Booking
- This is a Borough Championships event.
- Open to all primary schools in the Borough, however, due to there being a limited number of places available, please book early.
- Schools may book onto this event on:
- Monday 15th September 2025 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 Borough Championships event.
- 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 3/4
- Mixed gender event.
- Squad Size: Minimum: 4 players (2 boys 2 girls). Maximum: 6 (3 boys 3 girls)
Kit & Equipment
- All schools MUST bring their own First Aid kits 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.
- Please bring appropriate Tennis rackets and Red tennis practise balls.
- Tennis Match balls will be provided.
Staffing and Spectators
Spectators will not be permitted entry to 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.
Sport Format
- Width of court.
- Tennis matches.
- Red Ball competition rules.
Rules
- Players should be seeded 1 and 2, with the higher ability player seeded 1.
- Once the team has commenced playing a rubber there may be no substitution even in the case of injury.
- However, a reserve can be fielded for subsequent matches in the place of an injured or ill player.
- Reserves must be a like-for-like gender swap and the higher ability player must take the player number 1 role.
- The serve is decided by a ‘toss’ at the start of the rubber. The nominated person serves for the first point; it then alternates every 2 points.
- When serving, players should stand behind the baseline – the ball must not be bounced before being hit.
- Players are allowed a second serve if the first is not successful.
- Serves must be done diagonally and can be hit over or under-arm.
- Matches can be the first to 10 points or played on a timed basis where all matches start and finish on the sound of a whistle.
- Played on badminton sized courts, however, Mini Tennis courts can also be marked out on standard tennis courts.
- Mini Tennis nets (height of 80cm in the middle).Simple numbered scoring is used i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4 etc (instead of traditional tennis scoring (15, 30, 40 etc)
- Games that finish level at the end of the game time will be determined by a deciding point.
- Matches will finish either: 4-0, 3-1 or 2-2.
Competition Format
- Match format: 4 rubbers: Boy 1 v Boy 1 Singles, Boy 2 v Boy 2 Singles, Girl 1 v Girl 1 Singles, Girl 2 v Girl 2 Singles.
- Games: timed – 5 minutes.
Draw Format
- Round Robin Box Leagues. Box League winners will be calculated by total rubbers won.
- In the event of a tie in Box league positions the following will decide the positions: Total points won (all matches), Points difference (i.e. subtracting total points against from total points scored), finally result of the match between the two teams tied.
- All teams will progress to a second stage of knockout competition according to their placement in the first round.
Seeding
- All teams will proceed to a quarter-final, a semi-final and a final to determine the Final Standings. Final pool standings will be determined from results. Winners of the pools will take top seed of their pool, 2nd take 2nd seed of their pool, etc.
Awards
- Winners: GOLD medal, certificates and Trophy.
- Runners Up: SILVER medal and certificates
- 3rd Place: BRONZE medal and certificates
- 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
- TBC
NGB Info
- For more information on supporting this sport in your school, please visit: https://www.lta.org.uk/compete/junior/
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 always be with the school team (including travel) to tend to their children during the event.
Team-sheets
To help us support our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion aims, all school teams must complete and submit the attached MSSP Event Entry – EDI Team sheet to register for this event. We do not require the children’s names, just initials or first names are fine. This data is vital to help us improve equity and access for all. We want all Merton students to be able to represent their schools in activities they enjoy and, in an environment, where they feel a sense of belonging. The data you provide us will help us to review and improve our offer as we strive to achieve this.
Risk Assessments
Please see the Risk Assessment in the ‘Resources’ section on the event webpage for event specific planning and considerations.
mertonssp.org.uk/competitions
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.
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.
For more information about REFSPECT and codes of conduct for attendance at our events, please click here
mertonssp.org.uk/refspect
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: instagram.com/mertonssp
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.
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
mertonssp.org.uk/contact
Comments, Compliments and Complaints
MSSP aims to deliver a first-class service to all 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
mertonssp.org.uk/comments-compliments-and-complaints