A movement and story-telling intervention for reception children

This project will test the feasibility of a movement and story-telling intervention for children in Reception.

Basic movement skills (such as throwing, catching and jumping) are key factors in creating more active children, with health, social, and academic benefits. Similarly, good language skills (such as vocabulary and understanding narrative) are an essential foundation to academic achievement. However, motor and language development of 5-year-olds in the UK is poorer than children in other European countries, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. These difficulties have been exacerbated by COVID-19 related school closures. The research team has developed a 12-week movement and story-telling intervention (MAST) suitable for delivery to 4–5-year-olds, which aims to improve movement and language skills.

Building on a previous pilot, the research team will conduct a feasibility study of MAST for delivery by Reception teachers during whole-class PE lessons. Focusing on schools in disadvantaged areas will allow greater potential for narrowing the attainment gap early in a child’s education.

The project aims to answer these research questions:

1. Does MAST have beneficial short-term effects on motor development and language skills in Reception children?
2. To what extent is the intervention delivered as planned? What are the barriers to successful implementation, and what factors contribute to successful adoption?

The first stage of the research will involve working with two or three Reception teachers to adapt the existing MAST lesson plans, resources, and teacher training to feedback into a training session using the adapted materials. Subsequently, six schools will be selected, half will run the intervention and the other half will host a ‘business-as-usual’ control group. During this 12-week period the research team will provide ongoing support and conduct a feasibility evaluation.

This research will be the first step towards creating an intervention that has the potential for wider adoption and a larger scale evaluation.