"SAQ® plays a central role within our partnerships, particularly in encouraging teachers to be innovative and develop pupils' generic movement skills".  Geoff Sheldon - Chief Inspector of Physical Education, County Durham

“An amazing course - the best inset I have ever been to”  Matt Lloyd - Devizes School (Award evaluation form)

“I feel like I’ve re-trained and have the same level of inspiration I once had. Most valuable training day I’ve had”Award Evaluation Form – Teacher

"Positive feedback following the SAQ® Training induction has been overwhelming! We intend to have a SAQ® Schools Training Director down again soon to train the remainder of the teachers keen to benefit from this fantastic resource. The teachers who have experienced the course have completely changed their approach to delivering fundamental motor skills to both primary and secondary aged pupils".  Leigh Marshall - PDM, Coopers Company and Coburn, Sports College Partnership, Upminster

"SAQ® has underpinned our desire to impart good practice across the authority. With excellent training from SAQ® Training Directors, 90 coaches, secondary and primary teachers have been trained. Long Term Athlete Development is at the heart of our work and SAQ® is a key programme in it's delivery and sustainability!" Sue Odgers - PDM, South Gloucestershire, County Council

SAQ® Training has provided County Durham primary and secondary school teachers with an innovative, flexible, adaptable and user friendly resource. Activities are all inclusive and ideally support both fundamental and essential core dance, gymnastics, games and athletic skills and activities across Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4". Alan Duff - PDM, Wear Valley Sports Coordinator, County Durham

“The entire SAQ® concept is breathtaking and yet so simple. I strongly recommend taking the one-day course at your earliest convenience. The grass roots and coaches of all backgrounds should embrace these ideas.”  Allan Manners (by email)

“Following the Award I have done a number of sessions with various groups of young hockey players, from basic junior teams up to the Midlands Schoolgirls U17 squad. Even over a one off session I’ve found their balance and foot movement has improved immensely.”  Clive Terret (by letter)

“I feel like I’ve re-trained and have the same level of inspiration I once had”  Durham teacher

Most valuable training day I’ve had”  Durham teacher (Award evaluation form)

We introduced SAQ® across all age groups last September as we had identified the need to develop children’s co-ordination skills. We started with an introduction from Jenny Smith on one of our teacher days when all the staff took part. It is now part of the curriculum and we also have a small focus group of Year 4 boys.

Using SAQ® in Asfordby Hill has led to the desired improvement in co-ordination and as you sawe for yourself all the children thoroughly enjoy their SAQ® sessions. The member of staff who leads the focus group has developed routines over the year. These sessions take place at 8.50 am each morning and the class teacher can see the benefit as the children approach their lessons with increased attention and concentration.

It is intended that these lessons will continue next school year across the school and with the focus group.

Jo Kitchen, Headteadcher, Asfordby Hill Primary School

Dynamic flexibility is optimally achieved with the Dynamic Flex Warm-Up. Dynamic Flex adapts to individual movement needs of children and encourages them to extend their skills naturally. It fits in with their behaviour and natural development. It is easy to follow, making it ideal for parents and anyone working with children and young people, providing a structured learning opportunity and allowing them to obtain and improve essential movement skills.  Dr Madeleine Portwood-Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist, Chairperson of the Education Committee of the Dyspraxia Foundation

A school, which places a great emphasis on raising pupil self-esteem, focused on developing a new transition PE curriculum from key stage 2 to 3. The school, that believes that PE and school sport plays an important part in promoting social inclusion, taught different activities including swimming, striking and fielding games, ball skills, and speed, agility and quickness work (SAQ). Pupils' ability to perform effectively was assessed using the core tasks from the QCA schemes ofwork. As a result of the transition curriculum, pupils' self- esteem was raised and rates of participation and attendance increased. During the pilot project, 95% of all transition PE lessons enjoyed a 100% participation rate.  Press release - 29th November 2001 QCA PE and School Sport project

Overview 
SAQ® training was provided to PE co-ordinators in 44 out of 45 Primary schools in the Wear Valley and Teesdale districts. These co-ordinators were then charged with the dissemination of that training in their own schools. A sample of 882 children, from 13 schools, was subsequently asked to respond to their experience of SAQ®. Of the882 children questioned, 840 (95.2%) reported a being exposed to SAQ® lessons, suggesting that the initiative had reached much of the target area. (Indeed 29 of the ‘missing’ 42 children came from one single class). Investigation of children’s ‘perception’ of SAQ®

Children’s responses to the question “Do you like SAQ®?” 
In response to the question of “Do you like SAQ®?”, figure 1 below suggests that the lessons are very well received. More than 80% of the children reported that they ‘always’ or ‘sometimes’ enjoyed sessions with less than 20% of the children indicating dissatisfaction.

Figure 1: Children’s responses to the question “Do you like SAQ®?”

