Fit to Succeed - Press Release
EXETER PUPILS GET FIT TO SUCCEED
THANKS TO RIGHT FIT AWARD
Regular exercise could not only improve your childs health -- but also their academic performance (SATs) scores.
There are strong indications, from research carried out at a small-scale Fit to Succeed project at seven Exeter middle schools, of a link between physical exercise and pupil’s school performance.
Now thanks to a £33,000 Barnardo’s/GSK Right Fit Award, the Fit to Succeed project is being extended to all Exeter middle and high schools focusing on pupils aged 7 to 16. Right Fit is a joint partnership between children’s charity Barnardo’s and healthcare company Glaxo Wellcome [now Glaxo SmithKline] which aims to improve health among young people.
The unique Fit to Succeed project brings together schools, Exeter Academic Council, Devon Curriculum Services, Exeter City Council, DC Leisure Management and the Schools Health Education Unit. It came about in response to teachers’ struggles to motivate ‘lethargic’ pupils to reach their academic potential, and growing evidence of children’s ‘couch potato’ lifestyles.
The project provides information packs for pupils, and an Activity Card Scheme, which offers them free opportunities for sports activities. Indications from the pilot project show an increased level of physical exercise among pupils taking part. But another interesting outcome is the indication of a link between exercise and SATs performance.
Angela Balding, researcher at Exeter Schools Health Education Unit, explained that during the project they collected information from pupils confidentially, but children’s registration numbers were linked up with schools for SATs results.
She says, "We looked at the links between those who exercised three times a week and how well they did in external SATs in Maths and English. There is a strong indication that those who exercise regularly achieve higher grades. Of course, the argument that could be raised is that they achieved the highest scores because they are likely to come from the higher socio-economic groups, so we went back to the information again and looked at those on the register for free school meals. The same success story was evident".
Angela adds: "Teachers observe that children who lead active lives tend to be more interested in their school work, and are more successful. This is a unique project, which sets out to explore the link and pupils' activity profiles and their academic achievement using robust data".
The results from the pilot project are generating quite a deal of interest among schools, many of whom are keen to improve pupils' health and fitness levels as well as spur them on to do their best in class.
One Exeter school is now encouraging pupils to exercise for 5 minutes between classes, while another is making sure children have bottles of water to drink during the day.
The Barnardo’s/GSK Right Fit Award will enable the group to extend Fit to Succeed projects to all middle and high schools, and in doing so gather more evidence on links between exercise and school performance.
The Barnardo’s Right Fit coordinator Nellie Maan said: "We are very pleased to be making this award to the Fit to Succeed project. It is an interesting and innovative scheme which is motivating young people to get fit as well as improving their chances of having a better future".
Regular exercise could not only improve your childs health -- but also their academic performance (SATs) scores.
There are strong indications, from research carried out at a small-scale Fit to Succeed project at seven Exeter middle schools, of a link between physical exercise and pupil’s school performance.
Now thanks to a £33,000 Barnardo’s/GSK Right Fit Award, the Fit to Succeed project is being extended to all Exeter middle and high schools focusing on pupils aged 7 to 16. Right Fit is a joint partnership between children’s charity Barnardo’s and healthcare company Glaxo Wellcome [now Glaxo SmithKline] which aims to improve health among young people.
The unique Fit to Succeed project brings together schools, Exeter Academic Council, Devon Curriculum Services, Exeter City Council, DC Leisure Management and the Schools Health Education Unit. It came about in response to teachers’ struggles to motivate ‘lethargic’ pupils to reach their academic potential, and growing evidence of children’s ‘couch potato’ lifestyles.
The project provides information packs for pupils, and an Activity Card Scheme, which offers them free opportunities for sports activities. Indications from the pilot project show an increased level of physical exercise among pupils taking part. But another interesting outcome is the indication of a link between exercise and SATs performance.
Angela Balding, researcher at Exeter Schools Health Education Unit, explained that during the project they collected information from pupils confidentially, but children’s registration numbers were linked up with schools for SATs results.
She says, "We looked at the links between those who exercised three times a week and how well they did in external SATs in Maths and English. There is a strong indication that those who exercise regularly achieve higher grades. Of course, the argument that could be raised is that they achieved the highest scores because they are likely to come from the higher socio-economic groups, so we went back to the information again and looked at those on the register for free school meals. The same success story was evident".
Angela adds: "Teachers observe that children who lead active lives tend to be more interested in their school work, and are more successful. This is a unique project, which sets out to explore the link and pupils' activity profiles and their academic achievement using robust data".
The results from the pilot project are generating quite a deal of interest among schools, many of whom are keen to improve pupils' health and fitness levels as well as spur them on to do their best in class.
One Exeter school is now encouraging pupils to exercise for 5 minutes between classes, while another is making sure children have bottles of water to drink during the day.
The Barnardo’s/GSK Right Fit Award will enable the group to extend Fit to Succeed projects to all middle and high schools, and in doing so gather more evidence on links between exercise and school performance.
The Barnardo’s Right Fit coordinator Nellie Maan said: "We are very pleased to be making this award to the Fit to Succeed project. It is an interesting and innovative scheme which is motivating young people to get fit as well as improving their chances of having a better future".
| Picture opportunity: For further information or to arrange a picture opportunity at a local school, contact Michael Gent, Coordinator of Exeter Academic Council, on 01823 680 889. For further information on the survey method, contact Angela Balding at the Schools Health Education Unit, on 01392 667 272 |
Notes to editors: Right Fit is a project which came in response to the Government’s Green Paper "Our Healthier Nation" which called for partnerships between industry and the charitable sector to improve health in the UK.