Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Centre for Child and Adolescent Physical Literacy
Boosting physical literacy
Leeds Beckett and GSAL launch groundbreaking school programme.
Photo: Resat Kuleli – Unsplash
Sport and physical activity in school has arguably never been more important. This project will see physical literacy embedded across a range of curriculum areas.
Leeds Beckett and The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) have joined forces to embed cutting-edge research into the school day – aiming to boost children’s physical literacy and lifelong wellbeing.
The 30-month collaboration, part of a UKRI-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), will see researchers from the university’s Centre for Child and Adolescent Physical Literacy (CAPL) at the Carnegie School of Sport work alongside GSAL to roll out a whole-school physical literacy programme.
Based on findings from a pioneering PhD study co-funded by both institutions in 2022, the programme is designed to help children build positive, lasting relationships with movement and physical activity.
At the heart of the project is cooperation. A KTP associate will be based full-time at GSAL, working in close collaboration with LBU researchers, staff, students and parents to tailor the programme and integrate it into school life. The initiative will also involve local schools, helping to share and scale its impact across the wider Leeds community.
The project will enable us to evaluate and refine our approach to developing children’s physical literacy – supporting our goal of enhancing the health and happiness of children.
Physical literacy: key stats
- Children achieving the Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines for exercise: 47%
- Children with low physical literacy who are active: 33%
- Children with high physical literacy who are active: 62%
Source: Sport England’s Active Lives Survey 2023
