Old Problems: NEW SolutionsUSING THE PLAYGROUND AS A COST EFFECTIVE

PREVENTATIVE MEASURE TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBESITY

INDEPENDENTLY RESEARCHED BY:

EVIDENCE

Early Years Primary Secondary SEN CPD

Using the Playground as a Strategy to Reduce Childhood Obesity

Emerging Benefits

The Objectives

Improve Physical Activity and Participation

Improve Citizenship

Head Teachers saw a high-physical -value in the new installation; the scheme has significantly enhanced

the variables associated with childhood obesity.

Fewer minor incidents.

New installations revitalised interest in activities.

Staff reported that there were more reasons to be in the playground which made them more energetic environments.

At a public health level... the scale of change underlines... the value for money represented by this initiative.

There was an 11% increase in citizenship in pupils.

The playgrounds have brought about greater levels of cooperation.

Observations demonstrated fewer children being regarded as lightly engaged and more children regarded as highly engaged.

Other important benefits for the climate of the whole school were also reported.

More energetic environments.

Teacher observations suggested

that 13% of pupils became more active following installation.

There was a 10.3% decrease of lightly engaged pupils following installation.

10.6% of girls became more highly engaged in physical activity.

There was a 5.8% decrease of girls being lightly engaged in physical activity.

Table 1: Increase in physical activity following installation.

BeforeInstallation

54.43%

17.25%

AfterInstallation

69.15%

6.89%

Impact

14.7%10.3%

Highly Engaged Pupils

Lightly Engaged Pupils

OVER 60,000 PUPILS

REACHED WITH THIS

PREVENTATIVE MEASURE

(£53 OF INVESTMENT PER

CHILD TO PREVENT OBESITY)

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SUPPORTING EVIDENCESUPPORTING EVIDENCE

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SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

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Some supporting comments are derived from Head Teacher observations and perceptions

Using the Playground as a Strategy to Reduce Childhood Obesity

The Objectives

Improve Movement Competency

Improve Attitudes Towards Activity and Learning

Improve Citizenship

There was an 11% increase in citizenship in pupils.

The playgrounds have brought about greater levels of cooperation.

Observations demonstrated fewer children being regarded as lightly engaged and more children regarded as highly engaged.

Other important benefits for the climate of the whole school were also reported.

More energetic environments.

There was a 9% increase in the movement competency of pupils

following installation.

The new installations have allowed children to practice and master new skills.

There were comments about children developing better motor skills... And finding cognitive challenges in the newly available facilities.

There was a 13% increase in positive attitudes towards

physical activity.

A positive classroom effect expressed as:

“More ready to learn when we return to class”

“Increases their self confidence”

“Their self-esteem and self confidence was definitely raised”

“It was good to see children that are not usually active taking part in games”

Table 2: Increasing activity for both genders, showing a positive change in girls physical activity behaviour despite lower estimates from teachers ‘exceeded teacher expectations’.

BeforeInstallation

18.64%

11.52%

AfterInstallation

25.17%

5.63%

Impact

10.6%5.8%

Girls Highly Engaged

Girls Lightly Engaged

140 PRIMARY SCHOOLS/

SEN SCHOOLS AND 15

SECONDARY SCHOOLS

PARTICIPATED IN THIS

PREVENTION SCHEME

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SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

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SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

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SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

MAIN FINDINGS

Please visit our website... Or call us on...www.espplay.co.uk (01282) 43 44 45

The Future - Shaping a Community of Practice

Challenges Solutions

Shaping

Supporting

Sustaining

To install Multi-skills zones as a context to deliver a Multi-skills approach to provide a • range of opportunities for daily physical activity.

To roll out this strategy across all Primary, Secondary and SEN schools in your area.•

To build a ‘Community of Practice’ involving the upskilling of teachers, parents, coaches • and young leaders in using this area in order to provide support with practical delivery.

To engage parents in workshops to encourage their children to get ‘up and about’.•

Pay more attention to non-participants.•

Staffing problems.•

Lack of support resources.•

Enlisting support of professional sports • clubs and parents.

Develop modules specifically supporting • hard to reach children.

Offer a range of modules to meet • delegates’ needs.

• Create additional resources using members • areas more effectively.