Feasibility of an intervention for increasing moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in primary school physical education: a study protocol

Abstract

Background: Most primary school Physical Education (PE) has relatively little health-enhancing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). - A promising theory and evidence-based intervention, the ‘SHARP Principles’ model, has been effective in making PE lessons more active in one area of England. This protocol paper explains the rationale for use of the SHARP intervention, and the methods used to examine the feasibility and acceptability of a version of SHARP translated for use in Scotland (SHARP Scotland). Methods: The feasibility of SHARP Scotland will be evaluated by key areas of focus for feasibility studies: Acceptability, Implementation, Integration, Limited Efficacy Testing. A combination of process measures, including observations, session delivery records, accelerometry-data collection, questionnaires, and semi-structured qualitative focus groups with teachers and pupils will be used. The feasibility and suitability of the SHARP Scotland intervention for a future Randomised Control Trial (RCT) will be assessed. The study will involve children from 8-11 years old (Primary 4 to 6) in two schools, one large urban school, and one smaller school; four classes will be randomly assigned to the intervention group (will be taught by class teachers with SHARP approach training), and four classes randomly assigned to the usual-care (standard curriculum) control group (taught by class teachers without SHARP training). Within the 8-week intervention, MVPA in the intervention group will be targeted by encouraging class teachers to deliver their PE classes in more active ways, following SHARP Principles. A maximum of 64 PE lessons delivered in a SHARP way will be conducted to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Discussion: The outcome of this study will be an assessment of whether applying the SHARP intervention is feasible in Scottish schools. Identification of any modifications to the intervention or evaluation which are required will provide insight for a fully powered effectiveness trial in the future, if appropriate.