Primary PE

Want to step up overall attainment? Get your pupils moving!

Aspire Active Education
Apr 15, 2024

It’s official. Injecting movement into maths and English lessons can raise results across the board. Studies show that physically active learning (PAL), an approach that combines physical activity and targeted academic learning, improves primary school pupils’ confidence, resilience, and results in any subject. 

PAL delivers an inspiring alternative to traditional desk-based teaching methods, which see pupils sitting for 50-70% of their school day. By fusing National Curriculum content with brain-boosting bursts of movement, children are proven to absorb, understand, and retain core KS1 and KS2 concepts. 

Physically active learning also gets pupils out of their seats and on the go, helping them achieve their daily 30 minutes of in-school exercise. Fancy winning a free six-week PAL programme for the next half term? Learn more.

The science behind the success 

In study after study, PAL has highlighted the link between physical activity and academic attainment. Take the six-week investigation at Leeds Beckett University in 2019. The research compared outcomes for children participating in the Maths on the Move (MOTM) programme against control groups in typical classroom-style maths lessons. 

In before-and-after performance tests, marks significantly improved over time for children on the MOTM programme compared to classroom-based pupils. 

  • Scores for the MOTM learners increased from a baseline average of 11.3/25 (45.2%) to 18.1/25 (72.4%). 
  • Scores for control group students rose from 10.1/25 (40.4%) to 11/25 (44%) over the same period.

Fast forward to the 2022-2023 academic year, and our Maths on the Move and English on the Move programmes continued to build key skills and self-belief: 

  • 95% of children taking part in MOTM showed a total increase from pre- to post-lesson scores. 
  • 75.3% of children reported greater confidence in spelling, punctuation, and grammar after participating in English on the Move. 

Maths on the Move: Redefining results since 2015 

Maths on the Move – our original PAL programme – teaches essential concepts through well-paced, movement-based games and challenges. It’s created by teachers and seamlessly aligned with the KS1 and KS2 maths curriculum. Each workshop series features: 

  • Expert educators delivering the programme at your school.
  • All sports equipment and learning materials, including an MOTM booklet tailored to students’ needs.
  • An MOTM portal to analyse data and report on pupils’ progress.

See the sessions in action: 

 

English on the Move: Making the fundamentals fun 

Designed for Years 1-6, English on the Move (EOTM) applies the same game-changing PAL principles to grammar, spelling, and punctuation. High-energy sessions reframe confusing language rules, using fun, focused activities to aid understanding and reduce learning anxiety. 

Put the programme to work alongside classroom-based lessons for:   

  • Curriculum Enrichment
  • Group interventions
  • Gifted and talented sessions
  • SATs boosters
  • School holiday activities

Watch the clip to learn more: 

 

You’re invited! Try the workshops at our showcase events 

Want to experience our Maths and English on the Move sessions in person? Join us for our showcase events at Penns Primary School, Highfield Junior and Infants school and Mill Lodge Primary School. 

Reserve your place on the link below. We look forward to seeing you! 

BOOK NOW

Find out more

Our physically active learning programmes are based on a wealth of research and analysis. Learn more about PAL’s practicalities, proof points, and positive outcomes with our free resources. 
Primary PE Primary Schools Physically Active Learning

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