Written by Archie Norman - Digital Project Manager - mmtm
The challenge: get kids moving, and keep them engaged
When Aspire Active Education Group came to us, the goal was clear: help schools increase physical activity in a way that actually sticks. But that’s no small feat.
Most activity-based apps just track distance, but Aspire wanted more than that - they wanted motivation, fun, curricular alignment, and impact.
We collectively saw an opportunity to build something new: a simple, school-friendly running app that uses gamification to inspire kids to form healthier habits. Enter Run:ED.
Turning PE into a playful digital journey
Rather than logging laps for the sake of it, Run:ED transforms every run into part of a bigger adventure.
Pupils rack up real-world miles to move their school, class, house, sports club or team around a virtual map - unlocking milestones, achieving goals, and contributing to their team’s progress.
It’s a collective experience that taps into the psychology of motivation:
✅ Progress that’s visual and satisfying
✅ Friendly competition without pressure
✅ A sense of belonging and purpose
We’ve written more about this in our article on gamification and user engagement.
A partnership with a common goal
Aspire had the education industry expertise, the energy, and a clear vision. We helped bring that to life through product design and development that made it:
💡 Easy for teachers to use - with simple tools to track, manage and celebrate activity
😮 Exciting for pupils - with feedback, milestones and map movement that feels rewarding
⚡ Fast, robust, and secure under the hood - so the tech gets out of the way and lets the experience shine
The result? A focused, fun app that schools can pick up and start using straight away - no headaches, no lengthy onboarding.

Making impact measurable
We worked closely with Aspire to ensure the platform didn’t just feel good to use - it also delivered real, measurable results.
We've run two separate pilot phases with schools across the UK implementing it into their timetables, collectively racking up over 24,000km - with 2,500+ runners taking part in almost 800 runs!
It’s the kind of tool that can grow with schools - and with Aspire’s plans for expansion, there’s much more to come.
Want the full story, including how we ran user research and co-designed the experience with Aspire’s team?
Check out our case study: https://mmtm.io/case_studies/aspire