AM session: 09:45am – 11:45am
PM session: 12pm – 2pm
When signing up for this event, in the comments box, please indicate which session you would prefer to attend. Although we cannot guarantee your preference, we will do our best to accommodate this. You will be expected to arrive 15 minutes before your allocated session start time.
Booking
- This is a Development Festival event.
- Booking is available to schools on the initial booking date of:
- Monday 16th September 2024 at 5pm
- If an event is full, schools will be placed on a waiting list and be notified of this.
- MSSP will contact schools should places become available in the build-up to events.
Event Eligibility
- This is a Development event.
- The intent and principles of the festival have been designed to support pupils learning of the different activities and not be restricted by enforcement of the rules. We anticipate that many children may not have attended one of our sports events before and aim for children to learn more about the sports and skills throughout the day.
Team Eligibility
- Age: Year 3/4
- Girls Only
- 5-a-side Football Event
- Squad Size: Suggested 8 players in a squad
- 5 players on the pitch at any time (one of which will be the goal keeper)
Requirements – Teamsheets
Kit & Equipment
- All schools MUST provide their own First Aid kit along with a 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.
- Jewellery must be removed.
- It is advised that if eyewear is essential, it should be made from plastic rather than glass.
- The competition will be played on Astro-grass pitches with the dimensions of 30 x 40 yards.
- The penalty spot will be at 6.5 yards and a 1m rule in place for players to strike the ball from within.
- A size 3 match ball will be used. Schools should provide their own balls for warm up.
Staffing and Spectators
- Spectators will be permitted but must remain behind touchline barrier at all times.
- All staff attending the event must have enhanced DBS clearance and have been fully vetted by their primary school. DBS numbers.
- Staff will be asked to keep score during the games.
- At public sites such as parks we will section off an area for the public where parents that are not with the school party may spectate from.
- On any school sites: Spectators will not be permitted entry to any school/private sports facilities. 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 will be required in advance by the host school.
Rules
- Teams must be ready to play within two minutes before scheduled kick off time. Rock-Paper-Scissors to be played between captains to decide who kicks off.
- 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 players must be outside the goal area.
- The goalkeeper cannot kick the ball from hand or drop the ball from hand to kick.
- Overhead 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.
- All free kicks are direct. Free kicks must be taken from where the offence was committed, opponents must be 5 yards from the ball. A goal can be scored straight from a freekick. (But not a central restart.)
- 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.
- The goalkeeper must introduce the ball into play from either rolling the ball or playing it from the floor.
- During a goal kick the retreat line rule will be in play. Any player from the defending team can kick the ball from any point within the penalty area to introduce the ball back in play. Opponents must retreat to their own half until the ball is in play. The ball is in play when it is kicked directly out of the penalty area.
- Outfield players are permitted in the goal area. Players can move anywhere on the pitch.
- 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. Any number of substitutes, without being named, may be used at any time with the permission of the referee. A player who has been replaced may return to the playing area as a substitute for another player.
- 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.
- There is no offside.
Competition Format
- Development group matches against as many other teams as time permits.
- No results will be recorded but teams may tally their wins and points if they wish.
- Points awarded are: 3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss.
- Group placing determined by: points accrued, goal difference, goals scored.
Draw Format
- Each match will be 8 minutes with no half time.
- There will be a 2-minute break between group matches.
- First stage is round robin groups.
Awards
- REFSPECT winners – Certificate
- Participation certificates will be presented to all participants
Results
- Results and event report will be available on the news webpage within 24 hours of the event ending.
Winner’s Pathway
- There is no competitive pathway for this event. A REFSPECT winning school will be selected to represent Merton should they wish at the London Youth Games – Football Skills Develop event.
NGB Info
- For more information on supporting this sport in your school, please visit http://www.esfa.co.uk/
MSSP Duty of Care
MSSP have a duty to take all measures that are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure the health, safety, wellbeing and welfare of all participants and any other attendees involved in the relevant event. MSSP have tried to ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken in its duty of care being discharged, and to the requisite standard of care, MSSP have ensured the following guidance and actions have been adhered to and carried out:
- That the advice of the UK Government and public health authorities has been followed
- That the bespoke guidance and protocols issued by the relevant NGB, federation and/or umbrella organisation (if applicable) have been followed.
Safeguarding and DBS
MSSP acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and the requirements of the Partnership’s host organisation, the Harris Federation.
We recognise that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances. We aim to ensure that regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, socio-economic background, all children and young leaders:
- have a positive and enjoyable experience of sport or physical activity at MSSP events in a safe and child centred environment
- are protected from abuse whilst participating or officiating at MSSP events
All MSSP staff at the event are fully vetted and enhanced DBS checked. It is the schools’ responsibility to ensure any staff and volunteers who attend the event comply with the host venue safeguarding and welfare policy and can provide documentation to support this on request.
Spectators will not be permitted entry to school/private sports facilities and should be informed of this when letters are sent to parents. In order to safeguard children at our events, we will only allow entry to parents if they have been DBS checked and vetted through safer recruitment procedures and authorised to attend by your school. The school will maintain responsible for them at all times. At public sites such as parks we will section off an area for the public where parents that are not with the school party may spectate from.
For more information regarding MSSP’s safeguarding, please click here
If you have any concerns about a child at our event please make sure you say something. The MSSP safeguarding team contact details will be on display at all events or for more information on who to speak to please click here
Please see attached Risk Assessment in the ‘Resources’ sections for event specific planning and considerations.
REFSPECT
MSSP values the contributions by all those involved in making our events a FUN, safe and enjoyable environment for children to take part in sport. To ensure our events continue to be successful we promote our REFSPECT campaign. We expect everyone attending our events to maintain respect for the rules, officials, opponents, teammates and themselves. Only designated staff and volunteers will be allowed on the side-lines. All spectators are to remain behind the barriers, providing positive support and encouraging a fun and fair event.
For more information about REFSPECT and codes of conduct for attendance at our events, please click here
If any staff, adults or children are deemed to be in breach of our REFSPECT codes of conduct they will be asked to leave the event and the Head Teacher of the relevant school will be informed immediately.
Photo Consent
Photographs will be taken at this event by staff members from MSSP and may be used for promotional material. If you have any children that do not have permission to be photographed, please inform a member of staff before the start of the event.
Please ensure your school only take photographs of their own students and do not share any photos of other children on social media without consent from that school.
Social Media
For information and updates from our events, please follow and use the platforms below.
Email: info@mertonssp.org.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mertonssp
First Aid
MSSP will have a basic first aid kit and qualified person at all events but will not be available to tend to less urgent first aid, as they will be delivering the event. As part of the school’s risk assessment a qualified first aider should be with the school team at all times (including travel) to tend to their children during the event.
Comments, Compliments and Complaints
MSSP aims to deliver a first-class service to all of its stakeholders. We see all feedback, whether good or bad, as a valuable way for us to learn and improve. Therefore, we welcome all comments, compliments and complaints. For further details, please click here