Walker Robert, House Danielle, Kent-Saisch Simona, Porter Alice, Salway Ruth, Emm-Collison Lydia, Beets Michael, Lubans David Revalds, de Vocht Frank, Jago Russell
Centre for Public Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
National Institute for Health and Care Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Jul 18;25(1):2497. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-23682-4.
Physical activity is essential for children's health. Primary schools offer an opportunity to equitably promote physical activity. However, school-based interventions have been shown to have little to no effect, potentially due to a lack of consideration of school heterogeneity. This study reports on a rapid ethnography study that was used to capture insights into English primary schools physical activity. The data are intended to inform the design of a context-specific intervention to improve pupil physical activity.
Three researchers conducted a four-month rapid ethnography study within three primary schools in Bristol, UK, between March and July 2024. Several methods were used: observations (n = 80), interviews (n = 26), photo elicitation with pupils (n = 4 activities, total 22 pupils), collection of documentary data (i.e. pupil demographics, school policies, etc.), informal conversations, and field notes. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Each school measured success in physical activity differently, such as increased opportunities, personal development, or broader curriculum attainment. Across all schools levels of pupil physical activity varied across physical activity opportunities in the school day, with breaktimes most active, PE lessons focused on fundamental skills, and active clubs providing quality but not fully inclusive opportunities. Furthermore, across all schools different school communities consistently had different goals and needs for physical activity: senior leaders were focused on how physical activity can support broader school-level strategies (e.g. academic achievement and student wellbeing); teachers were concerned with how physical activity can fit in and around curriculum pressures; and pupils wanted fun and engaging activities. Not all physical activities were feasible across settings, emphasising the need for tailored strategies. And differences in Parent Teacher Association (PTA) funding impacted resources and opportunities for pupil physical activity. These various areas of convergence and difference across the schools suggest strategies for intervention development.
This study underscores the importance of context-specific approaches to promoting physical activity in primary schools. Context-specific intervention design should closely consider school context to ensure strategies are appropriate. Intervention designs should also include steps to understand different stakeholder goals, PTA funding disparities, and the appropriate areas of physical activity to target.
体育活动对儿童健康至关重要。小学提供了一个公平促进体育活动的机会。然而，基于学校的干预措施已被证明效果甚微或毫无效果，这可能是由于缺乏对学校异质性的考虑。本研究报告了一项快速人种志研究，该研究用于深入了解英国小学的体育活动情况。这些数据旨在为设计针对具体情况的干预措施提供信息，以改善学生的体育活动。
2024年3月至7月期间，三名研究人员在英国布里斯托尔的三所小学进行了为期四个月的快速人种志研究。采用了多种方法：观察（n = 80）、访谈（n = 26）、与学生进行照片启发（n = 4次活动，共22名学生）、收集文献数据（即学生人口统计数据、学校政策等）、非正式交谈和实地记录。采用反思性主题分析对数据进行分析。
每所学校衡量体育活动成功的方式各不相同，例如增加机会、个人发展或更广泛的课程成就。在所有学校中，学生的体育活动水平在学校一天中的体育活动机会中各不相同，课间休息时最为活跃，体育课侧重于基本技能，而活跃俱乐部提供高质量但并非完全包容的机会。此外，在所有学校中，不同的学校社区对体育活动始终有不同的目标和需求：学校高层领导关注体育活动如何支持更广泛的学校层面战略（如学业成绩和学生福祉）；教师关心体育活动如何适应课程压力；而学生则希望有有趣且吸引人的活动。并非所有体育活动在不同环境中都是可行的，这强调了制定量身定制策略的必要性。家长教师协会（PTA）资金的差异影响了学生体育活动的资源和机会。学校之间这些不同的趋同和差异领域为干预措施的制定提供了策略。
本研究强调了针对具体情况的方法在促进小学体育活动方面的重要性。针对具体情况的干预设计应密切考虑学校情况，以确保策略合适。干预设计还应包括了解不同利益相关者目标、PTA资金差距以及体育活动的合适目标领域的步骤。
