Coach's Guide to England Netball Bee Netball Years 1-6 (Ages 5-11) 2026/27

To be covered by England Netball's insurance to lead Bee Netball, you must be an active Personal Member who either:

• holds an England Netball Level 2 (or Level 3) coaching qualification, or
• has attended a face-to-face Bee Leader training course (the Bee Leader Award includes a 4-hour in-person workshop and assessment).

England Netball's ratio guidance also states that, for Bee Netball, a Level 2 coach isn't needed when a trained Bee Leader is present.

Teachers who deliver netball in school are usually covered by the school's insurance. A teacher with only the Bee Leader Certificate (Teacher) can work as a Bee Leader only in a school. To deliver in a community club, they need the Bee Leader Award, because it includes an in-person assessment.

DBS

• Anyone in regulated activity with children (for example, regularly coaching children) must have an England Netball DBS check, done through England Netball's umbrella body, First Advantage. It must be renewed every 3 years, even if you already have a check through work or other volunteering.
• From 1 September 2026, England Netball requires a DBS check for anyone in regular contact with children, even if supervised. This mainly affects Level 1 coaches, session leaders and team managers.
• One England Netball check covers all your roles and all your clubs.
• If you deliver in a school, follow your employer's requirements.

Safeguarding and first aid: anyone leading netball in a community setting must hold a safeguarding certificate and a first aid certificate, as well as the DBS check where the activity is regulated.

England Netball's ratios for club and community delivery:

• At least two responsible adults must be present for any session with under-18s.
• Parents don't count towards the ratio unless they are also club volunteers. Volunteers who do count need a DBS check in the usual way.
• A Bee Leader who is under 18 can't be included in the ratio.
• With a mixed age group, use the lower ratio (for example, 1:6 if any children are 8 or under).
• England Netball recommends no more than 30 participants on one full-size court. All activity must pass a satisfactory risk assessment, and you should add supervision if the risk assessment calls for it.

• Court: ideally a third of a full-size court, roughly 12 m x 8 m up to 15 m x 10 m. No specific markings are needed, just a centre circle (a floor spot will do).
• Posts: 2.44 m (8 ft), placed at the middle point of each end. Shorten adjustable posts to that height. If a post is a fixed length, lower the ring instead. You can use an alternative target, such as a floor spot, if needed.
• Ball: size 4.
• Squad: up to 6 players, with 4 on court. There are no positions; use bibs to tell the teams apart.
• Mixed squads: a maximum of 2 boys on court at any time.
• Game time: rotate the players at every break so they get fair game time.
• Safety: check the court and surrounding area are level, free from hazards and secured from general public access.

England Netball's simplified rules for Fliers (Years 3-4):

Do

• Start the game with one player passing from the centre circle or spot. The other players can be anywhere.
• Pass the ball to any teammate within 4 seconds.
• When you have the ball you can take a step, but then you must stand still.
• Award a throw-in to the opposition if the ball or a player goes outside the court.
• Alternate centre passes between the teams after each goal.
• Intercept a pass by jumping to catch the ball, staying at least 0.9 m away.

Don't

• Score a goal without the ball being passed at least once after a centre pass.
• Kick the ball, or pass while sitting or lying on the ground.
• Play the ball when you or the ball are outside the court.
• Defend or intercept by hitting the ball out of someone's hands, or by jumping up and down directly in front of a player.

• Court: 20 m x 10 m up to a full-size court (30.5 m x 15.25 m), with normal netball markings. On smaller courts, keep the centre circle and shooting circles full size.
• Posts: 2.74 m (9 ft), placed at the middle point of each end. Shorten adjustable posts to that height. If a post is a fixed length, lower the ring instead. Where non-regulation posts are used, any padding should extend as high up the pole as possible.
• Ball: size 4.
• Squad: up to 9 players, with 5 on court: GS, GA, C, GD and GK (no WA or WD).
• Mixed squads: a maximum of 2 boys on court at any time.
• Game time: quarters or halves, depending on ability, rotating players at every break.
• Safety: check the court and surrounding area are level, free from hazards and secured from general public access.

England Netball's simplified rules for Stingers (Years 5-6):

Do

• Split games into quarters or halves, depending on ability.
• Pass the ball to any teammate within 4 seconds.
• When you receive the ball, try to stand still.
• Award a throw-in to the opposition if the ball or a player goes outside the court, or if a player goes offside (into a court area their position isn't allowed in).
• Alternate centre passes between the teams after each goal.
• Mark players and intercept a pass by jumping to catch the ball, staying at least 0.9 m away.

Don't

• Score a goal unless the ball has been received first in the centre third and then in the goal third.
• Kick the ball, or pass while sitting or lying on the ground.
• Bounce the ball.
• Play the ball when you or the ball are outside the court.
• Play a ball straight after dropping or throwing it yourself.
• Defend or intercept by hitting the ball out of someone's hands.

The Fliers and Stingers rules both say to rotate players at every break so they get fair game time. Children rotate through positions as well as on and off court.

England Netball's Stingers rotation sheet has a simple method for a squad of 5 or 6 (with a maximum of 2 boys):

1. After each period, the children line up in this order: GA, GD, C, GS, GK, OFF.
2. They pass their bibs down the line. The child who was off moves to the front and comes on at GA, and the GK comes off.
3. With only 5 players, the GK moves to the front and becomes GA.
4. If you have 3 boys, skip any rotation that would put all three on court together and go back to the first rotation.

Use this for lessons, club practice and intra-school competition. For competition outside your club or school, England Netball recommends a squad of 7 or more. That gives children proper rest, plus time in off-court roles such as team leader, umpire or rotation checker.

Buzzers (ages 5-7) is Stage 1 of England Netball's Under 11s framework. It focuses on physical literacy and exploring the game, not on matches.

• Game format: co-operative activities in groups of 4, progressing to groups of 6, and competitive activities in 3 v 1 and 2 v 2, progressing to 4 v 2 and 3 v 3.
• Skills: movement (running, jumping, hopping, skipping, landing on one and two feet), balance, and object control (catching, sending, rolling, bouncing).
• Personal and social goals: trying something new, taking turns, working with a partner and then a small group, and responding to start and stop cues without a whistle.
• Game understanding: recognising space and moving towards a "goal", which are early invasion-game ideas.

The intended outcome is enjoyment of physical activity and an awareness of the game.

Yes. Primary school PE providers, specialist PE organisations, PPA cover providers and after-school clubs can deliver Bee Netball in schools. Every deliverer must have completed the right Bee Leader training. It's the school's decision which qualification it accepts: the Bee Leader Certificate (Teacher), the Certificate (Coach) or the Award.

Insurance:

• England Netball's insurance does not cover primary school PE providers. They need their own insurance, or must operate under the school's insurance if the school agrees.
• England Netball's insurance does cover appropriately trained members of an England Netball-affiliated club who deliver Bee Netball in a school as part of a school-club partnership. That cover depends on following England Netball's guidance and ratios.

When netball is delivered by school staff during school time, the school's own ratios and policies apply.