New study proves that physical activity in schools boosts learning

Physical activity in schools often only takes place in the form of physical education (PE) or after-school sports and games. However, a new study has revealed the benefits of physically-active lessons, where exercise is embedded into classroom activities. For example, students do star jumps or run on the spot to answer maths question, or use movement to signify whether a fact is true or false. According to the study by the University College London and the University of Sydney, “The meta-analysis of 42 studies from around the world, published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, aimed to assess the benefits of incorporating physical activity in academic lessons. “This approach has been adopted by schools seeking to increase activity levels among students without reducing academic teaching time.” The study found that when children engage in physical activity during lessons, it “had a large, significant effect on educational outcomes, assessed through tests or by observing pupils’ attention to a given task.”