Adaptive Padel Drills School Sports Day

Purpose Built Padel Court Not Required To get Started

A purpose-built padel court is not required or a barrier to start learning padel.
School Padel is adaptive to existing school spaces; including playgrounds, sports halls and MUGAs by using
portable equipment, temporary markings and suitable walls to introduce genuine padel skills and experiences.
Padel Drills then enable pupils to develop the main strokes, including the lob, before progressing to rebound play and adapted
match situations. An adaptive approach also caters for irregular events such as a school sports day.

The core framework follows four simple steps:

Adapt the space. Learn the skills. Introduce the rebound. Play the game.

Core Capabilities of Adaptive Padel Delivery

• Adapt Existing Spaces: Playgrounds, sports halls, MUGAs, and other suitable areas become effective learning environments without permanent infrastructure.
• Portable & Minimal Equipment: Temporary nets, floor spots, drop lines, and existing court markings build dynamic activity areas. Some fundamental activities do not require a physical net at all.
• Learn Core Shots: Adapted drills introduce fundamental padel strokes and skills, including forehands, backhands, volleys, serves, ball control, and the lob.
• Introduce Rebound Play: Where a flat, smooth wall is available, pupils learn one of padel’s defining skills: reading and playing the ball off a rebound.
• Progress to Match Play: Adapted games combine strokes, positioning, teamwork, rebounds, and tactical decision-making before pupils step onto a full padel court

From School Space to Padel: Practical Solutions

School Challenge	School Padel Approach	Learning Outcome
No padel court	Adapt existing indoor and outdoor spaces	Pupils begin learning padel immediately
No permanent net	Deploy portable equipment and adapted formats	More school spaces become usable
No glass court	Utilize suitable existing brick or smooth walls	Introduce authentic rebound skills
Mixed abilities	Adjust equipment, space, and challenge levels	Fully inclusive participation
Large classes	Set up multiple activity zones and small playing areas	Maximise active participation for all pupils

The Adaptive Padel Pathway

Strokes → Rallies → Rebound → Tactics → Match Play

Pupils begin with accessible racket-and-ball activities before progressing through the skills that make padel unique. Suitable walls introduce rebound play, while adapted court and match formats allow pupils to practice tactical decision-making without requiring a regulation court.

Adaptive Games Library

School Padel uses a growing library of games and challenges to turn technical learning into engaging activity:

• Rally and control challenges
• Target accuracy games
• Lob technique challenges
• Wall rebound activities
• Attack-and-defend game scenarios
• Adapted match play formats

Activities are tailored to age, ability, group size, and available facilities. The goal is to teach transferable padel skills and decision-making in an environment that works for your school.

Programme Development & Coaching Expertise

This adaptive programme was developed by Jordan Wadsworth, a PE specialist and BPCA-qualified padel coach. School Padel combines practical PE teaching experience with specialist coaching knowledge to make the sport accessible within existing school environments.

Ready to Bring Padel to Your School?

No padel court? No problem. A sports hall, playground, or MUGA is all you need to start.

Contact Jordan Wadsworth today to discuss PE PPA cover, teacher CPD workshops, or sample lesson plans for your school.