A non-randomized pilot implementation trial of The CLASS PAL (Physically Active Learning) Project

To determine a) Implementation of CLASS PAL; b) implementation process of CLASS PAL; and c) influence of the inner setting (i.e., school) and individuals (teachers and pupils) on the implementation of CLASS PAL. 

CLASS PAL was a co-produced movement integration (MI) intervention which included a professional development workshop for teachers and bespoke teaching resources. This evaluation was a non-randomized pragmatic pilot implementation trial using a mixed methods design. Ten Year 5 teachers and 232 pupils from 7 state-funded UK primary schools participated. Data were collected over one academic year via mixed methods at multiple levels (school and individual) and timepoints. All qualitative data were analyzed using apriori thematic analyses, and quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics.

Teacher-reported MI activities were delivered on average two days per week (and once per day). The most frequently delivered activities were movement breaks (2.8 days per week), and physically active routines (2.4 days per week) with the majority lasting < 5 minutes. One hundred percent of attendees rated both the professional development workshop and practical content of the workshop as ‘quite useful/very useful’; however, the resources on the website were only utilized by 30% of the teachers. 

Teachers primarily amended personal resources, with only 5% of deliveries supported by resources from the CLASS PAL website/workshop. Inner setting/individuals: Teachers reported barriers, including classroom misbehavior, curriculum pressures and access to resources. Facilitators included the intervention workshop and senior school leadership support, to MI. 

Teachers receiving a low touch professional development and resource program reported regular implementation of MI. Key implementation strategies included teacher-level decisions. In relation to the influence of the inner setting/individuals a range of factors were identified which operated at pupil, school, and teacher levels. Further work is required to understand how best to support MI implementation.