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Evidence suggests that children struggle to acquire age-appropriate fundamental movement skills (FMS), despite their importance for facilitating physical activity. This has led to calls for routine school-based screening of children's FMS. However, there is limited research exploring schools' capacity to conduct such assessments. This study investigated what factors might affect the adoption and implementation of FMS assessments in primary schools. School staff (n = 853) completed an online questionnaire developed using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behavior (COM-B) model. A majority reported that knowledge of pupils' FMS ability would be beneficial (65.3%), and 71.8% would assess FMS if support was provided. Barriers included: Capability -- few possessed knowledge of FMS (15%); Opportunity -- teachers reported 30-60 minutes as acceptable for assessing a class, a substantially shorter period than current assessments require; Motivation -- 57.2% stated FMS assessments would increase workload stress. Solutions to these issues are discussed using the COM-B theoretical framework.

Professional sports clubs (PSCs) are potentially effective settings for health promotion; however, their role within policy is unclear. Potential reasons include lack of awareness about existing provision of health and wellbeing (H&W) programmes and adequacy of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices. This review aimed to: (i) map the provision of H&W programmes delivered by PSCs in the United Kingdom (UK), and (ii) explore current M&E practices of PSCs and consider the policy implications of this. Websites from eight professional sport leagues were hand-searched for programmes and impact reports. Suitable programmes were quantified, whilst impact reports were analysed via inductive documentary content analysis. Results identified 176 H&W programmes and 36 impact reports, as well as 43 H&W impact statements, but only 14 of these were aligned to specific H&W outcomes. The H&W aims of programmes were typically vague, measurement tools were rarely used, and evaluations were usually anecdotal case studies and based on engagement figures, which may not only limit the potential uptake of these programmes but also the relevance of PSCs to public policy. Further research is thus needed to build a stronger evidence base for the use of PSCs as vehicles of public health promotion and policy, and to better address the challenges faced when seeking to monitor and evaluate PSC programmes effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty years after UNESCO's Salamanca Statement enshrined international action for provision for children, youth and adults with special educational needs within the regular educational system, this article presents the current underpinning international and national UK context for developing inclusion in vocational education and training and workplace settings. This context is explored through the justification for developing an EU-funded project entitled "Towards Inclusive Learning Environments (TILE)" and the creation of an associated audit tool, the "Roadmap for Inclusion", by a partnership group consisting of universities and VET settings from Finland, the Czech Republic, Estonia and England.

Background: Few whole-school physical activity programmes integrate implementation science frameworks within the design, delivery, and evaluation. As a result, knowledge of the key factors that support implementation at scale is lacking. The Creating Active Schools (CAS) programme was co-designed and is underpinned by the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM-B) model and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). The study aims to understand the initial impact and implementation of CAS in Bradford over 9 months using McKay's et al.'s (2019) implementation evaluation roadmap. Methods: Focus groups and interviews were conducted with school staff (n = 30, schools = 25), CAS Champions (n = 9), and the CAS strategic lead (n = 1). Qualitative data were analysed both inductively and deductively. The deductive analysis involved coding data into a priori themes based on McKay et al's implementation evaluation roadmap, using a codebook approach to thematic analysis. The inductive analysis included producing initial codes and reviewing themes before finalising. Results: Identified themes aligned into three categories: (i) key ingredients for successful adoption and implementation of CAS, (ii) CAS implementation: challenges and solutions, and (iv) the perceived effectiveness of CAS at the school level. This included the willingness of schools to adopt and implement whole-school approaches when they are perceived as high quality and aligned with current school values. The programme implementation processes were seen as supportive; schools identified and valued the step-change approach to implementing CAS long-term. Formal and informal communities of practice provided "safe spaces" for cross-school support. Conversely, challenges persisted with gaining broader reach within schools, school staff's self-competence and shifting school culture around physical activity. This resulted in varied uptake between and within schools. Conclusions: This study provides novel insights into the implementation of CAS, with outcomes aligning to the adoption, reach, and sustainability. Successful implementation of CAS was underpinned by determinants including acceptability, intervention complexity, school culture and school stakeholders' perceived self-efficacy. The combination of McKay's evaluation roadmap and CFIR establishes a rigorous approach for evaluating activity promotion programmes underpinned by behavioural and implementation science. Resultantly this study offers originality and progression in understanding the implementation and effectiveness of whole-school approaches to physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the value of additional days of active commuting for meeting a criterion of 300+ minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; 60+ mins/day x 5) during the school week. Methods: Based on seven-day diaries supported by teachers, binary logistic regression analyses were used to predict achievement of MVPA criteria according to days of active commuting to and from school. MVPA was recorded across five time points: (a) before school, (b) walking/cycling to and from school, (c) during school, (d) in school-based clubs and (e) during leisure time. The study was conducted in Derby, UK, in June 2006. Results: Active commuting was reported by 4218 (78 per cent of 5422) children for an average daily commuting time of 18.4 plus or minus 16.4 minutes. Children who commuted on more days in the week were most likely to achieve the MVPA criterion. Every day of active commuting doubled the chances of meeting the MVPA criterion; in Year 10 girls this effect was stronger (odds ratio 6.45). Conclusion: Results confirm the ubiquity of active commuting among young people. Even one additional day of active commuting helps to meet established criteria. In older girls active commuting is uniquely powerful in contributing to attainment of public health targets of MVPA. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

