Facts4Life Primary School Resource: Pilot Evaluation Report, July 2015
Summary of Findings
The University of the West of England (UWE) carried out a controlled before and after study of the impact of the Facts4Life teaching resource on the attitudes, knowledge and behaviours of children in fiveprimary schools in Gloucestershire across years 3-6. The resource is based on three themes: ‘Introduction to Homeostasis’; ‘Healthy Me’; and, ‘The Family’.This was contrasted with five schools where the intervention did not take place. Students and teachers were also interviewed about their engagement with the project.
Controlled before and after study shows “small, yet significant improvements”.
The findings of the UWE research into the pilot study are very encouraging. The questionnaire data notes improvements in children’s attitudes to two important areas of focus. These are described as “small, yet significant’, and relate to questions about the children’s belief that they need to take medicine to feel better and also their need always to see a doctor when unwell. These are important steps in increasing young people’s confidence in managing illness and reducing reliance on medical intervention. There were positive trends in other questionnaire items and over time, we expect these to become statistically significant.
Interviews with students point to increased responsibility for health
The qualitative findings, although not based on quantifiable evidence, present further encouragement regarding the impact of the Facts4Life approach. They show children enjoying the opportunity to learn about health issues that affect them day to day.
“I think the most interesting part for me was when we learnt how to fight
some of the diseases and the common cold and a lot of those things because
it could help me in the rest of my life”
The findings also suggest perceived changes in personal responsibility for health and behaviour as well as children influencing wider family action.
“My mum goes to Aldi and she [now] buys the complete sugar free [soft drinks]
and she used to buy the normal ones that are like...the Lucozade ones...”
Further development of the project to follow
UWE recommends further adaptation of the Facts4Life resource and expansion of the training provided to teachers in support of the projects aims and objectives to help everyone take ownership of their health by exploring illness and developing strategies to build wellbeing.This will include work with parents and, most important, development of partnerships with GPs so that the approach can reach more adults as well as children.
The support of the Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group means that further work is already underway. The university will continue to evaluate the outcomes of the intervention as the resources are expanded and the scope of the project encompasses both primary and secondary age children across Gloucestershire.