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Loughborough Early Years programme gains industry recognition

A Loughborough University study to improve children’s physical readiness for school is The Early Years winner at the Children & Young People Now Awards.

Movement for Learning is a bespoke programme designed to improve Foundation stage children’s balance, coordination and fine-motor skills – all of which impact on their ability to concentrate and learn in class.

The programme has been developed in response to the finding that many four-year-olds are not physically ready to start school.

For the last year, early years specialist Dr Rebecca Duncombe from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences and Movement for Learning programme leader Professor Pat Preedy have worked with classes at an independent and state school in England to pilot a programme designed to redress the decline in pupils’ physical development. That programme is now being extended to more UK schools.

The Children & Young People Now Awards recognise excellence, innovation and impact. A panel of experts and professionals from across the children and young people’s sector, as well as a specially selected panel of young people, judged the awards.

Judges were impressed by the programme’s “strong concept” while the young judges said they were “looking forward to seeing it spread wider”.