For some school children, PE is the best lesson of the week – a chance to leave the desk behind, get outside, and enjoy a run around with friends. For others, it is a frequently miserable experience – a time when they feel degraded, embarrassed, and may even experience physical pain. But it’s not game over. Just because a child doesn’t look forward to PE does not mean they never will. Research demonstrates that some simple adjustments can make PE enjoyable for the majority of school children.

A third of children in the UK are overweight or obese by the time they reach primary school. Many other countries are facing the same issue, with a tenfold increase in the worldwide prevalence of childhood obesity over the past four decades. Governments worldwide are attempting to tackle the growing problem of obesity by increasing the amount of physical activity young people are doing on a daily basis. But while this all sounds well and good, robust evidence for the effectiveness of existing school-based physical activity programmes is lacking. It is also unclear whether all children – irrespective of socioeconomic status – benefit equally.

Fewer than one in four young children in the UK get the recommended amount of exercise*, which means that millions of kids are missing out on the benefit of sport and play. Active kids are healthier, happier and show stronger academic performance. Active Kids Do Better helps schools to take simple steps in the right direction.