Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Southway Primary School, where their Year 6 pupils have been running Taskmaster Club this term.
I was there to learn more about a collaborative project they’re planning with their neighbouring secondary school, TRS, and it’s an idea that’s simple but could well be extremely impactful. Older pupils from TRS will take on leadership roles, running Taskmaster Club sessions for the younger pupils and modelling collaborative teamwork and communication. It’s peer-led, it’s practical, and it’s the kind of initiative that quietly builds confidence in all age groups. I can’t wait to see what happens next and the ripple effect it has across both schools.
But that wasn’t the highlight of the visit.
The Teacher Who Introduced Me to the “Secret Task”
While speaking with a teacher who has been running Taskmaster Club with Post-16 pupils, she shared an adaptation she had made to the format. It was so clever, simple, and bursting with potential that I’ve been thinking about it ever since.
She had introduced The Secret Task.
While all of the teams were working on the same task, she privately assigned individual pupils an extra rule or personal mission to complete during the session. These were designed to shape behaviours, build skills, or push pupils slightly outside their comfort zones – all while keeping the playful spirit of Taskmaster intact.
The sorts of secret tasks she shared included:
- Make sure your team uses your idea for at least one task today.
- You must agree with everything everyone says.
- Do not speak at all during the session today.
- Sabotage your team’s attempt in some way. If your team win, they lose; if they lose, you gain bonus points; if you get caught, you lose points.
Each one requires a different kind of strategy, awareness, and self-management. And each one develops a different skill.
Why Secret Tasks Work So Well
What struck me most wasn’t just the creativity of the idea—it was the intentionality behind it.
Secret tasks give teachers an opportunity to:
1. Personalise the learning experience
Each pupil can be guided toward a specific behaviour, challenge, or strength. A quieter pupil could have a task encouraging leadership; a dominant pupil could be nudged toward active listening; someone who struggles with teamwork could be steered into building or repairing group dynamics. All while attempting the same task.
2. Strengthen inclusion and adaptive practice
We talk a lot about adaptations, but this is adaptive practice disguised as fun. It gives every pupil a way to participate meaningfully, even if their needs or strengths differ from their peers’. No one is singled out. No one is left out. Everyone plays.
3. Encourage reflection and metacognition
Secret tasks aren’t just playful – they support deeper thinking. When pupils debrief afterwards, they start to notice how behaviours influence the outcome of a team task. They learn to reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and how their own actions shaped the group.
4. Maintain the magic of Taskmaster
Taskmaster thrives on chaos, surprise, and joyful unpredictability. Secret tasks add another layer of mystery that feels perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the format.
An Obvious Impact Through Subtle Means
What I love most is how quietly transformative the secret task can be. It’s a small tweak with the potential for huge impact. When used purposefully, it allows any teacher or facilitator to:
- build confidence
- develop communication skills
- challenge assumptions
- support social interaction
- nurture leadership
- encourage teamwork
- and gently shift behaviours
…all without breaking the flow of the session or drawing attention to any one pupil’s needs.
This, to me, is inclusive practice at its best: playful, personalised, and powerfully human.
What Secret Tasks Would You Add?
I left Southway feeling inspired – not just by what they’re doing now, but by the possibilities these secret tasks unlock. I’d love to hear other ideas and adaptations people are using in their clubs, classrooms, or youth group sessions.
Sometimes the smallest twist creates the biggest shift. And sometimes, a secret task is the most obvious way to make an impact.
