FITNESS: FIt To Study (360G-Wellcome-105468_Z_14_Z)

£378,603

Moderate-vigorous physical activity to improve academic performance We aim to deliver a neuroscience-based fitness intervention. There is a strongneuroscience evidence base for beneficial effects of exercise on brain structure and function and cognitive performance (e.g. Hillman et al., 2008). Children's fitness is declining (Tomkinson et al., 2003), especially in the UK (Stratton et al., 2007). Many children live sedentary lives (e.g. Khunti et al., 2007) and fail to achieve the recommended levels of activity so there is considerable scope for increasing activity levels. Neuroscientificevidence on effects of exercise (see 2.3) suggests that exercise will have both acute benefits for subsequent lesson performance and longer-term benefits for academic outcomes, both due to cumulative acute effects, and due to longer-term exercise-mediated brain changes. Levels of physical activity during typical PE lessons are remarkably low, withless than half the lesson-time spent engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA, Fairclough & Stratton, 2005; Skala et al., 2012), and large inter-individual differences in MVPA-levels across children (Fairclough, 2003; Stratton, 1996). We propose to evaluate the impact of a school-based programme to increase MVPA(3x40 minute sessions/week) on academic performance. Method Intervention: A by-school cluster randomised controlled trial. Development Phase (6 months): We would develop a training package for PE teachers, including: (i) lesson plans to support delivery of a range of standardised MVPA activities, and (ii) established workshops for PE teachers (www.empoweringcoaching.co.uk) to enhance children's motivation to engage in physical activity. Phase I: Feasibility (1 year): 6 schools would be randomised to intervention or control. At intervention schools, a neuroscience-based MVPA intervention would be delivered three times per week to all year eight students during PE lessons (plus lunchtime(s) if fewer than three lessons are timetabled). The intervention would encourage constant activity in an aerobic zone, supported by Heart Rate (HR) monitoring and feedback. To boost children's engagement, and to enhance the effect of the intervention (see 2.3), novel sporting skills would be incorporated at different stages. We would deliver our training package to all intervention schools and our instructor would attend a majority of intervention sessions to supervise delivery. Remaining sessions (including HR recording) would be delivered unsupervised by trained PE teachers. Control schools would receive standard PElessons. Evaluation: Children would be assessed at baseline, termly during Year 8, and at the end of Year 9. Process evaluation of PE sessions (adherence, compliance and HR) would be performed incontrol and intervention Neuroscience and Education (Spring 2014) Neuroscience and Education v1.0 Reference: N - 1340 Date submitted: 06/05/2014 Page 5 of 11 schools. Phase 1 would allow us to refine lesson plans based on teacher/pupil experiences and to test efficacy in increasing time spent in the aerobic zone (by comparing HR data in control andintervention lessons both supervised and unsupervised) and improving academic performance. If successful, we will progress to: Phase 2: Roll-out (1 year): We will test the scalability of the project by randomising a large number of schools (n=20) to intervention or control. At intervention schools, following training, PE teachers would deliver the programme independently, with occasional monitoring of sessions by our instructors.

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Grant Details

Amount Awarded 378603
Applicant Surname Johansen-Berg
Approval Committee Joint Education and Neuroscience Interview Committee
Award Date 2014-10-01T00:00:00+00:00
Financial Year 2014/15
Grant Programme: Title Education & Neuroscience Award
Internal ID 105468/Z/14/Z
Lead Applicant Prof Heidi Johansen-Berg
Partnership Name The Education and Neuroscience Initiative
Partnership Value 378603
Planned Dates: End Date 2019-01-01T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Start Date 2014-10-01T00:00:00+00:00
Recipient Org: Country United Kingdom
Region South East