STEP In PE: What Do You Need to Know About Adaptive Teaching in PE?

In modern primary school PE, the central challenge is: how do you engage every pupil, whatever their ability, background or confidence level? 

The answer lies in adaptive teaching — and one of the most widely used, practical frameworks for adaptive PE is the STEP principle.

STEP in PE is a widely-adopted framework – and something that you can easily embed in your school’s PE curriculum. It supports inclusion, progression and enjoyment of PE – and helps to ensure all children have access to PE lessons that they enjoy (we have previously covered PE accessibility here). We’ll talk about STEP in PE in a moment, but first…

What is Adaptive Teaching? Why does it matter in PE?

Adaptive teaching is an approach where you keep the same learning objectives for all children, but tailor how they engage with activities through levels of support, scaffolding, challenge, or modification. This is subtly but importantly different from traditional differentiation — instead of giving different groups totally different tasks, adaptive teaching focuses on giving everyone access to the same task, but tweaking how it is delivered or experienced.

In PE, this is especially crucial because physical tasks often magnify differences in motor skills, coordination, confidence and experience. Without adaptations, some learners may feel excluded, frustrated or left behind. 

Adaptive teaching practice helps create an inclusive environment in which children of varied movement ability, fitness or confidence can all contribute, make progress and enjoy participation in PE lessons.

What is STEP in PE?

The STEP framework is an accessible, widely adopted tool to guide adaptive teaching in physical education. STEP stands for:

• S = Space
  
• T = Task
  
• E = Equipment
  
• P = People
  

The STEP model has been popularised in PE teacher training, CPD and resource banks to support teachers in making on‑the‑fly and planned adaptations.

By reflecting on each of these four dimensions, teachers can adjust the demands (up or down) and scaffold learning so that more pupils remain actively engaged.

So how can you use each of the four elements in your PE lessons?

The Four Dimentions of STEP in PE: Practical Strategies

1. Space

You can modify where the task takes place or how big the playing/working area is.

• Shrink or expand the activity space (e.g. reduce the distance between markers).
• Divide the space into zones (e.g. safe zone, challenge zone).
• Change the shape (e.g. long narrow space vs square) to influence movement patterns.
• Use alternating spaces (e.g. rotate groups through stations of different sizes).
  

By adjusting space, you can reduce complexity or increase challenge — and manage risk, congestion or crowding.

2. Task

The heart of adaptation! You can:

• Alter rules (e.g. fewer defenders, simpler scoring).
• Modify the demands (e.g. lower repetitions, vary complexity).
• Adjust movement patterns (e.g. limit to walking instead of running).
• Scaffold with cues, sequence steps or chunk the task.
• Offer choice (e.g. different routes or levels) while keeping the same learning objective.
  

Example: in a dribbling drill, some children might dribble slowly through wide cones, others more quickly through tighter cones. The goal is the same — ball control — but the task differs in demand.

3. Equipment

Changing what pupils use in PE can dramatically shift demands.

• Use lighter or larger balls, slower-moving objects or lower-tech aids.
• Introduce alternate equipment (e.g. bigger bats, softer balls, cones instead of hoops).
• Adjust the number of pieces (e.g. one ball per pair vs one per small group).
• Vary the size, weight or texture of equipment to suit physical capability.
  

This allows each child to perform the same motion or activity but with tools suited to their level, helping them stay successful.

4. People

This dimension looks at how childen are grouped, paired or supported.

• Use partner work, small groups or individual challenges.
• Pair less confident learners with peer mentors or with more experienced pupils.
• Assign roles (leader, observer, challenger) so that everyone has a function.
• Adjust group sizes (e.g. 1:1, 2:1, 4:4) to change the challenge and support level.
  

Through purposeful grouping, you can build a framework of support, promote peer learning and also manage pacing.

How can you incorporate STEP in PE Lessons

Here’s how to embed STEP in your PE curriculum:

1. Plan with STEP in mind
   When writing your scheme or individual lesson plan, add a column or section labelled ‘STEP options’ where you note possible modifications along each dimension for that lesson.
   
2. Use live observation and formative assessment
   Monitor how pupils are engaging. If a task is too easy or too hard, you can adjust space, task, equipment or grouping mid-lesson.
   
3. Start small and build
   Don’t try to adapt everything at once. Begin by selecting one of two children (or one dimension) to support. Over time you’ll become more fluent!
   
4. Reflect and ask the class for feedback
   After lessons, ask children which version of the activity they liked the most, or what they think could be changed. Their perspectives can guide future adaptations.
   

Collaborate with colleagues
Share STEP adaptation ideas across your department. What works in basketball lessons might transfer to dance or gymnastics lessons, with suitable tweaks.

What challenges might you encounter?

While STEP is great in theory, applying it in practice comes with obstacles:

1. Time pressure
   Planning for multiple adaptations takes extra time. Here’s a solution! Keep a bank of ‘go-to’ STEP modifications for common activities.
   
2. Large class sizes
   Managing many pupils with different modifications can be chaotic. Use stations or rotational models to reduce complexity.
   
3. Assessment complexity
   Tracking who is doing which variant and their progress can be tricky. Use simple rubrics and observation notes.
   
4. Teacher confidence
   New teachers might feel unsure of how far to stretch or scaffold. Start with low-stakes tasks and build up your repertoire.
   

Addressing these challenges gradually will make STEP part of your teaching culture.

Example: STEP in a Simple Ball-Passing Drill

Learning objective: children practice chest passes and movement.

• Space: For some pairs, reduce distance between them; for others, increase it. Use ladder zones where movement is constrained.
  
• Task: Some pupils must complete 5 good passes in 30 seconds; others aim for 8 in 20 seconds. Some can bounce-pass, some chest-pass.
  
• Equipment: Use lighter or larger balls for beginners; standard balls for more confident children.
  
• People: Pair a less confident child with a more experienced one; create triads so one is a ‘feeder’ while two pass back and forth.
  

In this way, every child works on passes and movement, but the level of support or challenge differs.

Getting started with STEP in PE

STEP in PE is a practical, teachable model for inclusion, adaptation as well as challenging children enough so that they want to go further, but not pushing them beyond what they are capable of.

Using our PE lesson plans as a starting point, you can begin working on Space, Task, Equipment and People in every lesson – and ensure more children are active, progressing and confident in their physical literacy.

If you want initial guidance on adapting lesson plans to work with the STEP framework, or if you have any questions about teaching physical education in primary schools at all, talk to us! We’d love to hear from you. And good luck – we can’t wait to hear about the difference you have made!

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