When students are working with hand held technology, such as graphics calculators, we usually only see the outcomes of their activities in the form of a contribution to a written solution of a mathematical problem. It is more difficult to capture their process of thinking or actions as they use the technology to solve a problem. In this paper we report on a case study that followed the progress of twelve first year university students as they solved twelve mathematical problems associated with the investigation of functions and their graphs. We used software, which we refer to as the key recorder software. This software runs in the background of the graphics calculator, discreetly capturing the students' keystrokes as they make use of the calculator. The aim of the research study described in this paper was to provide insights into the problem solving strategies of these students. Through a detailed analysis of their graphics calculator keystrokes and associated written solutions, we have proposed a classification of different strategies that identifies the effectiveness of the solution strategies and the efficiency of the use of technology. This classification has important implications for the teaching of functions and their graphs with such technology. (Contains 7 tables and 13 figures.)

Background: Engaging in regular physical activity requires continued complex decision-making in varied and dynamic individual, social and structural contexts. Widespread shortfalls of physical activity interventions suggests the complex underlying mechanisms of change are not yet fully understood. More insightful process evaluations are needed to design and implement more effective approaches. This paper describes the protocol for a process evaluation of the JU:MP programme, a whole systems approach to increasing physical activity in children and young people aged 5-14 years in North Bradford, UK.Methods: This process evaluation, underpinned by realist philosophy, aims to understand the development and implementation of the JU:MP programme and the mechanisms by which JU:MP influences physical activity in children and young people. It also aims to explore behaviour change across wider policy, strategy and neighbourhood systems. A mixed method data collection approach will include semi-structured interview, observation, documentary analysis, surveys, and participatory evaluation methods including reflections and ripple effect mapping.Discussion: This protocol offers an innovative approach on the use of process evaluation feeding into an iterative programme intended to generate evidence-based practice and deliver practice-based evidence. This paper advances knowledge regarding the development of process evaluations for evaluating systems interventions, and emphasises the importance of process evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In England, the onset of COVID-19 and a rapidly increasing infection rate resulted in a lockdown (March-June 2020) which placed strict restrictions on movement of the public, including children. Using data collected from children living in a multi-ethnic city with high levels of deprivation, this study aimed to: (1) report children's self-reported physical activity (PA) during the first COVID-19 UK lockdown and identify associated factors; (2) examine changes of children's self-reported PA prior to and during the first UK lockdown. Methods: This study is part of the Born in Bradford (BiB) COVID-19 Research Study. PA (amended Youth Activity Profile), sleep, sedentary behaviours, daily frequency/time/destination/activity when leaving the home, were self-reported by 949 children (9–13 years). A sub-sample (n = 634) also self-reported PA (Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children) pre-pandemic (2017-February 2020). Univariate analysis assessed differences in PA between sex and ethnicity groups; multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with children's PA. Differences in children's levels of being sufficiently active prior to and during the lockdown were examined using the McNemar test; and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors explaining change. Results: During the pandemic, White British (WB) children were more sufficiently active (34.1%) compared to Pakistani Heritage children (PH) (22.8%) or 'Other' ethnicity children (O) (22.8%). WB children reported leaving the home more frequently and for longer periods than PH and O children. Modifiable variables related to being sufficiently active were frequency, duration, type of activity, and destination away from the home environment. There was a large reduction in children being sufficiently active during the first COVID-19 lockdown (28.9%) compared to pre-pandemic (69.4%). Conclusions: Promoting safe extended periods of PA everyday outdoors is important for all children, in particular for children from ethnic minority groups. Children's PA during the first COVID-19 UK lockdown has drastically reduced from before. Policy and decision makers, and practitioners should consider the findings in order to begin to understand the impact and consequences that COVID-19 has had upon children's PA which is a key and vital behaviour for health and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arms procurement highlights tensions within British industrial policy. Once seen as an economic sanctuary to be preserved in the name of 'strategy', in the 1980s, it became a symbol of neoliberalization. However, how can contemporary procurement in the UK be characterized? To answer this question, this article analyses 'political work' carried out by politicians, bureaucrats and military officers within the MoD and DE&S, the state agency in charge of defence equipment and support since 2006. Beyond the protectionist/liberalized dichotomy, our documentary, interview and lexical analysis reveals the development of a new policy frame that we label 'value management'. We first show how the issue of procurement has been reproblematized around the term 'capability' to provide a new set of regulatory organizing principles and social relations. The way in which this frame has been equipped with managerial and policy instruments is then analysed. Finally, we show how this 'problem' and these instruments have been legitimized in a way that transcends the polar opposites of neoliberal cost-cutting and interventionist industrial policy. Overall, we conclude that 'value management' is currently proposing the basis for a new British defence consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legacy promises from London 2012 meant that those working in sport in local, non-host areas in Britain were expected to facilitate more sporting opportunities for local citizens. Legacy preparations occurred in the context of many other constraints that stemmed from Government budget cuts and provision of leisure-time sport and other leisure activities. This paper presents new evidence on a significantly under-researched area of leisure studies, namely: the experiences of those delivering leisure-sport opportunities in a non-host city and how they responded to national legacy promises. Using Elias's concept of the double-bind, we explain the 'crisis situation' in which some local sports workers were enmeshed and how their acceptance of 'fantasy-laden beliefs' of expected