Children’s responses to the question “How often would you like to do SAQ®?” 
There is a clear indication that not only do children enjoy SAQ® lessons but they would also like to undertake them on a regular basis. In both Wear Valley and Teesdale together almost 45% of children indicate that they would like to do SAQ® every week. Less than 20% of children would prefer not to have SAQ® as part of the physical education curriculum.

Figure 2: Children’s responses to the question “How often would you like to do SAQ®?”

Physical activity levels in typical SAQ® lessons compared to others 
Figure 3 below provides an illustrative indication of the relative heart rate intensity associated with two different PE curriculum areas. Clearly both Dance and SAQ® require elevated cardiovascular function but it is interesting to note how the relative intensities compare.

Figure 3: Heart rate intensity during two example PE lessons 

The data would suggest that the level of physical activity associated with the SAQ® lesson is consistently higher than that of a typical dance lesson. Moreover the overall shape of the curve indicates that the exercise intensity was maintained at a relatively high level over much of the time course of the lesson. Whilst figure 3 above provides an illustrative example of how heart rate intensity is maintained at an elevated level for an extended period of time. Figure 4 below allows an interesting comparison of exercise intensity with other curriculum areas.

Figure 4 Mean heart rate observed in different PE curriculum areas. 
Here the data suggests that SAQ® sessions compare most favourably with what might be termed traditional ‘games’ activities. With average heart rates in the order of 133 – 138 beats per minute it is clear that SAQ® lessons have a relatively high cardiovascular requirement which is every much as demanding as other curriculum areas. 

Summary 
Combining the results of children’s positive perception of SAQ® lessons and the relative exercise intensity associated with such lessons it is clear that SAQ® has proved to be a valuable intervention of the LEAP project. Indeed when this is put into the context of SAQ® also helping to develop key movement skills and general co- 
ordination then it is clear that its use in the PE curriculum may well prove to be a useful tool in engaging young children in health promoting physical activity.

Talent in Physical Education: The Doncaster Project Final Report

4.7 Conclusions

4.7.1 Impact

• SAQ® activities has a positive impact on pupils in terms of self-esteem and self-confidence
• Although there are some structural concerns related to tedium of activities, pupils generally enjoy the activities particularly the use of the equipment
• Teachers noted improvements in performance, particularly in movement skills
• Some teachers successfully used the activities to improve the ability of children with SEN and this also had a positive effect on there standing within the group
• Teachers are very positive about the potential benefits of using SAQ® activities

4.7.2 Placement

• A number of teachers felt that SAQ® activities are best placed in HRE or Athletics
• SAQ® activities can be used across the whole age range
• SAQ® activities are most effective in curricular time (in terms of identifying potential)
• Effective duration of activities is affected by the ability of the pupils, the structure of the activities and the overall rationale for using the activities

4. Improvement

• Occasionally, pupils found it difficult to see the link between SAQ® activities and performance in other activities
• Teachers were allowed to see pupils in a different light in a positive and negative sense
• Teachers commented on the pupils enjoyment of the activities as a result of them being different and in some ways more challenging David Morley, Dr Richard Bailey, Dr Nicholas Holt-September 2003, Centre for Physical Education, Leeds Met Carnegie

The data would suggest that the level of physical activity associated with the SAQ session is consistently higher than that of a typical dance lesson. Moreover the overall shape of the curve dicates that the exercise intensity was maintained at a relatively high level over much of the time course of the session.

Whilst figure 7.10 above provides an illustrative example of how heart rate intensity is maintained at an elevated level for an extended period of time. Figure 7.11 below allows an interesting comparison of exercise intensity with other curriculum areas.

Here the data suggests that SAQ sessions compare most favourably with what might be termed traditional ‘games’ activities. With average heart rates in the order of 133 – 138 beats per minute t is clear that SAQ lessons have a relatively high cardiovascular requirement which is every much as demanding as other curriculum areas.

Combining the results of children’s positive perception of SAQ sessions and the relative exercise intensity associated with such sessions it is clear that SAQ has proved to be a valuable intervention of the ‘Active Choice’ project. Indeed when thisis put into the context of SAQ also helping to develop key movement skills and general co-ordination then it is clear that its use, to complement the PE curriculum, may well prove to be useful in engaging children in health promoting physicalactivity.

Teachers acknowledged improvement in games areas as a result of participating in SAQ® activities  Evaluation of the Durham, Dales PCT ‘Active, Choice’ LEAP Project

ROOKERY SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM

“It is hard to believe that a programme that is so simple in its content has the potential to make such a difference to the quality of movement that children can develop across the PE Curriculum”

Derek Donaghy (PE Coordinator)

HAMILTON SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM

‘The SAQ® approach to body movement and improvements in both fine and gross motor skills has had an amazing effect on the children. Almost all of the children want to participate in lessons and for some it has been a turning point in their education as their confidence in their own ability has greatly increased’

Adrian Kuik (PE Coordinator)