Project description: What is needed to succeed implementing movement as a natural part of the school day? This question has often been asked to different stakeholders in the Danish school system. Responses naturally reflect subjective opinions reflecting the represented part of the system. Based on a systemic approach, the Practice Center for School Sport and Movement conducted a Delphi study inviting stakeholders from all sectors of the system in order to identify important factors based on dialogue and common understanding across sectors. 57 practitioners representing all sectors in the Danish school system from national politicians to pupils participated in the process. In a group Delphi process 449 inputs were identified and condensed to 169 factors. The panel rated and prioritized the factors qualifying 136 factors for further discussion in workshops. Here panelists qualified priorities based on group dialogue across sectors. Impact: Most evidently the study showed that the school system is complex. Many factors are of importance, and these are present within all sectors of the school system. Thus, all parts of the system must take responsibility and engage in order to succeed. The panel identified common understanding of movement as a didactical tool which supports variation in school day activities. A common understanding across the whole system is a foundation for communication about the topic and will support meaningfulness and acceptance among teachers. Finally, the panel identified implementation in teacher education as well as stronger leadership at national and municipality levels as the two most impactful steps to take right now in order to support successful implementation of movement in Danish schools. Learning: Results are not breaking news, but are, very importantly, qualified through the dialogue between practitioners across the school system. These findings stress the need a whole school approach engaging all stakeholders.

Project Description: Schools are important settings to promote physical activity but evidence suggests that the majority of the interventions that have been designed to increase physical activity in this setting have not been effective. One potential reason for this lack of impact is the focus on a one-size-fits-all approach, whereby the same standardised program is delivered in all schools. Such an approach fails to take account of the context within the school: its resources, staffing, ethos and culture. To address this limitation, we are working on designing a new context-specific physical activity program for primary schools. As the initial phase of this work, we conducted one-to-one semi-structured interviews with 33 primary school staff in England between November 2023 and January 2024. Staff roles included headteachers/principals (n=5), deputy headteachers/principals (n=5), class teachers (n=7), Physical Education (PE) subject leads (n=8), dedicated PE teachers (n=4), teaching assistants (n=2), and one Parent Teacher Association chair. Staff were recruited from 19 purposively-sampled schools to include a range of sizes, location, and demographics. Impact: Our findings provide a foundation for future context-specific approaches. We identified a range of broader factors within primary schools that influenced pupil physical activity. These findings provide important information related to the challenges of promoting physical activity in primary schools and suggest that needs to be incorporated in tailored whole school approaches so that they can be effective, successfully implemented, and sustainable. Learning: Regulatory systems (Ofsted) and curriculum pressures created an environment where physical activity was difficult to prioritise. These pressures were higher among schools with greater pupil needs, which in turn may also impact staff motivation and wellbeing. Senior leadership priorities were key to enabling staff to promote pupil physical activity. However, due to the pressured environment, senior leadership’s personal interests/background/values, were important factors in their decisions to prioritise physical activity. Class teachers received limited PE training during teacher training that impacted confidence that, when combined with broader pressures, led many schools to outsource PE to external enterprise. Against the pressures of the school environment, “passionate” individual staff members who dedicated their own time were important to drive physical activity in the school.

Purpose This study aims to adapt the TransformUs program from primary to secondary schools, understanding stakeholder perspectives, barriers, facilitators, and school policies related to physically active learning. The objective is to co-design strategies with secondary schools to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours effectively. Methods: Employing a two-fold qualitative approach, the study conducted individual interviews guided by the implementation outcomes framework and co-design workshops using a Design Sprint process. Thematic analysis with NVivo 13 was applied to extract meaningful insights from the gathered data. Results: Interviews highlighted the pivotal role of school leadership, particularly the principal (identified as gatekeepers), and gradual implementation and a focus on aligning the program to enhance acceptability. For program adoption, participants emphasised the significance of the program's structure (e.g. alignment with the curriculum and professional learning), the endorsement of a whole-of-school approach (emphasising the need for leadership support), and teacher competence and ongoing professional development. Student attitude and motivation emerged as crucial considerations under the acceptability domain, emphasising the need to win over students' opinions, particularly in the secondary years. Stakeholders suggested targeting students directly to increase acceptability and motivation, bypassing the need for teachers to learn behaviour change techniques. Common barriers identified in the co-design workshops included a lack of teacher awareness, support, and training, along with inadequate access to activity equipment and facilities. Each school selected tailored strategies for the program, including active classrooms, organised lunchtime sports/activities, active social clubs, supportive school environments, and teacher professional development. Conclusions: Findings highlight the importance of school leadership, a progressive approach to change, and tailored strategies. The study emphasised the need for ongoing support and comprehensive cultural shifts for sustained integration.

