An Evaluation of the Implementation of a UK School-Based Running Program

Area of Science:

• Pedagogy and Educational Practice
• Public Health Interventions
• Childhood Physical Activity

Background:

• School-based running programs are increasingly adopted in the UK and globally.
• Limited data exists on the implementation, generalizability, and sustainability of these initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation of a school-based running program over seven months.
• To inform future delivery by assessing reach, fidelity, and dose.

Main Methods:

• An observational, mixed-method, single-group, before-and-after study.
• Data collected over seven months (2016/2017) from five UK primary schools, 17 teachers, and 189 Year 5 pupils.
• Utilized interviews, focus groups, observations, questionnaires, and teacher logs; follow-up qualitative data collected in 2017/2018.

Main Results:

• Achieved 100% pupil participation at some point; all schools maintained engagement throughout the academic year.
• Good fidelity was observed, though implementation varied between schools and over time (0.94-3.89 sessions/week).
• Boys were more likely to be high-level participators; contextual factors like staff capacity influenced delivery quality.

Conclusions:

• School-based running programs are simple, inexpensive, and versatile, demonstrating good initial reach and fidelity.
• Diverse school settings present unique challenges to sustained delivery.
• Context-specific adaptations are essential for long-term participation and program sustainability.