In-school and out-of-school physical activity in primary and secondary school children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare in-school and out-of-school physical activity within a representative sample. Socio-demographic, physical activity, and anthropometric data were collected from a random sample of children (250 boys, 253 girls) aged 3–16 years attending nine primary and two secondary schools. Actigraph GT1M accelerometers, worn for seven days, were used to estimate physical activity levels for in-school (typically 09.00–15.00 h), out-of-school (weekday), and weekend periods. Physical activity as accelerometer counts per minute were lower in school versus out of school overall (in school: 437.2 ± 172.9; out of school: 575.5 ± 202.8; P < 0.001), especially in secondary school pupils (secondary: 321.6 ± 127.5; primary: 579.2 ± 216.3; P < 0.001). Minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accumulated in school accounted for 29.4 ± 9.8% of total weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity overall but varied by sector (preschool: 37.4 ± 6.2%; primary: 33.6 ± 8.1%; secondary: 23.0 ± 9.3%; F = 114.3, P < 0.001). Approximately half of the children with the lowest in-school activity compensated out of school during the week (47.4%) and about one-third at the weekend (30.0%). Overall, physical activity during the school day appears to be lower than that out of school, especially in secondary school children, who accumulate a lower proportion of their total weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at school than younger children. As low in-school activity was compensated for beyond the school setting by less than half of children, promoting physical activity within the school day is important, especially in secondary schools.     

Returning to the Mainstream

Grahame Smith, now deputy head, English Faculty, Barstable School, Basildon, Essex, and Rod Goldthorpe, deputy head, Lankhills School for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, Winchester, Hampshire, prepared the following discussion paper during a weekly teaching exchange designed to give each an insight into the challenges of the other's work.     

Response to a multi-media system

Several physics classes followed an integrated multi-media, multi-modal teaching-learning system or schedule, and completed a number of evaluation instruments designed to collect data on both affective and cognitive variables, as well as on the resulting behaviors of teachers and students. The data lead to some tentative conclusions about reactions of students to different media in such a system, effects of media on learning, and the impact of the system on teacher self-concept. Conclusions relate to the future of such integrated systems and their effects on motivation and learning.