mix with games such as badminton or rounders provides a greater challenge for students in their PE lesson, working on hand-eye coordination.

Who knows, you may even inspire the next Wimbledon star!

Gymnastics mats

It would be lovely if the weather allowed outside teaching year-round, however, those rainy days provide the perfect opportunity for schools to turn their attention to flexibility, balance, coordination and control in PE.

To meet the safety requirements of gymnastic activities, soft mats are a must. They not only provide a soft spot to land when learning rolls in gymnastics, they give children the opportunity to develop confidence in their skills knowing that even if they experience a bump or a fall, they won’t get hurt.

Benches 

They’re not just for sitting. Benches are a great piece of indoor sporting equipment that many schools already have to hand, and can be used in a number of different ways. 

Games such as bench ball are great alternatives to dodgeball and netball if you’re looking to diversify your PE curriculum, and a bench introduces the excitement of contending with changing levels. 

It’s not all about team games though. Benches are a great piece of equipment that can used for children to work on their balance and upper body strength, key components for gymnastic skills.

Making the most of your equipment

Stocking up on sports equipment doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg, with careful planning a few basic tools can go a long way to delivering bountiful learning experiences.

If you are looking to invest in some new sports resources, our latest promotion will come in handy. We’ve teamed up with Davies Sports to offer all our partner schools 10% off their purchase of any school sports equipment.

Simply log into your Davies Sports account and your Premier Education discount will be automatically applied.

Having the right equipment to hand is a fantastic starting point and here at Premier Education, we can take it further by offering curricular and extracurricular support with activities designed to boost health, confidence and creativity.