The development, implementation and effectiveness of physical education and school sport policy (PESS) is an area of on-going concern (Lindsey, 2020), given the alarming statistics regarding children’s engagement in PA (Sport England, 2021) and the impact this could have upon children’s development of motor competency and the associated well established health benefits (Bailey et al. 2013).  Low socio-economic status has been shown to affect primary aged children’s motor competency and levels of PA. It is thought that this is due to a lack of enrichment opportunities provided in the home and community. Although prior research has also alluded to concerns with provision of PESS(PA) in the school context and the impact of PESSpolicy, this research focused on the population as a whole. To compare elite stakeholder perspectives with key stakeholders from a low social economic school in regard to the contextual factors influencing the development, implementation and effectiveness of PESS policy in England, a socioecological perspective was employed. Semi structured interviews (N = 24) were conducted using Emmons’ (2000) SEM as a framework, to determine the multi-layered influences upon children’s experiences of PESS from the home, school, community, and policy. Thematic analysis was employed (Braun & Clarke, 2006; 2019) to generate a conceptualisation of themes. Composite vignettes were used to give a collective representation of participants’ voice of their subjective experiences and their understanding of PESS for primary aged children in a low SE context.  This study demonstrated that higher-level policy has an influence over lower levels of the SEM but the direction of policy influence is not a simple linear fashion, trickling from higher level policy towards the community, school, and home context. There are interpersonal, cultural, environmental, and organisational factors, which can operate either as a buffer to the implementation to policy, within the political layer itself and within all lower levels highlighting the complex interacting factors that impact upon children’s experiences of PESS.  By gaining deeper insight into the sociocultural barriers and constraints, the current study has highlighted the unique and diverse differences in low SE communities, which have implications for governing organisations.  

Research indicates 21% of primary schoolchildren and 16% of post-primary schoolchildren in Northern Ireland (NI) currently meet the daily recommended minimum of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA. Whole-of-school approaches have been identified as one of 7 key investments for PA promotion, including active classrooms and high-quality physical education. This research involves adapting and feasibility testing two successful interventions: TransformUs (primary schools, Australia) and the Youth – Physical Activity Towards Health (Y-PATH) intervention (post-primary schools, Ireland) for the NI context. As part of the adaptability, the interventions were rebranded as Children – Sit Less, Move More (C-SLAMM) intervention (formerly TransformUs) and Y-PATH NI. Within both studies, we conducted focus groups with pupils, and interviews with stakeholders within schools (ranging from physical education specialist staff to senior leadership), as well as parents and guardians to understand current views and perceptions of opportunities for PA within the classroom and wider school environment. In addition, we conducted an online survey with n1500 post-primary schoolchildren to better understand their preferences for PA provision. Impact To date, findings from the Y-PATH NI study have highlighted a preference for PA to be provided with friends, during schooltime and within the school setting. Findings from our qualitive work highlighted several important factors that should be closely considered within school-based PA promotion, including incorporating an element of choice, adaptability, and flexibility within approaches. Based on findings from the qualitative work, we feasibility tested the C-SLAMM intervention in 8 primary schools in Northern Ireland, over an 8-week period. Learning Evaluation of the C-SLAMM intervention highlighted the importance of stakeholder buy-in from teachers, parents, and pupils if school-based PA promotion is to be successful. This feasibility work developed methods to assess implementation and adherence, which will be utilised within our feasibility testing of the Y-PATH NI intervention, commencing in early 2024.

Project description Whole school environments that promote physical activity (PA) can help to increase children’s PA levels, encourage lifelong positive health behaviours, and may reduce inequalities. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends six domains for whole-school approaches to promote PA: (1) quality PA; (2) active travel; (3) opportunities for PA before and/or after school; (4) opportunities for PA during scheduled breaks; (5) active classrooms; and (6) PA for those with additional needs. However, understanding how the promotion of PA is practiced by schools and to what extent remains unknown. Our study, ‘Health and Activity of Pupils in the Primary Years’ (HAPPY), aims to examine how conducive primary school environments are to supporting PA. As part of this wider project, we distributed a survey to approximately 1,500 primary schools in all 32 Greater London boroughs in October 2023 to identify their PA policy and practices. The survey is currently underway. To date (December 2023), we have received 26 completed surveys (at least one from 19/32 boroughs). Most (68%) schools report having a PA policy. As per the WHO recommendations: (1) 71% report delivery of physical education (PE) through a specialist PE teacher; (2) 79% report an active travel plan; (3) 92% report providing PA opportunities before and/or after school; (4) 83% provide PA opportunities during breaks; (5) 73% report they have active classrooms; and (6) 82% schools report they support PA among children with Special Educational Additional Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Impact Sharing worked examples of case studies and best practice which highlight how primary schools can create a whole school environment that promotes PA will provide a useful practical resource. Learning Although most schools report implementing the WHO recommendations of whole school PA promotion, the extent to which children benefit from these are yet to be established.

