BIG MOVES - A one day workshop

Movement and physical play in early childhood are essential for the healthy growth and development of the brain and nervous system – and yet many children are experiencing ‘sedentary screen-based childhoods’, with 90% of girls and 91% of boys aged 2-4 years not having enough physical activity for their health & wellbeing. (British Heart Foundation 2014)

The BIG MOVES Developmental Movement Intervention Programme has been created to help the growing numbers of children in mainstream school, whose delayed physical development is a very real barrier to listening and concentration, learning success and appropriate behaviour.

Developed over a six year period in a Leicestershire school, this course explains to educators how the brain develops in early childhood and the foundation sensory and motor skills that every child needs to succeed in school and life.It explains the BIG MOVES every child has to experience in childhood before they can move on to using the small moves of the eyesand fingers for learning in the classroom.

Improvements noted from using BIG MOVES! include:

  • Significantly raised value added scores in KS1
  • Better listening and concentration
  • Improved ability to follow instructions.
  • Better posture, no longer slumping in the chair.
  • More imagination & creativity
  • Improved ability to sit still and less fidgeting
  • More determination and ability to persevere.
  • Less complaining of tiredness
  • Improved pencil grip
  • Improved handwriting
  • Improved tool use, including safe use of scissors.
  • Raised independence, including in writing
  • Greater confidence
  • Better vocabulary about their own bodies
  • ‘Self Organising’

In South Leicestershire, Big Moves has been delivered in more than 60 schools over the past 5 years, focusing on working with children in each school with the poorest physical literacy skills over a 12 week period. The impact of the work has been monitored across a range of measures, and the results have shown a significant impact:

Impact measure / % showing an
improvement
Improvement in physical movement skills / 94%
Improvement in handwriting / fine motor skills / 71%
Improvement in concentration & listening / 75%
Improvement in ability to sit still / 75%
Improvement in showing initiative / 63%
Improvement in self care (i.e getting dressed) / 67%
Improvement in social involvement / 66%
Improvement in behaviour / 62%
Improved academic progress / 64%

“ Big Moves programme was very successful, results seen quickly. We will carry on the programme next year” The Pastures Primary

“ Really works. Couldn't believe results in final movement assessment- huge improvement for some” Market Harborough CE Primary

“Extremely useful programme. We have passed information to the pre school who have used some of the exercises with younger children.” Croft Primary

COURSE AIMS: Practitioners are trained to deliver a daily, floor based movement intervention that takes 15 minutes a day. There are also additional BIG MOVES classroom activities as well as ideas for free play and creating an ‘Active Education’ environment that best supports physical development and learning. Reading materials and full resources are included in the course.

DATE:13/03/2015

VENUE:Fleckney Sports Centre (LE8 8BG)

TIME:9am – 3.30pm.

COST: £125 per delegate including resources

TUTOR: Elaine Cowley, a Sherborne Developmental Movement Practitioner.

OTHER INFO: The training is very practical and experiential and practitioners should come suitably dressed.

TO BOOK A PLACE ON THE COURSE PLEASE GO TO THE LEARNING SOUTH LEICESTERSHIRE SCHOOL SPORTS PARTNERSHIP WEBSITE and click book courses (Big Moves Training).

FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CONTACT KATE CLARKE ON 0116 277 4575 (OPTION 1) OR