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Schools on the Move: pedometers in schools
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Last modified date:13 December 2007
Schools on the Move is a school-based pedometer promotion for 9-13 year olds, designed to encourage pupils to become more active. The Department is funding the programme over 2007/08.
To improve health, it is recommended that all children and young people should participate in a minimum of one hour of moderate physical activity every day
The Youth Sport Trust is managing the project on the Department’s behalf, and British Heart Foundation National Centre for Physical Activity & Health have developed the curriculum resources for the project.
Participating schools
Between September 2007 and March 2008, 45,000 pedometers will be distributed to the 250 schools to encourage children to become more active. Schools in deprived areas will benefit from the programme as research has shown they tend to have the highest levels of obesity.
In addition, all schools will have access to online resources that can be used inside and outside the classroom. Children will be able to chart their pedometer progress by logging onto a dedicated website that will help them set step targets and help them see what impact staying fit has on their health.
A pilot study of pedometers has shown that they do increase childrens' levels of physical activity and that they are particularly effective at encouraging less active children to become fitter.
Schools will use pedometers as a tool to support a wide range of curriculum topics and to increase pupils' awareness of the need to be active.
The schools are from School Sport Partnerships in:
Birmingham
Bradford
Luton
Newcastle upon Tyne
Gateshead
Middlesbrough
Liverpool
Wirral
Knowsley
Hull
Salford
Rochdale
(and the London Boroughs of)
Greenwich
Lewisham
Kensington & Chelsea
Islington
Tower Hamlets
Hackney
Westminster
Southwark
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth
Evaluation
A full evaluation of the pilot year was undertaken by London Institute for Sport, Middlesex University in September 2006 and showed encouraging increases in children’s' activity levels:
- During the pilot year step counts increased steadily from an average of 8355 steps at baseline to an average of 16436 in the 28th week (97% increase).
- 63 per cent of children felt that the Schools on the Move project had increased the amount of discussion and interest in physical activity within their school.
- Students' intention to maintain their walking levels was optimistic as 35 per cent reported that they 'definitely' would maintain their walking during the next 12 months.
- Step counts increased steadily from an average of 8355 steps at baseline to an average of 13939 at the end of the 23-week programme.
In addition to the new 250 schools, we will have 43 schools from the pilot areas continuing their involvement.
Middlesex University is continuing its evaluation of the initial pilot project by doing follow up research with four schools across the country, mostly to focus on the effect of the programme on young people's continuing participation in physical activity.
You can download a copy of the Schools on the Move evaluation project here:
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