Background: Over half of children and young people (CYP) do not meet recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Whole-school approaches (WSA) are recommended to support CYP achieve PA guidelines. Schools generally struggle to implement WSA to PA, typically delivering isolated PA programmes. A deeper understanding of relevant topics that influence the implementation of WSAs to PA will benefit. Project Description: A double diamond design approach inspired a series of workshops and interviews with multiple stakeholders to co-design a framework of the influencing values, contextual features and mechanisms that play a key role in the implementation of WSAs to PA in UK primary schools. Stakeholders included senior leadership team (SLT), PE-leads, teachers, public health advisors, national partnerships and relevant local council members. The co-design process included the development of the content, language, and structuring of the framework. Impact: Data collection produced a multitude of values, contextual features and levering mechanisms that influence the implementation of a WSA to PA in UK primary schools. Early analysis identified themes such as; Values: whole child enrichment, physical literacy importance, embracing change; Contextual features: school finances, alignment of leadership, staff, & community values, children’s needs, and socioeconomic status of community; Mechanisms: collaboration, PE-lead experience/authority, skilled workforce, outward outlook, and parental roles. Learning: Results add rigour to the existing literature and generate discussion on new ideas and concepts. The conceptual framework of the influencing factors for the implementation of WSAs to PA will be presented, which will enable more targeted approaches as to how to support UK primary schools and their stakeholders to optimise the adoption of WSAs to PA.

From September 2024 onwards we will start the development of an educational innovation for Dutch primary schools to design a dynamic school day (a school day in which sedentary learning is regularly interrupted by moments of physical activity) for their local context. A number of Dutch primary schools already successfully implemented a more dynamic school day. In this qualitative study, we set out to assess the facilitators and barriers that several stakeholders faced during the implementation of the dynamic school day. We also set out to assess preferences of pupils with respect to a more dynamic school day. In preparation of the development phase, we will conduct semi-structured interviews with stakeholders of 3 Dutch primary schools (spring 2024). The interview guide will be based on the MRC guideline for conducting process evaluations of complex interventions. For each school, we seek to include: 1) the physical education teacher, 2) a classroom teacher who finds it easy to organize physical activities during the school day, 3) a classroom teacher who finds it difficult to organize physical activities during the school day, 4) a member of the management team. If relevant, we will also interview other stakeholders involved in the implementation of the dynamic school day. We will present the factors that may facilitate or hinder the implementation of a dynamic school day in the Dutch context. We will use these results to develop a set of potential implementation strategies that can serve as a source of inspiration for other Dutch primary schools in their process to develop a dynamic school day for their local context.

Aim To evaluate physical activity (PA) levels and PA intensity in schools with implemented initiatives for increasing PA throughout the school-day. Project description Two Norwegian schools (one primary school and one secondary school) were recruited for this observational study. Both schools had implemented physical active learning (PAL), active breaks and organized PA in recess and lunch breaks for at least 4 years. 57 pupils from 2nd, 7th and 9th grade wore triaxial accelerometers throughout the whole day at school (start of first lecture to end of last lecture) for two consecutive weeks for objective measurements of PA. The main teachers of these classes used PAL regularly in their daily teaching. Results Preliminary analysis revealed that pupils generated 23.4±9.7 min of MVPA pr. school day, which accounted for 8.5±3.4% of the total school hours. Mean MVPA in the different classes were 26.2±6.9 min (10.3% of school hours), 31.4±10.9 min (10.5% of school hours), 17.5±6.6 min (6.5% of school hours) in 2nd, 7th and 9th grade respectively. Physical education sessions contributed with the highest amount of MVPA pr. day when scheduled (12.5±5.2 min pr. session, 45% of daily MVPA). Of the daily school segments, recess did generate most MVPA (9.8±6.3 min pr. day, 41% of daily MVPA) in all classes. Learning The results of this study provides novel insights to how much PA that is generated among pupils in schools that have implemented PAL, active breaks and organized PA in recess and lunch breaks. This provides a knowledge foundation about realistic PA levels and amount of MVPA pr. day for pupils at schools that have successfully implemented different strategies to increase PA level throughout the school day.