Evaluation of Fit to Study, an intervention to optimise the benefit of PE for brain function in order to raise attainment

ISRCTN ISRCTN15730512
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15730512
ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT03286725
Secondary identifying numbers Evaluation of Fit to Study
Submission date
10/03/2017
Registration date
30/03/2017
Last edited
06/04/2021
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Other
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Physical Education (PE) can play a large role in helping children do better at school. Research has shown that PE has a positive effect on the brain and can improve cognitive (mental) performance both immediately and in the long-term. The “Fit to Study” is a PE programme targeted at Year 8 pupils. This programme was designed to optimise the benefit of PE for brain function, and involves 20 minutes of certain activities per week. The aim of this study is to assess the impact that the “Fit to Study” programme has on academic performance in Year 8 pupils at the end of the year.

Who can participate?
Year 8 pupils attending schools in England.

What does the study involve?
Participating schools are randomly allocated to one of two groups. Those in group one receive the “Fit to Study” programme. This consists of training PE teachers on how to adapt their PE lessons to include the certain activities that are aimed to improve brain function . The programme is then included in the regular PE lessons for students. Those in the second group continue with their regular PE lessons. Participating students are followed up using their maths scores at the end of the school year.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants may benefit from participating in physical education that optimizes brain function and academic achievement. There are no notable risks with participating as the activities are deemed as safe and age appropriate.

Where is the study run from?
This study is being run from Oxford Brookes University (Oxford) and is taking place in schools in the West Midlands and the South of England (UK).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2017 to July 2018

Who is funding the study?
1. Education Endowment Foundation (UK)
2. Wellcome Trust (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Dr Fatima Husain
fatima.husain@natcen.ac.uk

Contact information

Dr Fatima Husain
Public

NatCen Social Research
35 Northampton Square
London
EC1V 0AX
United Kingdom

Phone +44 207 549 8508
Email fatima.husain@natcen.ac.uk

Study information

Study designInterventional two-arm cluster (school-level) randomised controlled efficacy trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designCluster randomised trial
Study setting(s)School
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleRandomised controlled trial of Fit to Study, an intervention to optimise the benefit of PE for brain function in order to raise attainment, delivered to 12-13-year-old pupils
Study objectivesPupils in schools implementing Fit to Study will have better educational (maths) attainment than equivalent pupils receiving business-as-usual PE lessons in year 8.
Ethics approval(s)The University of Oxford Ethics Committee, 20/01/2017, ref: R48879/RE002
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedEducational attainment (Maths)
InterventionParticipating schools are randomly allocated to either the intervention group or the control group.

Intervention group: Participants receive the Fit to Study intervention. This consists of improving students brain function by improving attention and working memory, which in turn improves learning, resulting in a positive impact on attainment. The intervention includes twenty minutes per week of prescribed activity, designed to optimise the benefit of physical education (PE) for brain function. The intervention is delivered by PE teachers during scheduled lessons. As part of the intervention PE teachers receive training in how to deliver the intervention.

Control group: Schools continue with business as usual.

Participating students are followed up using their Pupil Key Stage 2 (KS2) scores obtained from the National Pupil Database (NPD) to measure their pre-intervention attainment. Post-intervention assessments will be carried out in June/July 2018 using the level 13 Progress in Maths test, provided by GL assessment.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureMathematical attainment is measured using the level 13 Progress in Maths test (provided at GL assessment) at the end of the school year.
Secondary outcome measuresThere are no secondary outcome measures.
Overall study start date12/09/2016
Completion date31/03/2019

Eligibility

Participant type(s)All
Age groupChild
Lower age limit12 Years
Upper age limit13 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participantsApprox. 9000
Total final enrolment18261
Key inclusion criteriaPupils in Year 8 (aged 12-13).
Key exclusion criteriaThere is no exclusion criteria.
Date of first enrolment25/01/2017
Date of final enrolment05/05/2017

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Oxford Brookes University
Headington Road
Oxford
OX3 0BP
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Education Endowment Foundation
Charity

9th Floor
Millbank Tower
21-24 Millbank
London
SW1P 4QP
United Kingdom

Phone +44 207 802 1676
Email info@eefoundation.org.uk
Website https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/03bhd6288

Funders

Funder type

Charity

Education Endowment Foundation

No information available

Wellcome Trust
Private sector organisation / International organizations
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/03/2019
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high impact peer review journal.
IPD sharing planThe current data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Basic results 06/05/2020 12/05/2020 No No
Funder report results 01/09/2019 06/04/2021 No No
Protocol article 02/04/2019 06/04/2021 Yes No
Results article 31/03/2021 06/04/2021 Yes No

Additional files

ISRCTN15730512_BasicResults_06May2020.pdf
Uploaded 12/05/2020

Editorial Notes

06/04/2021: The following changes have been made:
1. Publication references added.
2. The final enrolment number has been added from the results reference.
3. The NCT number has been added.
12/05/2020: The basic results of this trial have been uploaded as an additional file.