demonstration effects from mega-events exacerbated their 'crisis'. We also draw upon participants' post-Games reflections to consider how future host nations may wish to leverage greater leisure-sporting legacies from a mega-event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: UK and global policies recommend whole-school approaches to improve childrens' inadequate physical activity (PA) levels. Yet, recent meta-analyses establish current interventions as ineffective due to suboptimal implementation rates and poor sustainability. To create effective interventions, which recognise schools as complex adaptive sub-systems, multi-stakeholder input is necessary. Further, to ensure 'systems' change, a framework is required that identifies all components of a whole-school PA approach. The study's aim was to co-develop a whole-school PA framework using the double diamond design approach (DDDA). Methodology: Fifty stakeholders engaged in a six-phase DDDA workshop undertaking tasks within same stakeholder (n = 9; UK researchers, public health specialists, active schools coordinators, headteachers, teachers, active partner schools specialists, national organisations, Sport England local delivery pilot representatives and international researchers) and mixed (n = 6) stakeholder groupings. Six draft frameworks were created before stakeholders voted for one 'initial' framework. Next, stakeholders reviewed the 'initial' framework, proposing modifications. Following the workshop, stakeholders voted on eight modifications using an online questionnaire. Results: Following voting, the Creating Active Schools Framework (CAS) was designed. At the centre, ethos and practice drive school policy and vision, creating the physical and social environments in which five key stakeholder groups operate to deliver PA through seven opportunities both within and beyond school. At the top of the model, initial and in-service teacher training foster teachers' capability, opportunity and motivation (COM-B) to deliver whole-school PA. National policy and organisations drive top-down initiatives that support or hinder whole-school PA. Summary: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first time practitioners, policymakers and researchers have co-designed a whole-school PA framework from initial conception. The novelty of CAS resides in identifying the multitude of interconnecting components of a whole-school adaptive sub-system; exposing the complexity required to create systems change. The framework can be used to shape future policy, research and practice to embed sustainable PA interventions within schools. To enact such change, CAS presents a potential paradigm shift, providing a map and method to guide future co-production by multiple experts of PA initiatives 'with' schools, while abandoning outdated traditional approaches of implementing interventions 'on' schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This rapid response article briefly examines one feature of the relationship between social class and elite sport: the social backgrounds of the Olympians who comprised Team GB (Great Britain) at the 2012 London Olympics Games, and especially their educational backgrounds, as a means of shedding sociological light on the relationship between elite sport and social class. It is claimed that, to a large degree, the class-related patterns evident in the social profiles of medal-winners are expressive of broader class inequalities in Britain. The roots of the inequalities in athletes' backgrounds are to be found within the structure of the wider society, rather than in elite sport, which is perhaps usefully conceptualized as 'epiphenomenal, a secondary set of social practices dependent on and reflecting more fundamental structures, values and processes' (Coalter 2013: 18) beyond the levers of sports policy. It is concluded that class, together with other sources of social division, still matters and looking to the process of schooling and education, whilst largely ignoring the significance of wider inequalities, is likely to have a particularly limited impact on the stubborn persistence of inequalities in participation at all levels of sport, but particularly in elite sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One key aspect of the growing policy emphasis on educational inclusion in England has been the tendency for physical education (PE) to be used as an important vehicle of social policy targeted at promoting the inclusion of young disabled people and those with special educational needs in mainstream schools. Drawing on aspects of figurational sociology, the central objective of this study is to examine the extent to which PE teachers have been able to achieve the government's inclusion policy goals articulated in the 2000 National Curriculum for Physical Education (NCPE) for England. The findings indicate that using the NCPE as a means to pursue the government's educational inclusion policy goals has had unplanned outcomes that have the effect of undermining the extent to which the government is able to use inclusion to make a greater contribution to the promotion of young people's experiences of PE. It is also argued that these outcomes that no-one had planned or intended may, for some of the groups involved, be seen as undesirable consequences that emanate from teachers' attempts to manage the contradictory pressures brought about by pursuing the priorities of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of elite and professional athletes have pointed to a high level of tolerance of pain among such athletes, coupled with a willingness to continue training and competing even when injured and in pain. The central object of this article is to examine some of the ways in which non-elite players of rugby union and rugby league at a British university respond to and manage pain and injury. The central finding is that the attitudes and behaviour of the non-elite rugby players appear to be broadly similar to the attitudes and behaviour of elite and professional athletes in other sports. This suggests that key elements of the ‘culture of risk’ which has been identified in elite and professional sport are not confined to elite sport but that they are also characteristic of non-elite sport. Particularly important in this regard is the culture of ‘playing hurt’, that is, continuing to play with pain and injury, the value of which is clearly accepted by the non-elite rugby players in this sample. These findings suggest that the ‘culture of risk’ cannot be adequately explained in terms of relatively recent commercial and financial pressures in professional and elite sport to ‘play hurt’, but that it may be a more deeply rooted characteristic of sport at all levels. The paper also examines some of the implications of these findings for government policies designed to improve the health of the nation by encouraging people to participate in sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on the use of a yeast-based androgen screen (YAS) to determine the level of in vitro androgenic activity in seven estuaries in Great Britain. Display of androgenic activity by 11 of the 41 surface water samples; Use of a toxicity identification evaluation of the Irvine Valley Sewer effluent using YAS assay to identify the natural steroids/steroid metabolites.

