Project Description: This study investigates childhood physical inactivity, focusing on the least active children, using secondary data from Bradford's local delivery pilot, JU:MP. The research employs accelerometry data to profile weekly activity levels and identifies when these children are least active. A parent or guardian pre-collected questionnaire explores predictors influencing physical activity behaviours in this demographic. Impact: The study employs multilevel regression analysis to understand the influence of physical activity behaviours on overall activity accumulation in the least active children. By dissecting and interpreting this data, the research aims to inform future focus group discussions, obtaining perspectives from children, parents, and teachers/school staff, providing a holistic view of the factors affecting physical activity in this group. Learning: The findings from this research hope to gather insights into the complex interplay of factors influencing physical inactivity in children. Potential Findings: Inactivity Patterns Across Segments of the Week: Analysis of accelerometry data may reveal distinct patterns in the least active children's behaviour throughout the week, providing a foundation for targeted intervention strategies. Predictors of Physical Inactivity: The exploration of predictors through parental questionnaires offers the potential to uncover influential factors affecting physical activity behaviours in children. Perspectives from Stakeholders: Focus group discussions are likely to yield qualitative insights into the lived experiences and perceptions surrounding physical inactivity. Co-Design for Interventions: The data driven co-design process for developing interventions can uncover practical, actionable strategies to promote physical activity among the least active children. In summary, the potential findings from this research have the capacity to inform evidence-based interventions addressing childhood physical inactivity. By combining quantitative insights with qualitative perspectives, the study aims to contribute nuanced and holistic solutions to the complex challenge of promoting physical activity in the least active children.

Participating in a Middle Leader program in Pennine Lancashire, we conducted a pupil voice survey in our schools. With the aim of exploring pupil experiences throughout the school day, we wanted to inform our decision-making starting with the pupil’s perspective. The pupil voice results indicated problematic areas which included children stating they were bored in lessons, they were sat down for too long in lessons, a lack of activities at lunchtimes and staff not leading play at lunchtimes. They indicated that there wasn’t a wide range of activities in the classroom and on the yard and they felt frustrated with the lack of equipment available to them. Enabled by the half-termly time out to reflect and plan with peers from other schools, we explored a more active approach to learning in the classroom. Active learning was introduced as a whole school aim and as a focus during staff meetings. Staff then trialled active learning approaches and fed back their experiences to senior leaders. An investment in lunchtime provision included more staff presence, and sport-specific lunchtime staff employed. A wider range of activities were introduced. This led to improved behaviour and increased activity levels as monitored by MOKI bands. More space is available outdoors to allow for different activities to take place. We have embedded pupil voice surveys to the school to track children’s views and experiences. The Senior Leadership teams will also monitor trends in behaviour through a Child Protection Online Management System (CPOMS), STL walk-throughs and make use of end-of-year pupil data. The Middle Leader program is evaluated through an embedded evaluation approach, where we mapped our learning as part of a ripple effect mapping process and recorded stories of significant change that have been designed and shared across Pennine Lancashire.

Project Description: The second-level Active School Flag (ASF) programme includes an online whole-school survey at the beginning of the school year that would be used to shape the action plan. Scientifically tested physical activity behavioural questions were included, as well as items on perceived barriers to physical activity. The survey results were given back to the school as individual reports. The purpose of this study was to combine all the school data together to investigate overall patterns in physical activity behaviour and reported barriers among students in the ASF program. Data were analysed descriptively. Impact and Learning: The overall response rate was 78% of students from 46 schools at the beginning of the 2023 school year. There was a good distribution of respondents, although more senior students (5th and 6th years, typically 17-19y olds) could have taken part in the study. There was a large difference in muscle-strengthening activities at least 3 times a week between males (57%) and females (31%). The most common physical activity during break times was walking for females (56%) and football (soccer) for males (51%). Lunchtimes being “too short” were the top-ranked barrier across male (75%) and female (79%) students, as well as younger (76%) and older (79%) students. Other common barriers included too much schoolwork (67%), or not liking doing physical activities in school uniform (63%). Each school received a report specific to their own results and included open-ended responses with ideas on how to introduce new physical activity options in school. A group of students, guided by a staff member, worked with their schools’ results to create an action plan, that was presented to school management and staff, as part of the ASF programme. The student voice centered action plan was then implemented by the group of students, supported by the staff.

