Netball Girls Borough Championships Yr 5/6 – NEW DATE

Event Information

Please note the Year 6 transition date for Merton on 07.07.27, hence the new date of Friday 9th July 2027. 

Booking

• This is a Borough Championships level event.
• On the initial booking date, schools may enter either a Borough Championship or a Development Competition within each sport category.
• 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

• Schools are encouraged to select their strongest squad. School squads should be well prepared and have time to practise with the competition rules before attending this event.

Team Eligibility

• Age: Year 5/6
• GIRLS ONLY event.
• Squad size: Maximum of 8, minimum of 6 players in a squad. If your squad size is less than 6 players you will not be able to progress to a medal winning position.
• Rotation sheets may be checked at any time by MSSP staff. MSSP expects playing time to be shared amongst all players, and positions rotated for each match.

Kit & Equipment

• All schools MUST bring their own First Aid kit and first aid qualified member of staff.
• No jewellery, wrist bands/watches or hair adornments may be worn, earrings must be taped or removed.
• Fingernails must be cut short and shoe laces securely tied.
• Set of bibs, with the 5 positions initialled front and back.
• Each team must bring their own warm up netball.
• Staff may be asked to keep score during the games.

Rules

• A squad is made up of the following playing positions: Goal Shooter, Goal Attack, Centre, Goal Defence and Goal Keeper.
• Rotation sheets may be checked at any time by MSSP staff. MSSP expects playing time to be shared amongst all players, and positions rotated for each match.
• First Centre Pass or choice of ends will be decided by ‘rock, paper, scissors’.
• Teams will change shooting ends at half time if applicable.
• Each match will start and finish on the umpires whistle, which will be blown immediately after the sounding of a central bell/hooter.
• Players have 4 seconds to pass or shoot.
• Must receive centre pass in centre third.
• Players must stay within their position boundaries.
• In netball children cannot move when they are holding the ball. This is known as the footwork rule.
• A player cannot bounce the ball more than once.
• Players cannot pass or bounce the ball (see rule above) to themselves, it must touch another player or the post before they can catch it again.
• When shooting, if the ball does not make contact with the hoop or another player, the shooter cannot re-catch the ball. This will be considered a replayed ball and the opposition will re-start play with a free pass.
• If a shot is taken before the whistle has blown to end the play, and the ball goes through the net, the goal will count so long as the player released the ball from their hands before the umpire blew the whistle.
• Ball cannot be thrown over a complete Third without being touched or caught by another player. A free pass is given to the opposition to take where the infringement took place.
• When a child is holding the ball, their defender must make sure they step back at least 1 metre from the player’s landing foot. Once 1m apart the defender may use their arms/hands to block the pass or jump to intercept it.
• The defender cannot touch ‘contact’ the ball or player with their body though and they also cannot mark the player with their arms to stop them moving.
• Free pass – if a rule is broken by a player such as replayed ball, footwork, or being out of their position (such as off court with the ball or over their boundary line on court) a free pass is awarded to the other team. Any player on that team can take the pass.
• Penalty pass – if a rule is broken which involves contact, the player which broke the rule must stand next to the opposition as they take a penalty pass (anyone on the team can take the pass but the rule breaker must remain next to them, quiet and still, and cannot join back into the game until the pass has been made).
• Please be aware that England Netball no longer run their ‘High 5’ Netball Programme, and this has been replaced with ‘Bee Netball’. With Bee Netball, schools are encouraged to follow the ‘Stingers’ match play for years 5 and 6. The game remains similar to ‘High 5’ with five-a-side teams and rotating positions etc.
• The key change with the ‘Stingers’ rules is that children may now defend as they would in standard netball rules. They must maintain a distance of 1m between their own feet and the landing foot of the player in possession of the ball; but they CAN now use their arms/hands to shield/intercept the path of the ball once it is released (they cannot touch the ball while the opposition still has it in their hands though). Previously they could only make one jump to intercept.

Competition Format

• 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, head to head result (if 2 teams), sudden death shootout.
• For further info on Bee Netball in your school please visit https://www.englandnetball.co.uk/school-games/

Sport Format

• Bee Netball
• 5-a-side teams rotating positions
• standard netball court
• size 4 netball
• ring of post lowered to 9ft height
  

  

Draw Format – TBD

Awards              

• Winners: GOLD medals and certificates
• Runners Up: SILVER medal and certificates
• 3^rd Place: BRONZE medal and certificates
• REFSPECT winners – Certificate
• Participation certificates will be presented to all participants.

NGB Info

For more information on supporting this sport in your school, please visit: England Netball | Year 5/6

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.