Active Schools in Europe—A Review of Empirical Findings

Richard Bailey, Francis Ries and Claude Scheuer ()
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Richard Bailey: Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts, UCSI University, Jalan Menara Gading, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur 56000, Malaysia
Francis Ries: Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Seville, 41013 Sevilla, Spain
Claude Scheuer: European Physical Education Association, 8551 Noerdange, Luxembourg

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-22

Abstract: Physical activity is an important part of children’s and young people’s healthy functioning, but evidence suggests many students are inactive to the extent that they are compromising their well-being. Traditionally, schools have played a minor role in contributing to physical activity, but it has held relatively low prestige. Some commentators have called for Whole-School or Active School approaches. Physical activity, in these models, is integrated into all aspects of school life. This article reports on a review of the most-cited elements of school-based physical activity promotion, assesses evidence of actual and potential contributions, and provides a tentative weight of evidence judgement for each component. A rapid reviewing methodology was followed, and the searches used a range of specialist academic databases (PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, SPORTdiscus, CINAHL Complete), Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Academia.edu, restricted to 2010–2021. Six settings were found to have the potential to add physical activity time, although none suffices alone: Active Breaks; Active Homework; Active Learning; Active Recess; Active Transport; and School Sports. Active Schools offer a plausible solution to the problem of physical inactivity by adding moments of movement and integrating physical activity in all aspects of school life, underlining the need for school-level change, the consideration of stakeholder groups, and the social and physical environments of school.

Keywords: active breaks; active classrooms; active homework; active recess; active travel; adolescents; children; physical activity; physical education; school sports (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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