The author reflects on the organization the BCS Security Community of Expertise (SCoE) in shaping the understanding of the people about their lives online and informing them on the policies of the British government in the online environment. The topics discussed include fields where SCoE represents, the activities it organizes like workshops, conferences and forums, and crucial role of online identity in the lives of the people.

Discusses the state of research in Australia. Change in the funding for research; Background o the Research Quality Framework (RQF); Impact of the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) on research in British universities; Implications of the RAE for research under the RQF in Austraia.

The objective of this special issue of the "Journal of Sports Sciences," is to critically review the scientific evidence underpinning health enhancing physical activity (HEPA) as a public health intervention in Great Britain. In so doing, it is hoped that the special issue will help define future research agendas, inform NHS policy on health-enhancing physical activity and promote the development of evidence-based practice. The issue is divided into two parts and is made up of six commissioned papers for which the authors were asked to write against specific briefs. While the managerial instincts disposed the author to a rigorous enforcement of the briefs issued for both part one and two of this special issue, as the project unfolded that he was persuaded to give the authors a freer hand largely because of the quality of the work they produced and because they, quite correctly, followed where the literature took them.

Editorial. Comments on the importance of sports research publications in Great Britain. Classification of sports journal readers; Emphasis on the integration between research and teaching; Benefit for students of sports science; Value of research publications in the educational system.