Funders: Mayo Education Centre, Healthy Ireland and the Department of Education

Democratic pedagogical approaches and student-voice pedagogies are viewed as essential for engaging pupil voice in lessons, developing understanding of pupils’ meaningful experiences and increasing the personal significance of movement (Fletcher et al., 2021; Cardiff et al., 2023). However, without a shift in culture - children’s voices can still be inadvertently suppressed despite using democratic and student-voice pedagogies (Wall, 2023). A culture, or social and compassionate context, whereby children feel valued, respected, and understood is essential. As such, a 'culture of voice' (Arnott & Wall 2022), where children are not only valued, respected, and understood, but also provided opportunities to speak and be heard with confidence is crucial. Such opportunities are embedded in practice and are supported by development of a reciprocal teacher and pupil relationship (Arnott & Wall 2022). Despite significant interest in children’s voice, especially within primary Physical Education, knowledge and understanding of how to develop such a ‘Culture of Voice’ is lacking. During this study, a democratic pedagogical approach to co-design, we called 'Action Gang', was employed for teaching PE. Action Gang took place in an inner-city primary school in the Southwest of England, with a lower Key Stage Two class and their teacher, twice a week, across one school year. Focus groups and visual participatory methods, such as filming, mapping, and drawing were used to gather pupils’ experiences of this approach. Findings showed embedding dialogue, reflection, and action upon experience within primary practice positively influenced pupil experiences of PE and physical activity. That said, the development of a ‘Culture of Voice’ was influenced by many other elements in the situation. Therefore, the purpose of this presentation is to share how this was enabled, evolved and how pupils’ meaningful experiences of primary Physical Education and physical activity were influenced.

Project Description: Our school’s journey in implementing the CAS framework across the whole school. I will talk about the schools PE and minimal PA provision before joining CAS and how this has expanded over the past 3 years. This includes: Increased and continuous whole staff CPD (reduction in use of external coaches). Increased opportunities at breaks and lunches (including utilising once unused spaces). The introduction of active enrichment. Increased opportunities inside and outside of school for children to experience new activities. The use of pupil voice and the pupils in setting up games/creating ideas. The creation of a new forest school. Changes to school policy to include PA in all lessons. Impact: Increased physical activity in a large percentage of children during breaks and lunches (currently involved in project aimed at those who are still less active). Increased range of opportunities for all children. Upleveled confidence and knowledge of all school staff. Whole school approach to CAS is evident in the school. Increased enjoyment and love for physical activity for all children. Reduction of sedentary time in the classroom. Children given increased ownership of equipment, PE and PA opportunities. Learning: CAS needs to be a whole school approach, it cannot be given to just one member of staff. For greatest impact get PA opportunities into school policy, including active classrooms. Whole staff CPD is vital to the success of the CAS framework. The use of networking and the networks created by the CAS approach have been invaluable. Increasing activity levels in the least active is still a challenge and something we continue to work on as a school. The use of pupil voice and acting on this has been vital to the ongoing success of CAS in our school, something that has become more prominent as CAS has become impended.

‘Alternative education settings’ refers internationally to schools or programmes that serve young people who are not succeeding in ‘traditional’ school environments, though in England, specifically, the term ‘alternative provision’ is used. Such settings seek to re-engage pupils with learning, as well as promote social and emotional development, with the aim of re-integrating pupils into mainstream education. Crucially, physical education (PE) is seen to play a key role here, though no research exists exploring PE within alternative provision schools in England, specifically, nor internationally. This study sought to (1) explore young people’s experiences of PE within alternative provision settings and (2) identify key features that support positive experiences of PE within this context. In total 25 young people (aged 11-16) from four case study alternative provision settings engaged in a range of creative, arts-based methods and focus group interviews. An inductive thematic analysis led to the generation of key themes that were subsequently used to construct composite narratives. These narratives reveal various factors that influence pupils’ experiences of PE in alternative provision. The factors that facilitate positive experiences included: having the required space available to engage in activities; supportive and relatable teachers; being able to interact and play with friends; having some input and choice over the type of activities; avoiding competition; and experiencing a sense of achievement. This novel presentation is the first to offer key insights into the experiences of PE for pupils in alternative provision schools and suggests that mainstream education can learn much from what happens in alternative provision settings.