Start to Move: developing physical literacy

We would like to invite your school to be part of an exciting national pilot scheme which aims to transform outcomes for children through an innovative approach to Physical Education at Key Stage 1.  Start to Move is a new programme which will help primary schools teach the fundamental movement skills required for 4 – 7 year olds.  The programme aims to provide children with a foundation for lifelong participation in physical activity, enabling them to be physically literate, confident and healthy movers.

Start to Move is a free programme that starts with a day of training delivered by experienced national trainers. Teachers are then supported on an ongoing basis by local mentors and through utilizing the Start to Move website. The website, www.starttomovezone.com, will be live in the coming months and from February will feature video clips of children demonstrating their progression in activities; how they have adopted the basic movement skills and developed these into more complex activities.

The programme, an exciting new partnership between Youth Sport Trust and Bupa, the leading international healthcare group, is based on extensive national and international research of best Physical Education practice.  It has been informed by consultation with UK head teachers, teachers, parents and children.  By engaging children while they are still learning about what it means to be healthy, Bupa hopes to inspire them to be the next generation’s fit, healthy adults. Bupa is dedicated to empowering people to take positive steps to live longer healthier, happier lives.

Key Objectives of the Start to Move programme

v  To develop an innovative approach to teaching KS1 Physical Education, placing physical development and core movement skills at the centre of learning.

v  To align the teaching of Physical Education with the teaching of other subjects, taking advantage of primary teachers’ wider skills and enabling them to recognise their ability to deliver a high quality PE experience.

v  To enable schools to deliver high quality Physical Education as one of four compulsory National Curriculum subjects.

v  The programme will build on each child’s previous achievements and meet the diverse needs primary school teachers have to cater for in the classroom. Start to Move will provide children with access to a broad range of movement skills and resources; indoors and outdoors, individually and with others engaging them in physical activities that are both competitive and cooperative.

What commitment is required from a pilot school?

 Full attendance by a member of staff to a free training day on the above date

Piloting resources and Start to Move approach

Completion of a pre-training and post-training questionnaire, which forms part of the independent research of the programme by Roehampton Institute.

Completion of evaluative material on training and web resources to aid national roll out To cascade learning from the training within your school