Football: Inclusive Festival KS2

Event Information

PART ONE: 10:00 – 11.30 | Mini football skills and drills – station based. Non-contact/non-invasion game.

PART TWO: 12 noon – 14:00 | 6-a-side matches across a Yr 3/4 group of teams and a Yr 5/6 group of teams. 

Please note that for this event this year each team should be made up of either Year 3/4 participants OR Year 5/6 participants.

When booking onto this event, please signify in the comments box if you are planning to enter a Yr 3/4 team or a Yr 5/6 team.

Booking

• This is a Inclusive Festival level event.
• If an event reaches capacity, schools will be placed on a waiting list and advised accordingly. MSSP will contact schools if places become available in the lead up to the event.

Event Eligibility

• This is an Inclusive Festival event with an emphasis on fun, participation and getting active.
• This event will be on a Astro 4G surface.
• We endeavour to design our Festivals to be accessible and enjoyable for SEND participants. Please let us know if you plan to bring children with either communication and interaction needs, cognition and learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health difficulties or sensory and physical needs. We will be mindful when shaping our festivals to amend activities to suit any participants with these needs and impairments.
• Specific SEND inclusivity details on how we approach each of our inclusive festivals and competitions can be found via our Inclusion page on this site.

 Team Eligibility 

• Age: KS2
• (Year 3/4 team OR Year 5/6 team) 
• Mixed gender event.
• Squad Size: Maximum of 10 players in a squad.
• Pupils with SEND or those identified as the least active should be prioritised by schools when selecting a squad.
• 6 players on the pitch at any time (one of which will be the goal keeper).

Kit & Equipment

• All schools MUST bring their own First Aid kit and first aid qualified member of staff.
• Please provide own warm up balls. Match balls are provided.  
• Trainers/Astro and moulded boots are allowed. No metal blades or studded boots will be permitted.
• Shin pads are compulsory.
• Players of the same team should wear the same colour tops/bibs.
• No jewellery, baseball caps etc.
• It is advised that if eyewear is essential, it should be made from plastic rather than glass.

Rules

• Heading is no longer permitted at Merton SSP football events due to NGB guidance. 
• First team on pitch will take kick-off. Or Rock-Paper-Scissors if both ready to determine who starts.  
• A goal cannot be scored direct from a kick-off. 
• After a goal is scored there will be a restart with a centre kick by the team who did not score the goal.  
• Goalkeepers can only handle the ball in the penalty area.
• The goalkeeper may leave the goal area however a freekick kick will be awarded against the keeper if they handle the ball outside this area.
• When the goalkeeper takes a goal kick all opposing players must retreat back to the centre/half-way line.
• The goalkeeper cannot kick the ball from hand or drop the ball from hand to kick.
• Overhead or underarm throws can be made for any re-introduction to play EXCEPT corners, where the ball is placed and kicked in. Such action would result in a loss of possession to the opposition to restart the game using the correct method.
• Opposition players must be five yards away from where corners and throw-ins are taken.
• Pass-backs to the Goalkeeper are not allowed.
• If the Goalkeeper picks up a pass from their own player, a direct free kick will be awarded from one metre outside the penalty area in line with the position of the infringement.
• Outfield players are permitted in the goal area.
• All free kicks are direct. A goal can be scored straight from a freekick. But not a central restart.
• The ball is allowed overhead height.
• The taking of ANY penalties will be subject to the ‘one step’ rule.
• The ‘roll-on-roll-off’ rule applies to substitutions.
• Substitutions can only be made during stoppages in play and with the approval of the referee.
• Children must not slide tackle. A free-kick may be awarded if the referee deems a player to be sliding regardless of if contact is made with the ball or not.
• No off-sides and all general FA rules apply.

New Format 

• The day will be divided into two parts.
• The morning will consist of football-based multi-skill stations and games to encourage maximum participation and fun for all.
• For the afternoon, teams will be placed into like-ability groups to take part in friendly 6-a-side football matches.
• There will be no results recorded for this event.
• Please let MSSP know the age group you intend to bring as well as any specific needs of the children. This will help us design the event to enable children to play with similar ability teams.

Draw Format

• Teams will be randomly drawn for the morning skills and stations.
• Teams will then be assigned groups dependant on their age group and ability for the football matches in the afternoon.

Awards

• REFSPECT winners – Certificate.
• Participation certificates will be presented to all participants.

Results 

• The event report will be available on the news webpage within 24 hours of the event ending. 

Progression Pathway 

• There is no planned pathway from this event.

Staffing and Spectators – IMPORTANT INFORMATION

• Due to a range of safeguarding concerns, spectators will not be permitted entry at any MSSP events as of 8th October 2025.
• Primary schools must inform parents in advance when inviting students to take part.
• All staff attending the event must have enhanced DBS clearance and have been fully vetted by their primary school.
• DBS numbers, full name and school photo ID will be required in advance by the host school for events on school sites.
• Upon arrival, all staff members must sign a Code of Conduct form to confirm their intent to support the safeguarding of children at MSSP events.
• Staff must complete a team-sheet ready for registration.
• Staff may be asked to keep score during the games.

NGB Info

• For more information on supporting this sport in your school, please visit http://www.esfa.co.uk/

MSSP Duty of Care

At Merton School Sport Partnership, the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of every participant is our highest priority. Our Duty of Care framework outlines the measures we take to ensure all events are safe, enjoyable and accessible, covering key areas including safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, risk assessments, medical provision, codes of conduct, photography and data protection.

We ask all schools, staff, volunteers and participants to familiarise themselves with these expectations before attending MSSP events.

For full details, please download the MSSP Duty of Care document or visit the relevant section of our website HERE for further guidance, policies and event information.