An investigation of the psycho-physical influences of a quality daily physical education programme

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Abstract
This paper describes a study which was initiated because of concern about the poor health record of the population in the west of Scotland, anxiety about low activity levels in pre-adolescent children, and the lack of systematic and regular physical education classes at primary school. A daily physical education programme was established to examine the effects of an increase in time allocation to physical education on the motor fitness, academic performance and affective development of pupils. This paper concentrates only on the primary 6 (penultimate year) children. The children who were involved in the daily physical education programme, and the control samples receiving ‘normal’ physical education programmes, were assessed before and after the daily physical education programme. Testing was conducted on motor fitness, academic performance and ‘attitude to school’. There was additional monitoring by head teachers and teachers. The findings indicated that the children engaged in the daily physical education programme had made considerable improvements in motor fitness and were superior to the children on ‘normal’ physical education and had at least maintained their progress in academic achievements.

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