Background: Physical activity is recommended as a self-help strategy for some mild to moderate perinatal mental illnesses. Despite this, we know very little about how women remain active, or take up physical activity, in the context of changing family life and perinatal mental illness. We seek to explore: a) how women negotiate physical activity for their mental health during transitions into parenthood and the early years; and b) the experiences of women with perinatal mental illness in relation to physical activity., Methods: An anonymous UK-wide qualitative online survey was used to better understand how physical activity may be used for perinatal mental health, barriers to activity and changes over time. 186 women with babies and children up to four years completed the survey. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data and generate themes., Results: Themes generated from this data were: 1) negotiating being active for perinatal mental health (the benefits and how these women remained active); 2) barriers to PA associated with mental illness (some women were active but still experienced general barriers to further PA, and there were several emotional barriers from mental illness); and 3) PA, guilt and the importance of valuing walking (guilt about not being active enough, guilt and feelings of failure exacerbated by questions about PA levels without support offered; regular walking not valued as PA exacerbating feelings of guilt)., Conclusions and Implications: This study provides new empirical data on the experiences of new mothers', physical activity and mental health with important implications for physical activity messaging and support for women during this time through maternity care. Individualised conversations are important and the value of walking and incidental activity from activities that mothers and families find enjoyable should be promoted., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that may have influenced this work., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This paper addresses an under-explored area of sociologically oriented health research, namely, the mental health and physical activity (PA) experiences of new fathers. Drawing upon responses to an online qualitative survey from 32 fathers, aged 18 or over, and living in the UK, we show how the decline in these fathers' overall PA was associated with poor mental health and the changing constraints that characterised their increasingly complex networks of interdependence. These constraints corresponded with shifts in fathers' PA engagement from team sports towards individualised, flexible, and more recreationally oriented lifestyle activities like running and the gym. Fathers' engagement in these activities appeared to exacerbate the complex feelings of guilt and isolation that they already encountered as new fathers. These experiences were simultaneously associated with feelings of shame associated with being insufficiently active and fearing judgement about their engagement in fathering responsibilities. The paper has important policy implications, highlighting the need for tailored support for new fathers in the perinatal period, and implications for practice, suggesting that co-produced community-based PA programmes are potentially effective settings for engaging new fathers in PA and promoting their mental health.

Introduction: Whole-systems approaches are being adopted to tackle physical inactivity. The mechanisms contributing to changes resulting from whole-systems approaches are not fully understood. The voices of children and families that these approaches are designed for need to be heard to understand what is working, for whom, where and in what context. This paper describes the protocol for the children and families' citizen science evaluation of the Join Us: Move, Play (JU:MP) programme, a whole-systems approach to increasing physical activity in children and young people aged 5-14 years in Bradford, UK., Methods and Analysis: The evaluation aims to understand the lived experiences of children and families' relationship with physical activity and participation in the JU:MP programme. The study takes a collaborative and contributory citizen science approach, including focus groups, parent-child dyad interviews and participatory research. Feedback and data will guide changes within this study and the JU:MP programme. We also aim to examine participant experience of citizen science and the suitability of a citizen science approach to evaluate a whole-systems approach. Data will be analysed using framework approach alongside iterative analysis with and by citizen scientists in the collaborative citizen science study., Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval has been granted by the University of Bradford: study one (E891-focus groups as part of the control trial, E982-parent-child dyad interviews) and study two (E992). Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and summaries will be provided to the participants, through schools or directly. The citizen scientists will provide input to create further dissemination opportunities., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

There is growing international concern about the mental health of those who work in sport, including coaches. However, we currently know little about the prevalence of mental illness and the experience of mental health among coaches, and their perceptions and use of workplace mental health support services. Little is also known about coaches' disclosure of mental illness to, and seeking help from, work colleagues. We explore these issues using data from 202 coaches who responded to the first United Kingdom survey of mental health in the sport and physical activity workforce. In total, 55% of coaches reported having ever experienced a mental illness, and 44% currently did, with coaches in grassroots/community settings being most likely to experience mental illness. Depression and anxiety were the most commonly reported conditions and many coaches preferred to access mental health support outside of the organisation for whom they worked or volunteered, with decisions to seek help from others in the workplace being shaped by complex organisational and personal considerations. The findings suggest there is an important public health challenge which needs to be met among coaches, so that we can better address a question of fundamental importance: 'who is looking after the people looking after the people'?