Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
When Kings Banned Football: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 8
- ForYear 8
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
When Kings Banned Football is a free printable history worksheet for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13). Pupils study three sources, note down what each one reveals, then answer in full sentences. It is a screen free task that needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to the pupil and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Pupils read three historical sources about football in the Middle Ages and annotate the key words. They complete the boxes for Source A, which asks what it reveals about life in the city, and Source B, which asks what it reveals about what the king wanted. Then they answer questions in full sentences. Each answer needs evidence from the sources, so pupils must explain their thinking, not just spot a detail.
- Source A: what it reveals about life in the city
- Source B: what it reveals about what the king wanted
- Which source gives a military reason for a ban? Explain it.
- Kings banned football more than once. What might this suggest?
How to read a historical source
Ask who made it
Before reading the content, think about the person or group who created the source. Their position can shape what they chose to say.
Ask why it was made
Sources are made for a purpose. An order, a letter and a picture each aim to do a different job for their audience.
Look for what it shows directly
Underline the clear points first. Direct evidence is stated in the words. Keep these separate from your own ideas.
Make an inference
An inference is a sensible conclusion that goes beyond the words. Always add a reason, such as: I know this because the source says...
Football and the past
Football in the Middle Ages was not the organised game we know today. Games were often local and could differ from place to place. Rules were not widely written down, and many people could take part. Historians piece together what happened from the records that survive, so every source has to be read with care.
A source is anything that gives evidence about the past. It might be a written order, a letter, a picture or an object. Each source was made by someone, at a certain time, for a reason. Good historians ask who made it and why before they decide what it can tell them.
Quick history facts
- Medieval is another word for the Middle Ages, a long stretch of European history.
- Football of some kind was played in Britain long before the modern game with its written rules.
- In history, a source is any evidence from the past, such as a letter, an order or a picture.
- Historians often compare sources, because one source alone rarely gives the whole story.
- An inference is a conclusion you reach by combining clues with your own reasoning.
Skills and curriculum link
- Source inference
- Explaining causes
- Making a judgement
- Close reading
- Writing in full sentences
Ideas that help with sources
- EvidenceEvidence is something you can point to. A good answer names the evidence and then explains what it shows.
- InferenceAn inference goes one step past the words. It needs a clue from the source and a reason that links the clue to your idea.
- PurposeThink about why a source was made. A source made to instruct people can tell you different things from one made to describe events.
- JudgementA judgement is your overall view. Weigh up the evidence, then say how sure you are and why.
Key words
- SourceAnything that gives evidence about the past, such as a written order or a picture.
- MedievalFrom the Middle Ages, the long period of history after the end of Roman rule in Britain.
- EvidenceFacts or clues that you can use to support your answer.
- InferenceA conclusion you work out from clues in a source, with a reason to back it up.
- BanAn official order that stops people doing something.
- ReliableAble to be trusted. A reliable source gives evidence you can depend on.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the pupil. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the three sources aloud first. Pupils then annotate key words that seem important.
- Complete the boxes for the sources before starting the questions. Ask pupils to explain what each note shows.
- Answer the questions in full sentences. Encourage the pattern: this source shows that... I know this because...
- Check against page 2 together. Talk about any differences and come back another day to try again.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Give sentence starters: This source shows that... I know this because... Ask the pupil to point to the exact words in the source before they write. Tackle one source at a time, and say each answer aloud before writing it.
To stretch confident children
Compare how reliable each source is. Remember that orders show what rulers wanted, not always what happened. Ask pupils to decide which source they trust more, and to defend their choice with two clear reasons.
Make it a game
Debate in pairs. One pupil plays a king and one plays a village footballer. Each has to argue their case using evidence from the sources. Swap roles, then agree which argument was stronger and why.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA pupil copies a line from the source and calls it the answer.
Try thisAsk: what does this line show? Add the words I know this because... and make them explain the link.
Watch forA pupil writes only one short phrase, such as a single word, for each box.
Try thisAsk for a full sentence that uses the source's own words as evidence, then a second sentence that explains it.
Watch forA pupil treats an order as proof of what everyone did.
Try thisAsk: does an order show what people were told to do, or what they actually did? Link this to the stretch idea.
Talk about it
- What does the word evidence mean, and why do historians need it?
- Why might someone write down an order instead of just speaking it?
- How can a source tell us about people who did not write it?
- Can a source be useful even if it is not completely reliable? How?
- What would you most like to know about a medieval game of football?
- Which game or sport today do you think people argue about, and why?
Take it off the page
Source detective
Choose an object at home, such as a letter or old photograph. Ask: who made it, why, and what could someone in the future work out from it?
Write a royal order
Write a short, serious order about a modern pastime in the style of a king. Swap with someone who then writes a reply as a villager.
Rules of the game
Invent a simple ball game with no written rules. Play it, then write down what you learned about why rules matter.
Who it is for
Parents
Read the sources aloud with your child, then let them lead. You do not need to know the history. Ask: how do you know? Praise clear reasoning, and use page 2 to check the answers together.
Teachers
Use it as a starter on sources, a plenary, homework or a supply task. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support, stretch and answers, so it suits mixed ability groups and a lesson on evidence.
Home educators
Print it as one part of a wider medieval history plan. It pairs well with books, museum visits and talk about how we know about the past. You can print it again for siblings or for revision.
Where this fits in history learning
Before this sheet, pupils will have met the idea that historians use sources to learn about the past. They will have practised sequencing events and describing change over time. This worksheet builds on that by asking pupils to infer and explain.
After it, pupils can move on to judging how reliable sources are and comparing different accounts of the same period. At Key Stage 3 these strands of evidence, cause and judgement keep growing, and they prepare pupils for source enquiries later in school.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is When Kings Banned Football for?
It is written for Year 8 (ages 12 to 13), in Key Stage 3. It also works as a source skills task for confident Year 7 pupils or as revision for Year 9.
- What will pupils practise?
Pupils practise reading historical sources for evidence and judging how far sport has been linked to power and order in medieval history. They infer, explain causes and make a judgement, all in full sentences.
- How do I use it?
Read the three sources aloud first. Pupils annotate key words, complete the boxes, then answer the questions. Check against page 2, and talk through any answers that differ from the notes.
- What if it feels too hard?
Give sentence starters such as: This source shows that... I know this because... Work on one source at a time and ask the pupil to point to the exact words that support their idea.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision a few weeks later.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 includes support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Pupils only need a pencil to annotate the sources and write their answers.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.